Contact: Johanna Kichton, [email protected], 202.660.0605

WASHINGTON, D.C.—People’s Action today released the following statement by Senior Strategist on Rural Policy and Organizing Shawn Sebastian opposing Sen. Stabenow (D-MI)’s Growing Climate Solutions Act, a bill which would have dangerous consequences for rural communities and family farms:

“This bill would let big polluters greenwash their emissions while using public funds to facilitate private carbon markets and reward factory farms that poison rural communities. Family farmers and rural communities are critical partners to avert climate catastrophe, but the Growing Climate Solutions Act is a false solution that props up corporate ag monopolies with another revenue stream while they continue poisoning our water and releasing greenhouse gases. Congress needs to spend more time on real solutions that create jobs in rural America, not corporate shell games.” 

The Growing Climate Solutions Act would:

• Create a carbon credit system that allows United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to validate third-party verification through USDA seal of approval; 
• Make factory farms eligible without holding vertical integrators responsible for emissions; and
• Let corporate ag monopolies and other industries greenwash pollution.

###

People’s Action is a national network of 40 state and local grassroots, power-building organizations in 30 states, united in fighting for justice. We operate the largest progressive rural organizing project in the country. People’s Action and its member organizations coordinated one of the biggest distributed organizing programs in rural areas this past election season.