Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 1/31/22

House Ag’s conservation subcommittee is meeting this week to kick off early discussions around climate programs and the 2023 farm bill. The hearing, set for Wednesday morning, is expected to “lay the groundwork for what we need to look for in the next farm bill,” one Republican aide told MA.

Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) heads the conservation and forestry subcommittee and will lead Wednesday’s hearing. The meeting will function as a review of current farm bill programs, to debate whether those programs need to be changed as lawmakers begin the upcoming reauthorization process.

Climate tensions: Republicans and Democrats notably have different ideas of how much the Agriculture Department should be involved in helping to fight climate change. Funding for climate-related agriculture programs in the next farm bill is one of the biggest issues that the two sides are expected to clash over in the coming months.

But Spanberger and the subcommittee’s ranking member, Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), do share a fair amount of common ground on topics they want to address next week, including Forest Service staffing shortages.

What to watch: Expect robust discussions around the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, one of the main tools the Biden administration is using to incentivize farmers and ranchers to adopt more climate-friendly practices. Some Republicans have been critical of how much federal money Democrats say should be spent on such incentives.

Carbon market bill push: Spanberger is also expected to call for the House to pass her Growing Climates Solutions bill.