Climate-Smart Agriculture

Farmers, Ranchers, and Foresters Lead the Way

Sep 19, 2022

The Biden administration just dropped a $2.8 billion investment into rural America, and more is coming. It’s historic, putting farmers, ranchers, and foresters across the nation at the forefront of fighting climate change and addressing many other environmental and social challenges we face.

The USDA has committed to paying farmers, ranchers, and foresters for environmental services. Every environmental and many social challenges we face relate to how we use the land, and Biden’s plan for climate action incentivizes farmers, ranchers, and foresters to tackle these challenges head-on.

Global warming and other ecological disasters. The rapid loss of species. Poor water quality. Declining soil health. Loss of habitat. Flooding in parts of the world and desertification in others. Wildfires. Threats to our food supply and overdependence on a few crops and animals. Income inequality and poverty. Dead zones in our oceans and environmental degradation causing social instability, ethnic tensions, population displacement, and war.

Some will say it’s too expensive. It’s not. It’s an investment that will save trillions of dollars and countless lives.

Certainly, you’ve heard all about this! It’s all over the media, right? Democrats are shouting it from every piece of high ground, in every rural county in the nation, right? How about shouting it from some skyscrapers, too, because it isn’t just an investment into rural America; it’s an investment for all of America. And, if other countries follow our lead, we have a chance to make the world a better place for all of us, our children, and our grandchildren.

So, you know all about this, right?

I thought so. A few of you do, but most of you don’t.

For the past ten days the death of the Queen of England’s has been sucking up all the air in the room, at least as much of the national media is concerned. But, even if she wasn’t dead, most of the media wouldn’t know how to tell the story because the Biden administration hasn’t told it well.

Look at the graphic above the Department of Agriculture released presenting information about the investments.

Start with the title. ”Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities.”

Yawn.

“Partnerships? Commodities? What marketing guru came up with this? Maybe it’s time to find another one. Climate-smart is OK.

A total of 70 projects? who cares? What’s the story?

I know next to nothing about marketing, but since climate-smart Biden policies are empowering farmers, ranchers and foresters to save the world, wouldn’t you want them somewhere up front in the communication effort? Doesn’t every story need a protagonist? A hero or heroes to cheer for? Someone who is going to save the world?

Of course they do.

But let’s start with a dull title, followed by the dull word “commodities,” then “projects by commodity,” then “proposal investments,” whatever that is. Then “project by award size,” which no one cares about but USDA accountants, then “universities,” which are important in the grand scheme of things but not in the messaging. Then “farms,” “markets,” and then how much carbon will be sequestered. Just “farms.” Not “farmers.”

All of this is important, but without the protagonist you have no story.

In farm country the protagonist is the American farmer. In ranch country it’s the American rancher. In timber country, it’s the American Lumber Jacks and Jills. And it’s the Biden administration that is giving them the tools and empowering them to make it happen, to literally save the world. Farmers, ranchers and foresters aren’t even mentioned in the graphic.

The Biden administration has made the greatest investment in rural America since FDR and people don’t know about it.

The investments that are pouring into rural America already with the American Rescue Plan are incredible. Every county, city, and state is figuring out and implementing projects that are much needed to help their communities grow and prosper. I’ve sat in those city council meetings and those county board of supervisor meetings where our local leaders made those decisions. And now we have the $2.8 billion investment into farmers, ranchers, and foresters to top that.

Again, it’s not a cost. These are investments that Democrats are making in our communities that Republicans won’t. Remember Trump’s big infrastructure investments? Of course you don’t. There weren’t any.

Yet, Republicans who voted against these projects are taking credit for them, and the media is complicit. Look at this headline from the Des Moines Register on Sunday, September 18. ICON Water Trails, Val Air Ballroom receive $8 million from Gov. Kim Reynolds.

That’s not true. It’s simply not true. Shout it from the mountaintops. That money came from the Biden administration. Reynolds just decided where to put it.

That Democrats aren’t messaging this well is a profound understatement. If I were an adviser to a sitting member of Congress, I would have them on the ground at these projects. Go to the roads that are being built, the county shops that are being expanded, any construction project that the Biden administration funded. Find a local Democratic or Independent city mayor, County supervisor, or Chamber of Commerce director to join you at a ribbon cutting. Let that local person speak about the importance of the project and join them in cutting the ribbon. Elevate them. Put them on the path to higher elected offices should they choose.

Tell the damn story.

I work in rural media. I know how it works. If these ribbon-cutting events took place, or something like them, the local press would be there and elevate not only the local leader but also the member of congress. Most importantly, the investments Democrats are making in rural America. Word would spread.

And with respect to the climate-smart investments? Hold roundtable discussions with farmers, ranchers, and foresters and invite the media, and they will cover them. Listen and learn.

I could pull that graphic further apart, but you get my point. And I want to make one more point where every reader here could help.

The Farm Bureau needs to be called out on this. Democrats are making historic investments in rural America, and the Farm Bureau is endorsing Republicans. If you are a member, call them out. If you are so inclined, write an editorial for your local newspaper. Call. Them. Out.

When I learned that President Biden was going to Menlo last April, I emailed my editor at the New York Times and said something like, “Hey, Biden is coming to Iowa. What do you think of a piece about how Biden has already done more for rural America than Trump ever did?” As you can see from the screen capture above, the pitch worked.

In Menlo, I was surprised to see Jen Psaki, Biden’s soon-to-be parting press secretary. I went up, introduced myself, and told her I was working on the piece.

Don’t you think she would have mentioned the piece during a later press briefing? Or elevated it elsewhere?

Crickets.

I thought it might get some media exposure. As far as I know, only Politico mentioned it, and Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC tossed it out as a softball question during an interview with Senator Jon Tester of Montana. Tester should have hit it out of the park. He didn’t even swing and miss. He didn’t bother to swing at all.

You sometimes hear that Democrats aren’t here for rural Americans. That’s not true. It’s a lie Republicans and the media tell. In reality, Democrats are here every day, providing investments that help set the stage for our success. All of our success, countrywide. The above image is from the Lacona Celebration parade in rural Warren County on August 17. I’ve written about it here and here, and one more piece is in the draft stage.

Brought to you by Democrats: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and much much more. Look at that list. Remember that list. Shout it from the highest point of ground whenever you can. Those reflect Democratic values--American values, rural, suburban, and urban.

Don’t let anyone tell you differently.

I’m honored to be a part of the Iowa Writers Collaborative and thrilled that the Iowa Capital Dispatch features some of our work. The Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nationwide effort to bring thoughtful and honest reporting to everyone.

Here are the members of the Iowa Writers Collaborative in alphabetical order.

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin

Doug Burns: The Iowa Mercury

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook

Suzanna de Baca Dispatches from the Heartland

Debra Engle: A Whole New World

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt

Dana James: New Black Iowa

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger