Farmers protest climate-change legislation

Farmers may prize their green thumbs, but they are now campaigning against a green future.

The American Farm Bureau has created a plan to prevent climate change legislation from passing in the House and Senate.

The farmers are upset about cap-and-trade provisions in climate bills, which would limit the amount of biochemical waste that they can release. This would limit fertilizer use and raise crop production prices, making American farmers less competitive on a global market, The New York Times reported. 

However, environmentalists are concerned that climate change could ultimately cost considerably more than new regulations will.  

“There is a huge problem of non-point-source water pollution that has not been solved,” said Richard Andrews, joint professor of environmental sciences and engineering at UNC, explaining that run-off from fertilized land has become a major pollutant. 

Andrews said that new legislation applies especially to livestock farmers, whose animals create methane-releasing wastes that pollute the environment.

“The Farm Bureau isn’t necessarily in the interests of all farmers,” Andrews said.

He said he believes that while agriculture will face some challenges because of the bill, many farmers stand to benefit from the offsets of the legislation. 

What you’re saying:

“I think they should scale back the climate change. Our economy sucks right now. The cheaper stuff is, the better.” -Nicolette Huneycutt, freshman, biology major, Lake Norman. 

“I think that they could raise the prices. I know that our economy is dealing with economic issues, but we care about pollution." -  Laura Zimmerman, sophomore, business major, Syracuse, NY. 

“I’d be in favor of protecting the environment. On a larger scale, it is the greater good for a greater number of people. Farmers might suffer in the short run, but more people will benefit in the long run if the bill is pushed through.”- Alex Hails, freshman, chemistry major, Long Island, NY.