Biden administration sets sights on farmers for causing ‘climate change’
The Biden administration this month began targeting farmers for contributing to “climate change” through the greenhouse gasses emitted by livestock excretions.
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry blamed food production for global warming at the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate Summit hosted by the Department of Agriculture earlier this month.
"A lot of people have no clue that agriculture contributes about 33 percent of all the emissions of the world depending a little bit on how you count it, but it's anywhere from 26 to 33,” Kerry said. “And we can't get to net zero, we don't get this job done, unless agriculture is front and center as part of the solution. So all of us understand here. The depths of this mission."
The climate commissar went on to say that the agriculture sector "needs innovation now more than ever. We're facing record malnutrition, at a time when agriculture more than any other sector is suffering from the impacts of the climate crisis."
Kerry announced that he is changing the term from “climate change” to “climate crisis” and warned about the emissions from “food systems”.
But even according to “climate science” estimates, all the world’s greenhouse gas emissions are likely entirely absorbed by trees, which then emit enough clean oxygen for all Earth’s residents.
Kerry’s remarks are a worrying harbinger for the agriculture sector if the Biden administration follows its globalist colleagues in Europe, who are shutting down farms to appease the climate.
This month, the European Commission approved two Dutch plans to close thousands of farms that are reportedly harming the climate.
Climate regulations pushed by the Dutch government — particularly within the last two years — have primarily targeted farmers because their livestock’s urine, flatulence and sneezes are said to cause “climate change” through their nitrogen emissions.
Last year, caps were placed on how much nitrogen farmers are allowed to emit, which is expected to harm 30% of farms once enforced.
Now the Dutch government, which aims to halve its nitrogen-based emissions by 2030, has received approval from the EU Commission to buy out 3,000 farms. The project is expected to cost €1.47 billion ($1.62 billion). The government will pay certain breeding farmers between 100%-120% of the losses if they voluntarily close their farms. The farmer must also agree to never breed animals in the Netherlands or the EU again.
The breeding sites being targeted for closure are all small- or medium-sized farms, according to a statement from the EU Commission.
It is unclear what will happen to those farmers who refuse to voluntarily accept the deal. An EU Commission official told Frontline News that “[i]t is up to the national authorities to choose their strategy to achieve their environmental objectives.”
Following Kerry’s remarks, 27 House Republicans sent a letter of outrage to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack demanding he condemn the climate messianist’s comments.
"We strongly urge you to denounce Kerry’s remarks. These comments are a blatant slap in the face to the hardworking individuals that spend their lives sustainably producing our world’s food, fuel, and fiber," the lawmakers wrote in the letter. "Although the world agriculture industry accounts for 22 percent of global GHG emissions, Kerry’s alarmist narrative does not tell the full story of American agriculture."
"American farmers and ranchers are committed to being stewards of the land," they added. “We are appalled by the comments made by [Kerry] and ask that your administration recognize the responsible efforts agriculture producers make every day to feed, clothe and fuel the world. Farmers and ranchers are the lifeblood to our food security, and a nation that cannot feed itself would not be a nation at all.”
