WASHINGTON — Representatives Alma Adams (D-NC), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced legislation on Sept. 25 that would use existing conservation funds to support producers’ voluntary transition from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to more climate-friendly production systems.

Under the Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act (IACA), a new grant program would be created within the existing US Department of Agriculture Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The grants would be allocated toward on-farm infrastructure improvements intended to convert medium or large CAFOs to either crop production or pasture-based livestock operations. Grant recipients would agree to permanently cease a CAFO within 180 days.

Protection of grant applicants against retaliation under the Packers and Stockyards Act is written into the bill.

The policymakers said IACA is the first stand-alone federal legislation to assist producers who want to make the move from intensive animal agriculture to pasture-based animal agriculture or specialty crop production.

“Corporate meatpackers use their market power to trap producers in the factory farm system with terrible profit margins and unsustainable debt,” Booker stated in the announcement of IACA. “Their practices contribute to climate change and destroy rural communities. This legislation leverages conservation funding to give farmers a completely voluntary new path forward by providing them with the resources they need to transition to a more climate-friendly and humane production system that is good for people, animals, and the planet.” 

The bill was endorsed by a coalition of over 100 farm, animal welfare, environmental and public health groups.