Climate Change, Food, and National Security: Reforming Farm Subsidies to Incentivize Regenerative Agriculture Practices to Increase U.S. Food System Climate Resilience

Abstract

The agriculture sector is critical to global security, as it provides food security and employment across the world. However, the sector is both vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and one of the biggest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions. As such, all countries must consider the urgent need to respond to climate change and build a resilient and sustainable global food chain and food supply. As one of the largest economies in the world, the US has a large role in the global food chain, and therefore, has a responsibility to fortify its food system against the increasing threats of global climate change. US agricultural policy is largely determined by the Farm Bill, which will be reauthorized this year for the next five years. Thus, Congress has the unique opportunity to improve US agriculture policies that determine the costs of US production, farm earnings, agricultural contributions to global climate change, and ultimately dictate what we eat. This paper is targeted to those legislators tasked with the 2023 Farm Bill reauthorization, namely the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, and will address how two of the biggest components of the Farm Bill, Agriculture Risk (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, can be reformed. Ultimately, we recommend capping the ARC and PLC award per farm and reinvesting the savings in regenerative agriculture practices. Supporting regenerative agricultural practices would help the US food system become more resilient, thereby strengthening global food security and sustainability, setting a powerful example for the rest of the world.