Ag shows great promise in climate change solutions”
December 2, 2015
Although agriculture is not on the agenda of the Paris
climate talks beginning this week, its potential to fight global warming is
being recognized.
For example, a recent Bee article – “Firebaugh farmer
honored by White House for soil health techniques” (Nov. 21) – tells how Jesse
Sanchez, the field manager at Sano Farms, has reduced greenhouse gas emissions
and increased the soil’s carbon and nitrogen content on 4,000 acres of garbanzo
beans, garlic, almonds, pistachios, and tomatoes.
It’s good news that the White House is honoring farmers
who use sustainable and climate-smart practices.
California, too, has recognized agriculture’s important
role with The Agricultural Climate Benefits Act (Senate Bill 367), which was
introduced in the legislature in 2015. When the bill passes, it will encourage
greater use of the healthy-soil methods which Jesse Sanchez and others have
developed over years of experimenting.
These methods are needed worldwide to reduce
agricultural emissions and sequester atmospheric carbon. To quote Bill McKibben,
a leader in the search for global-warming solutions: “On the long list of things
we have to do to fight climate change, learning to pay attention to soil again
is near the top.”
Ruth Afifi
Fresno
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