There’s never a shortage of agriculture news. Here are a few policy stories you may have missed recently.

Democrats propose net-zero ag emissions

Democrats are vowing to reduce agriculture emissions to net-zero by 2050. The declaration is part of the party’s 2024 platform released Monday to coincide with its national convention. It calls for expanded federal programs to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners pursue “high-productivity, lower-emission, and generative agricultural practices,” that improve regional food systems.

Democrat and Republican leaders release updated platforms every four years in conjunction with their party conventions. They are meant to affirm the goals and principles the parties stand for. While they don’t necessary reflect the views of individual candidates, the platforms are considered an indication of what party members expect to prioritize in upcoming legislation.

Under a section titled “Combatting the Climate Crisis and Pursuing Environmental Justice,” the Democratic platform calls climate change a global emergency.

“We can and must build a thriving, equitable, and globally competitive clean energy economy that puts workers and communities first and leaves no one behind,” the platform states. “We will help rebuild our economy from the COVID-19 pandemic and President Trump’s recession by mobilizing historic, transformative public and private investments to launch a clean energy revolution.”

The platform calls for an additional 500 million solar panels and 60,000 wind turbines to expand clean energy. This is part of a broader effort to eliminate carbon pollution from power plants by 2035. The platform also calls for more sustainable and resilient energy grids in rural and tribal communities.

“Democrats will partner with farmers to make the American agriculture sector the first in the world to achieve net-zero emissions, opening up new sources of income for farmers in the process,” the platform continues. “We will substantially improve water security and ecological health through conservation, protection, and maintenance of our water infrastructure, including water systems for home, commercial, industrial, and agricultural use.”

Another bill takes aim at Chinese land ownership

Wyoming Republican Cynthia Lummis introduced a Senate bill Aug. 14 to limit Chinese land ownership. The No American Land for Communist China Act would probit the Chinese Communist Party from purchasing property adjacent to federal lands. The ban would also apply to any agent or business deemed to be affiliated with the party. Lummis says the law will protect Wyoming and other western states from the threat of the Chinese government harming critical infrastructure.

“The people of Wyoming should not have to worry about the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) buying up western land in order to spy on the federal government or undermine our domestic energy and critical mineral production,” Lummis says. “Allowing foreign adversaries to purchase our land is like welcoming a fox into the hen house, and I am introducing this legislation to preserve our national security and prevent the CCP from acquiring American land to spy on our government.”

Lummis chairs the Senate Western Caucus, a group of western state Republicans who say they are committed to “upholding the fundamental principals of the west.”  Fellow caucus members John Barrasso, R- Wyo., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., are co-sponsoring Lummis’ bill.

Rep. Dan Newhouse, R- Wash., introduced similar House legislation in June. He chairs the House Western Caucus.

Vilsack pushes for more SAF credits

During an Aug. 15 address at the American Coalition for Ethanol convention in Omaha, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack called for expanding eligibility for sustainable aviation fuel tax credits. Many producer groups were disappointed with updates announced earlier this year that limited eligibility for those programs.

Vilsack called for a broader array of crops and farming practices to be included in the tax regulations. He added that the credits should only be applied to fuels made from domestic feedstocks.

“The world needs this industry to help it create low carbon intensity marine and jet sustainable aviation fuel,” Vilsack said.