WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, participated in a hearing entitled, “Climate Change and the U.S. Agriculture and Forestry Sectors.” The Committee addressed the impact of climate change on the agriculture and forestry industries and discussed the role these sectors can play in limiting the worst effects of climate change.

“New Hampshire farmers and foresters lead the nation in reducing emissions and mitigating the impact of climate change on their land,” said Rep. Kuster. “They know, perhaps better than any other sector of our economy, how climate change threatens our economy and our livelihoods. Climate change short-circuits New Hampshire’s maple-sugaring season, complicates the growing season for our farmers, and brings more invasive species to our forests.”

“Our conservation heritage runs deep in New Hampshire, and I’m proud to once again serve on the House Agriculture Committee to bring the voices of Granite State farmers and foresters to Congress,” Rep. Kuster continued. “Thanks to the hard work of land trusts and other partners, New Hampshire is on the right track to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. I will continue working in Congress, through my role on the House Agriculture Committee, to advance this effort and ensure our agriculture and forestry sectors are equipped with the resources, science, and federal support to address climate change and continue serving our communities for generations to come.”

Witnesses at the hearing included:

Mr. Jim Cantore

Senior Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

Ms. Pamela Knox

Agricultural Climatologist and Director of Weather Network, University of Georgia

Mr. Zippy Duvall

President, American Farm Bureau Federation

Mr. Gabe Brown

Farmer and Rancher, Brown’s Ranch

Mr. Michael Shellenberger

President, Environmental Progress

Rep. Kuster has been a consistent advocate for New Hampshire’s farmers and producers, bringing the voices of Granite Staters to Congress. This month, she joined the NH delegation, as well as dozens of House colleagues from both sides of the aisle, in successfully calling on the Interior Department to rollback short-sighted and damaging actions constricting LWCF that were taken in the lame-duck period of the Trump administration. Earlier this year, Kuster held a virtual meeting with New Hampshire food producers and distributors to discuss the challenges and opportunities in developing a sustainable, resilient local food system, and how Congress can support their work during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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