5fa5
5fa5 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5fa5
5fa5 (JULY 6, 2022) 5fa5 – Natural Farming Analysis 5fa5 Basis (OFRF) Analysis & Schooling 5fa5 Program Supervisor 5fa5 Thelma Vélez, PhD 5fa5 , lately testified earlier than 5fa5 the complete Home Agriculture Committee 5fa5 listening to on “ 5fa5 The Function of Local weather 5fa5 Analysis in Supporting Agricultural Resiliency. 5fa5 ” As one among 5 5fa5 panelists invited to share their 5fa5 experience, Vélez summarized analysis findings 5fa5 that reveal the potential for 5fa5 natural techniques to mitigate local 5fa5 weather change and construct resilience. 5fa5 Her testimony and intensive Q&A 5fa5 mirrored Dr. Vélez’s 15+ years 5fa5 of interdisciplinary analysis expertise and 5fa5 thorough suggestions for extra funding 5fa5 in natural analysis, schooling, and 5fa5 extension to help American farmers 5fa5 and ranchers. The listening to 5fa5 happened on Wednesday, June 15, 5fa5 2022 at 10:00 AM ET, 5fa5 and is publicly accessible for 5fa5 viewing on the 5fa5 Home Ag Democrats YouTube channel 5fa5 .
5fa5
5fa5 “OFRF was honored by the 5fa5 invitation to talk earlier than 5fa5 the complete Home Agriculture Committee,” 5fa5 mentioned Brise Tencer, OFRF Govt 5fa5 Director. “We’re proud to share 5fa5 our experience based mostly on 5fa5 a few years of reviewing 5fa5 and monitoring analysis associated to 5fa5 natural farming and local weather 5fa5 mitigation and adaptation.”
5fa5
5fa5 Vélez was the primary to 5fa5 talk earlier than the complete 5fa5 Home Agriculture Committee, roughly 20 5fa5 minutes into the livestreamed listening 5fa5 to. “Whereas the natural technique 5fa5 has been proven to have 5fa5 nice potential to contribute to 5fa5 each local weather mitigation and 5fa5 local weather resilience, rather more 5fa5 action-oriented analysis is required to 5fa5 make widespread adoption attainable,” testified 5fa5 Vélez.
5fa5
5fa5 All through the three-hour assembly, 5fa5 Vélez responded to questions from 5fa5 Home Representatives together with Alma 5fa5 Adams, Shontel Brown, Bobby Rush, 5fa5 Chellie Pingree, Glenn Thompson, Rick 5fa5 Allen, Annie Kuster, Angie Craig, 5fa5 and Jim Baird.
5fa5
5fa5 “It was an honor to 5fa5 be invited to weigh in 5fa5 on a crucial subject going 5fa5 through our nation and impacting 5fa5 the spine of our meals 5fa5 system,” mentioned Vélez. “It’s clear 5fa5 that many representatives are involved 5fa5 with constructing resilience throughout America’s 5fa5 farms and the message that 5fa5 natural growers are leaders on 5fa5 this motion was effectively acquired.”
5fa5
5fa5 In her testimony, Vélez cited 5fa5 OFRF’s lately printed 5fa5 2022 Nationwide Natural Analysis Agenda 5fa5 (NORA) 5fa5 , a 230-page report compiling 5fa5 survey outcomes and listening session 5fa5 information from over 1,000 licensed 5fa5 natural producers. Over half of 5fa5 the farmers surveyed have been 5fa5 involved with adapting to local 5fa5 weather change and practically 90% 5fa5 acknowledged they applied regenerative soil 5fa5 well being administration practices, resembling 5fa5 cowl cropping, a climate-friendly follow.
5fa5
5fa5 When fielded a query from 5fa5 Rep. Kat Cammack, Vélez drew 5fa5 from expertise with South Florida 5fa5 farmers who centered on carbon 5fa5 sequestration and soil fertility. In 5fa5 dialog with Rep. Stacey Plaskett, 5fa5 Vélez advocated for elevated funding 5fa5 in local weather analysis for 5fa5 U.S. Territories. Having researched and 5fa5 labored with farmers constructing resilience 5fa5 to a altering local weather 5fa5 within the Caribbean, Vélez really 5fa5 helpful a concentrate on farmer-led 5fa5 work and “researchers on the 5fa5 bottom with farmers.”
5fa5
5fa5 OFRF has led natural farming 5fa5 and analysis initiatives since its 5fa5 inception in 1993 and has 5fa5 advocated for federal coverage supporting 5fa5 built-in analysis, schooling, and outreach 5fa5 to farmers who construct wholesome 5fa5 resilient farming techniques that stand 5fa5 up to local weather change 5fa5 and steward the land for 5fa5 future generations. “It’s a testomony 5fa5 to how OFRF serves as 5fa5 a dependable and constant useful 5fa5 resource on the sound science 5fa5 behind natural farming techniques,” mentioned 5fa5 Tencer.
5fa5
5fa5 On June 24, 2022, OFRF 5fa5 submitted supplemental testimony to the 5fa5 Home Committee on Agriculture. The 5fa5 group recommends expanded help of 5fa5 key USDA analysis applications together 5fa5 with the Natural Analysis and 5fa5 Extension Initiative (OREI) and the 5fa5 Sustainable Agriculture Analysis and Schooling 5fa5 program (SARE), within the subsequent 5fa5 Farm Invoice. Citing its 2022 5fa5 NORA report, OFRF additionally advocates 5fa5 for investments in technical help, 5fa5 college extension, and farmer coaching.
5fa5
5fa5 The testimony additionally states that 5fa5 natural agriculture is a confirmed 5fa5 technique to assist construct resilience 5fa5 within the face of provide 5fa5 chain disruptions and local weather 5fa5 change. Natural agriculture maximizes the 5fa5 efficient use and biking of 5fa5 on-farm and regionally-sourced assets and 5fa5 minimizes reliance on industrially produced 5fa5 inputs. Natural farmers produce meals 5fa5 day by day with out 5fa5 counting on artificial fertilizer – 5fa5 provides for which have been 5fa5 impacted by the battle in 5fa5 Ukraine. OFRF helps actionable analysis 5fa5 that focuses on the vast 5fa5 adoption of natural techniques of 5fa5 manufacturing and the local weather 5fa5 resiliency companies it affords.
5fa5
5fa5 ###
5fa5
5fa5 5fa5 About Natural Farming Analysis Basis
5fa5 Natural Farming Analysis Basis works 5fa5 to foster the advance and 5fa5 widespread adoption of natural farming 5fa5 techniques. OFRF cultivates natural analysis, 5fa5 schooling, and federal insurance policies 5fa5 that deliver extra farmers and 5fa5 acreage into natural manufacturing. http://www.ofrf.org/
5fa5
5fa5 Media Contact
5fa5 Caroline Baptist, OFRF Communications Supervisor, 5fa5 5fa5 caroline@ofrf.org
5fa5
5fa5