Climate Change

Agricultural Finance for Climate Resilience

U.S. agricultural financial policy and institutions, both public and private, have not yet adapted to climate change. Instead, Congress responds to more frequent extreme weather events with larger and increasingly frequent ad hoc disaster payments and increasing subsidies for private crop insurance from taxpayer funds. These short-term responses are not sustainable fiscally, economically or environmentally. 

Senate releases climate policy report — what does it say about agriculture?

Earlier this summer, the House of Representatives released a long-awaited report charting a policy path on climate change. Last week, the Senate released its own set of ideas.

[WATCH] NSAC Farmer Climate Letter Delivery

More than 2,000 farmers across the country, including over 100 farmers in Minnesota, have signed onto a letter organized by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, of which IATP is a member. The letter calls for federal action on climate change, which is impacting farmers in the form of extreme temperatures, precipitation, drought and storms.

Farmers and Ranchers Deliver Letter to the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and farmers and ranchers from across the country delivered a letter to the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (Select Committee), urging Congress to support and invest in farming and rural communities to address the climate crisis. 

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy: Comments on the 2021 General National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Animal Feedlot Permit

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) thanks the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for the opportunity to comment on the proposed 2021 General National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Animal Feedlot Permit (referred to throughout this comment as the Proposed General Permit).   

House climate report sets path for 2021 — but is it enough?

With special thanks to Tara Ritter, Karen Hansen-Kuhn and Steve Suppan, who contributed to this article.

Public money to plunder the planet: development banks fund Big Meat and Dairy

A flurry of recent news shows that international development banks have ramped up public money to factory farms and mega-dairies in the last decade.

Submission to the European Investment Bank (EIB) on its Position Paper: EIB Group Climate Bank Roadmap 2021-2025

To read our submission to the European Investment Bank (EIB) on its Position Paper: EIB Group Climate Bank Roadmap 2021-2025, please click here. 

Letter to the Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) thanks the Committee for seeking input on the climate crisis, the most critical challenge of our time. IATP is a 34-year-old non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. IATP works to ensure fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems.

Milking the Planet

Executive Summary