Rural Investment to Protect our Environment, known as RIPE, recently added two highly respected Farmers Unions to its steering committee. The organization announced Thursday that Minnesota Farmers Union’s Eunice Biel and North Dakota Farmers Union’s Matt Perdue joined the committee.
RIPE is described as a farmer-led nonprofit advancing a national bipartisan, comprehensive climate policy that invests in voluntary agricultural stewardship practices that provide a reasonable return to farmers and the public. Through $100 per acre payments, the RIPE100 plan would reward farmers for the total public value of their conservation practices, including no-till, cover crops and more. In addition to carbon sequestration, the voluntary federal program would pay for improved soil health, cleaner water, biodiversity and other environmental services.
Payments would also help farmers manage rising input costs, such as fertilizer, due to climate policy, while giving them a reasonable return. RIPE’s steering committee advises the policy design plan and makes recommendations on other opportunities that support the organization’s mission.
