Underwood Introduces Strong Farms, Strong Future Act to Help Farmers Fight Climate Change, Cover Higher Costs

WASHINGTON – Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) introduced the Strong Farms, Strong Future Act, bipartisan legislation co-led by Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA). The legislation will update and strengthen U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs dedicated to fighting climate change and building resilient local agriculture systems. The legislation also makes sure farmers receive inflation-adjusted payments for implementing and strengthening climate practices on their farms.

“While Illinois farmers face the dual challenges of rising costs and a changing climate, this bipartisan legislation will make it easier for them to do what they do best: keep food on our tables and drive the economy of our entire nation,” Underwood said. “The Strong Farms, Strong Future Act will make sure that farmers are paid more as costs go up, and it gives them flexibility and strong incentives to fight the climate crisis here in our community.”

“Our farmers feed the nation and power our economy. They’re stewards of the land and are at the heart of what makes Iowa great,” said Rep. Zach Nunn. “This bill gives farmers the tools and flexibility they need to protect their soil, boost productivity, and keep Iowa’s land strong for the next generation. It’s a commonsense, market-based approach that rewards conservation and family farming.”

The Strong Farms, Strong Future Act builds on Underwood’s Farmers Fighting Change Act, which was signed into law in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and will:

Provide inflation adjusted payments to farmers fighting climate change

• Pay farmers for activities like resource-conserving crop rotations, advanced grazing management, and perennial production systems. Payments are adjusted over time to reflect rising costs associated with planning, materials, and labor.

Update and strengthen USDA’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

• Update the contract renewal process for farmers participating in the Conservation Stewardship Program(CSP).
• Allow farmers who adopt or improve effective conservation operations to be eligible for automatic contract renewals.
• Provide flexibility to producers by making additional practices and bundles eligible for contracts, allowing farmers to tailor their conservation activities to their specific needs.

Strengthen Climate Change Mitigation Bundles

• Make permanent the Climate Change Mitigation Bundles established in the Inflation Reduction Act, helping farmers who implement conservation activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon sequestration.
• Increase options for producers by creating region-specific bundles for different types of land, including cropland, pastureland, rangeland, and forest land.

The Strong Farms, Strong Future Act is endorsed by the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Practical Farmers of Iowa, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

“Illinois Farm Bureau appreciates and supports Rep. Lauren Underwood’s leadership on the Strong Farms, Strong Future Act. This important legislation addresses long-standing challenges within the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) that place unnecessary burdens on farmers. Modernizing the CSP renewal process helps ensure that farmers’ conservation practices are recognized, supported and prioritized through inflation-adjusted payments and other incentives. It also allows greater flexibility for conservation practices and accounts for the diverse regional differences that exist across the country,” said Brian Duncan, Illinois Farm Bureau President. “Farmers are deeply committed to caring for their land, but rising costs can make it difficult for many family farms to implement conservation measures. The Strong Farms, Strong Future Act is a commonsense, farmer-focused approach that removes financial barriers and rewards conservation. We thank Rep. Underwood for advancing legislation that strengthens farmers’ role as proactive stewards of the land.”

“The Illinois Stewardship Alliance applauds Representative Lauren Underwood for championing the Strong Farms, Strong Future Act. This bill recognizes what many Illinois regenerative farmers already know: conservation isn’t just good for the land—it’s essential for the long-term success of our farms,” said Liz Rupel, Deputy Director, Illinois Stewardship Alliance. “We’re especially encouraged to see this bill prioritize a diverse range of conservation bundles, including support for perennial production systems, specialty crops, soil health management, and advanced grazing. These are critical tools for farmers building resilient, climate-smart operations tailored to their unique land and livelihoods. By expanding these options and ensuring they’re accessible to farms of all types and sizes, this bill empowers more farmers to lead in the face of a changing climate. When farmers have the tools they need to be good stewards of the land, we ALL benefit; from healthy soil, nutritious food, clean water, and more resilient communities.”

“The Strong Farms, Strong Future Act provides ever greater producer choice in the Conservation Stewardship Program,” said Jesse Womack, Conservation Policy Specialist at National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. “This bill strengthens CSP’s ability to provide robust cost-share for producers building complex, innovative conservation systems on their farms, conservation systems that will make them more resilient, profitable, and ecologically sound."

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