“The past year has seen extreme weather events of unusual force. Most scientists agree that these events are likely only to increase in intensity and frequency,” said Mr Johnson.

“These types of extreme weather events will continue to affect NFU members’ ability to provide food, feed, fiber and fuel to our nation. While it is unlikely that every storm that we experience can be related to climate change, the science is clear that if we do not act now to mitigate and adapt, our agricultural system and the country at large will be at risk.”

In his comments, Mr Johnson argued that a well-constructed mandatory cap and trade system would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that farmers and ranchers can make significant contributions to address climate change.

“Given the right incentives, agriculture can play a significant role in such a system though carbon sequestration projects on agricultural lands as well as capturing emissions from stored manure livestock facilities,” Mr Johnson noted.

“Any climate change legislation should be crafted using the expertise of the agriculture sector and should financially reward producers for sequestering carbon in order to offset higher energy costs..”

The Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change is co-chaired by US Rep. Henry A. Waxman, D – California, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, D – R.I., and is dedicated to focusing congressional and public attention on climate change and developing effective policy responses. Responses will help inform Congress and the federal government about the menu of options available to address climate change.

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