Take action to help the RIPE proposal become reality!
Farm Bill: A Path Forward for the RIPE Proposal
In order to make the RIPE proposal a federal program, it first must be authorized by Congress. The nearest opportunity is the 2023 Farm Bill.
We urge organizations to include the following resolution in their farm bill platforms:
“A portion of funds provided by Congress for climate-smart agriculture through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 should be invested in a voluntary conservation program with simple enrollment that enables producers, including early adopters, to earn equitable payments above implementation costs. Minimum payments would include economic losses during transition to new practices and increasing production costs. The approved practices will help increase resilience and adaptation while delivering public benefits — such as soil health, greenhouse gas reductions, clean water, water conservation, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation — that exceed payment value. The funding for this program should not compete with existing funding for farm bill programs.”
Download the entire RIPE Farm Bill Policy Platform here.
In the 2018 Farm Bill, only 7% of funding went toward conservation programs. The upcoming farm bill is expected to last through at least 2028, so this is our time to act! Learn more about the farm bill and how it works here.
How You Can Help
Sign Our Letter of Support!
Do you want to help get the RIPE proposal in the farm bill? One way you can take action is by signing on to a producer letter of support that we’ll share with leaders of the Senate and House ag committees. Read the letter and fill out the form below to show your support! Thank you!
View our producer letter of support
Dear Chairwoman Stabenow, Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Boozman, and Ranking Member Scott:
We are writing to let you know that we support leveraging funding from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to advance climate-smart agriculture through the 2023 Farm Bill by accelerating the adoption of key conservation practices that provide significantly higher returns on public investments for the benefit of our farmers and ranchers, environment, agriculture economy, and rural communities.
A portion of funds provided by Congress for climate-smart agriculture through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 should be invested in a voluntary conservation program with simple enrollment that enables producers, including early adopters, to earn equitable payments above implementation costs. Minimum payments would include economic losses during transition to new practices and increasing production costs. The approved practices will help increase resilience and adaptation while delivering public benefits — such as soil health, greenhouse gas reductions, clean water, water conservation, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation — that exceed payment value. The funding for this program should not compete with existing funding for Farm Bill programs.
This model would allow for a rural investment to protect our environment and agricultural producers. Additional information can be found at: www.RIPEroadmap.org.
Thank you for your consideration of this important request.
Sincerely,
Tell Congress to Include the RIPE Proposal in the Farm Bill
The farm bill is developed and written by the Senate and House Agriculture committees, and is voted upon by all members in both chambers of Congress. As part of the process, the House and Senate agriculture committees are collecting feedback. You can submit a quick message to encourage them to support the RIPE farm bill platform. It could be as simple as “We need a program like RIPE’s that meaningfully rewards producers for providing significant environmental benefits with equitable payments beyond costs.” Submit your comments to the House Committee on Agriculture here and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry here to include the RIPE proposal in the next farm bill.
Urge Your Commodity Organization to Back RIPE!
Help make the RIPE proposal a reality by sharing the policy with your commodity or trade organizations. Encourage leaders to seek support from legislators to get the policy into the farm bill.
We’re here to help! Our team can present to your organization, provide informational materials and answer questions. Email us at TakeAction@RIPEroadmap.org.