By Hannah Packman, NFU Communications Director
Following his inauguration last Wednesday, President Joe Biden has wasted no time implementing his agenda. In the last week, he has issued more than three dozen executive orders, proclamations, and memoranda on a wide range of issues.
Many of these actions have implications for agriculture. Here’s a brief summary of what they mean:
Climate Change
On his first day in office, President Biden announced that the United States will rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. The voluntary agreement sets benchmarks for each participant around reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing renewable energy, and increasing energy efficiency with the ultimate goal of keeping “a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.” (Read NFU’s response here.)
A week later, Biden issued two executive orders and a memorandum outlining actions his administration will take to cut greenhouse gas emissions, conserve natural resources, invest in renewable energy, advance environmental justice, and protect climate research. Among other things, the plan prioritizes increasing carbon sequestration in the agriculture sector and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to solicit input from farmers and other stakeholders “on how to use federal programs to encourage adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices that produce verifiable carbon reductions and sequestrations and create new sources of income and jobs for rural Americans.” (NFU’s response.)
Immigration
One of Biden’s first acts as president was announcing a comprehensive plan for immigration reform. In addition to addressing the causes of migration and modernizing border control, the proposal would strengthen protections for immigrant workers and create a path to citizenship for undocumented residents, fast-tracking “Dreamers,” temporary protect status (TPS) holders, and farm workers. (NFU’s response.)
Food Security
To respond to the financial pressures Americans are facing as a result of the pandemic, President Biden issued an order offering relief, including nutrition assistance. The plan would extend a 15 percent boost in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, increase food assistance for families missing meals due to school closures, invest $3 billion to help women and children access food, and allow states to increase SNAP emergency allotments for the lowest income Americans. On top of that, it instructs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reassess its metrics for determining SNAP benefit levels. (NFU’s response.)
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Why worry about the negative things that Biden is going to do during his 4 year term when president Donald Trump will return in 2024 to turn everything back to where His administration Had before. In my Opinion there is no way that he could have lossed this election only by Fraud.