GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Congresswoman Hillary Scholten held a virtual press conference Friday to showcase unprecedented federal investments in Michigan’s agriculture industry.
The state’s agricultural producers and rural communities will have the resources to be part of the climate solution while boosting their economic potential, thanks to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
The IRA, which was signed into law in 2022, includes nearly $20 billion for farms to help expand already existing conservation programs, along with another $14 billion to support clean energy development in rural communities.
“The IRA’s $20 billion investment in climate-smart agriculture was a historic win for West Michigan’s family farms and rural communities,” Congresswoman Scholten said. “It couldn’t be more clear that we need to act on climate. These investments do just that and they will allow our farmers to employ practices that are good for the environment and good for their bottom line.”
State Representative Phillip Skaggs, Kent County Commissioner Monica Sparks, Michigan Farmers Union President Bob Thompson and Michigan Blueberry Advisory Committee Vice President Rex Schultz joined the congresswoman.
They urged federal leaders to not only reject efforts to decrease climate investments but also to expand on them further in order to reduce carbon pollution to the levels scientists say are necessary to mitigate the dire effects of climate change.
“This federal legislation is a major step forward in addressing climate change and giving our rural communities the resources that they need to grow and remain a vibrant part of our state’s economy,” Rep. Skaggs added. “As a state representative, I look forward to advancing solutions at a state level to complement these federal programs and continue to make Michigan a great place to live.”
“The $20 billion in increased funding for USDA’s popular and effective Farm Bill conservation programs will help energize our rural economies, improve climate resilience and ensure that our state’s farmers, ranchers and foresters are part of the solution to climate change,” Thompson said.
“I’m also a social worker by training, which is what has guided me to be able to understand so many of the social determinants of health and wellness,” Rep. Scholten added. “For example, when we think about the impacts that exposure to lead and PFAS has and impacts our children’s ability to grow and learn in school. So many of those negative effects burden communities of color and low-income families the most. I know how pollution of our air can damage a mother’s health during pregnancy or the health of her new baby.”
