Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) led their colleagues—including Senator Ron Wyden, Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and Val Hoyle (OR-04)—in reintroducing the Soil Conservation And Regeneration Education (Soil CARE) Act. Their bicameral bill would create a training program and curriculum to ensure that farmers and ranchers have access to information and tools to improve long-term soil health management, navigate degraded lands, promote profitability, and increase resilience to climate chaos-fueled extreme weather events like floods and droughts.
“Oregon’s world-class agriculture industry deserves strong federal support to continue thriving, and that includes supporting the health of our lands and ecosystems, which have defined our state for generations,” said Merkley. “As climate chaos continues to make the West hotter and drier, we must ensure our farmers, ranchers, and land stewards have the resources and tools they need to keep their lands adaptable and resilient, leading to healthy and regenerative soils.”
“From our Christmas trees to our hazelnuts, Oregonians produce some of the best crops in the world. However, with the growing threat of climate change and extreme weather, access to new technologies like regenerative agriculture and soil health management are essential to maintaining our world-class products,” said Salinas. “Our bill would guarantee USDA personnel and third-party service providers are trained to help producers restore degraded lands, increase profitability, and build generational resilience.”
“Drought and all the radically unseasonable weather impacts of the climate crisis have landed hard on farmers in Oregon and nationwide,” said Wyden. “That’s why federal support for tools like those in this legislation is so urgently needed to support U.S. agriculture continuing to grow crops that are renowned around the globe.”
“Healthy soil is key to growing a healthy agricultural economy,” said Bonamici. “Climate change, runoff pollution, and extreme weather threaten this foundation, risking farmers’ livelihoods and their ability to put food on the table for people in NW Oregon and across the country. Managing soil health will help to mitigate these effects by absorbing carbon in soil, producing more resilient crops, safer food, and cleaner air.”
“Oregon’s farmers and producers are on the front lines of climate change, facing more intense storms, flooding, drought and unpredictable growing seasons—especially in our coastal and rural communities,” said Hoyle. “The Soil CARE Act invests in the education, training, and soil health tools farmers need to build resilience, protect their land and maintain a thriving business. We’re supporting the backbone of our local economy and helping ensure Oregonian farmers and their families can thrive for generations to come.”
As farmers, ranchers, and federal land personnel continue to deal with the impacts of climate chaos, training and education are crucial components to support these stewards of the land and conservation efforts across the nation. The Soil CARE Act would invest in expanded technical assistance and provide U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff and personnel with the latest knowledge, tools, and innovations to help producers produce and boost healthy soil.
The Soil CARE Act would:
- Develop and deliver curriculum on soil health management systems within one year of passage;
- Develop a nationally-available online training curriculum;
- Encourage all relevant personnel—such as a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff and third-party technical service providers (TSPs)—to complete online training every two years to learn about the latest soil health innovations and scientific and technological advancements.
- Hold annual soil health workshops and training sessions;
- Dedicate resources to providing required continuing education for all NRCS and TSPs; and
- Require NRCS to use the training curriculum to develop soil health education materials for producers.
In addition to Merkley, Salinas, Wyden, Bonamici, and Hoyle, the Soil CARE Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT).
The bicameral bill is endorsed by Oregon Climate and Agriculture Network (OrCAN), Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (OACD), Bob’s Red Mill, Earthjustice Action, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Green America / Soil & Climate Alliance, American Sustainable Business Network, United We Eat, Climate Reality Project Regenerative Agriculture Coalition, US Composting Council, Compost Manufacturing Alliance, InCommon Group, Green Mountain Technologies, Inc., New Mexico Healthy Soil Working Group, CA Association of Compost Producers, Terra Regenerative Capital, World Centric, Eco-Cycle, and Naturepedic Organic Mattresses.
“Healthy soil is essential for resilient farms, strong local economies, and thriving businesses. The Soil CARE Act provides practical support for farmers adopting regenerative practices, helping build productive, resilient working lands that benefit farmers, communities, and the broader economy,” said Liza LaManna, Manager of Ag & Water Policy, American Sustainable Business Network.
“Healthy soil is a top priority for the many American farmers that Bob’s Red Mill sources from, but they need the right support to implement effective practices. The Soil CARE Act would provide essential education needed to help more farmers improve soil health, providing critical tools for farmer prosperity and resilience. We applaud Senator Merkley, Senator Wyden, and Congresswoman Salinas for their efforts in championing this important bill,” said Julia Person, Sustainability Manager, Bob’s Red Mill.
“Farmers and ranchers can regenerate our working lands but only with targeted support. The Soil CARE Act would educate NRCS staff and third party technical service providers about biological soil health and regenerative agriculture principles, and in turn, provide American producers with the tools they need to steward ecosystems and become more prosperous,” said Jessica Hulse Dillon, Senior Director Soil & Climate Alliance and Regen Policy Initiative.
A summary of the Soil CARE Act can be found by clicking here.
Full text of the Soil CARE Act can be found by clicking here.
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