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One environmental group is complaining that ag corporations will receive money for climate-mitigation projects.

October 31, 2022

3 Min Read
beef cattle standing in barn
DOING BEEF BETTER: Federal money may go to projects aimed at determining how to produce beef in more climate-friendly ways. Tom J. Bechman

USDA announced $2.8 billion in funding for 70 projects under the first round of grants for the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. Another round of $700 million from USDA for smaller projects will follow. It’s all about reducing emissions to mitigate climate change.

So, environmentalists and environmental groups should be thrilled, right? They’re finally getting what they want, as the federal government through USDA throws massive amounts of money at a perceived problem.

Not so fast. One major environmental group, Friends of the Earth, did what every person from childhood on is admonished not to do: look into the mouth of the gift horse. Instead of celebrating that a huge amount of money is finally flowing into climate mitigation, whether it makes long-range economic sense or not, the group found fault. Friends of the Earth simply doesn’t like some players receiving money for these projects.

“The Biden administration is right to focus on mitigating climate change, and many of these projects announced today seem worthy of support,” began Jason Davison, senior food and agriculture campaigner at Friends of the Earth. But then he added a “but” — you knew there would be one.

“Unfortunately, several of these projects will funnel tens of millions of dollars to some of the most egregious climate offenders — Big Ag corporations,” he said.

Key takeaways

Davison cited a specific example of what he considers abuse in his statement. “USDA handing $60 million taxpayer dollars to Tyson Foods to create ‘climate-smart’ beef would be like EPA giving a $60 million grant to Exxon to create ‘green’ gasoline,” he continued. “It’s a massive corporate giveaway, and it’s unacceptable.”

Why is Friends of the Earth really upset? Here is the crux of Davison’s statement: “[These grants] lay the groundwork for giant agribusinesses to use these projects to greenwash their own emissions and collect tremendous amounts of farm data.”

See their point? Agree or not, there are two large takeaways from the grant program and criticism of it by Friends of the Earth.

Some people will never be happy. Apparently, for these particular environmentalists, throwing enough money to mortgage our children’s future at an ill-defined, mirky problem isn’t enough. Looks like it’s only acceptable if you pass out tons of cash to people and groups that they approve of and like.

Have large ag companies always done everything in environmentally friendly ways? We don’t have enough information to answer that question. But even if they haven’t, does that preclude them from doing so now?

After all, who understands the potential challenges in mitigating climate issues in any given industry better than individuals who deal with them every day? That includes farmers and far-sighted individuals in leading agribusinesses.

How funds are used should be monitored. Whoever receives this level of public money should be required to account for every dollar spent and document results from the investment in a reasonable amount of time. That might be a point that Friends of the Earth and responsible people in agriculture could agree upon.

Buckets of dollars were thrown in a multitude of directions in the name of COVID-19 relief. No doubt some of that money went to good use, but it’s becoming apparent some did not. Let’s hope USDA monitors use of these funds earmarked for mitigating climate change more closely.

Comments? Email [email protected].

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