Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) reintroduced the Agriculture Resilience Act. The research-driven and farmer-focused act paves the way to achieving net-zero agricultural emissions by 2040. With Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Pingree first introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act in April 2021. The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) endorsed the bold climate and agriculture marker bill then, and does so again with its reintroduction. Since the Agricultural Resilience Act’s (ARA) original introduction, farmers have increasingly recognized their place on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Not only are they equipped with solutions to enhance climate resilience, but they’re also some of the first to experience the impacts of extreme weather…

Yesterday, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and John Thune (R-SD), U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jim Baird (R-IN), and members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the House Agriculture Committee reintroduced the Strengthening Local Processing Act. The bipartisan legislation would support small meat and poultry processors, helping them streamline and strengthen their operations. This legislation is endorsed by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA). The bill would provide small meat processors with access to critical information regarding food safety planning. This would enable more inspector-approved meat products to be sold across state lines, and channel federal dollars towards education, training, and technical assistance…