Climate-Smart Agriculture & Food System Investments Secured in Climate Bond
July 12, 2024 Roots of ChangeAfter months of intense climate bond negotiations, on July 3, the legislature passed – with bipartisan support – the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (SB 867, Allen). If approved by voters in November, it will help fund a wide range of powerful climate solutions, including nature-based farming practices and investments to improve historically underserved communities’ access to healthy food and safe drinking water.
For over three years, Roots of Change has been part of the Food and Farm Resilience Coalition, which has been working to pass a bond to ensure our food system can adapt to our changing climate. ROC applauds the legislature for including $1 billion of our Coalition’s priority investments for climate-resilient sustainable agriculture, local food system infrastructure, and farmworker well-being.
These proposed agriculture investments are five times greater than those in Proposition 68, the last successful climate bond to include food and farming investments.
This boost in food system priorities is the direct outcome of a multi-year campaign by the Coalition and the tireless advocacy of legislative leaders Assemblymember Lori Wilson and Speaker Robert Rivas.
Given California’s budget deficit and the lack of resources in the Governor’s 2024-25 budget, this bond may be the only source of funding for these much-needed investments. ROC will continue working with its Coalition partners to advocate for passage of this bond by voters this November. Each vote for this bond is a vote for and recognition of the urgent need to build a climate resilient food and farming system here in California.
For more details, see our coalition partner CalCAN’s blog post.
Blog post by Lesley Kroupa, Associate Director of Policy, Roots of Change
Image: Canva
Climate bond, Climate Smart Agriculture, Climate-Smart Ag, SB 867
