The Proper Way to Spread Manure! Reflections on my Sierra Club Farm Bill "Fly-in"

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Seth Itzkan

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Aug 1, 2025, 7:13:56 PMAug 1
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The Proper Way to Spread Manure!

REFLECTIONS ON MY SIERRA CLUB FARM BILL "FLY-IN"

I had a wonderful time in Washington D.C. for two days last week (July 22-23) spreading the good news about regenerative agriculture, including regenerative grazing, with my brother in arms, Mike Carberry, Co-chair, the Sierra Club’s Food & Agriculture Team and regular Soil4Climate online contributor.
Technically, we were there on behalf of the Sierra Club (which I’m a member of) to argue for passage of a new Farm Bill that preserves nutritional benefit programs and that demonstrates greater adherence to ecologically smart farming and ranching practices that build soil health and benefit family-own operations.
Specifically, some of the language in the Sierra Club Farm Bill talking points (which I had no role in writing but may have influenced slightly over the years), includes:
  • “Support the Agriculture Resiliency Act of 2025, reintroduced on Earth Day 2025, to increase support for local production and processing, grazing lands, state soil health programs and Conservation Stewardship programs (CSP).”
  • “Oppose the revised Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, now renamed as The Food Security and Farm Protection Act (S. 1326) and similar marker bills that undermine state laws and food safety standards.”
  • “Promote organic and regenerative farming and ranching, climate resilience in farming, reduce water and air pollution, improve soil health, lower greenhouse gas emissions, support local and regional food systems and rural clean energy development;”
Our objective was to meet with ranking Senate and House Agriculture Committee members (and / or their staff) who are in the process of reauthorizing the Farm Bill.
The staffers that Mike and I and other members of the Sierra Club met with include those from the offices of:
Meetings attended by Mike and others from the Sierra Club, but that I didn’t attend, include those with staffers from the offices of:
Other Relevant Links
In general, I was very encouraged. Of course, we are just small players in the larger drama, but every connection with actual humans is meaningful. The staffers aren’t fanatics. They’re just good people trying to earn a living as public servants and they all seemed genuinely interested in hearing from us. I’m happy to talk to them. In these meetings, I actually said very little, but when given a chance, I spoke on the need for healthy soil and the important role that grazing done right can play in that. I also said that this was a bipartisan issue. Everyone benefits from healthy soil.
I want to thank Mike Carberry and the other members of the Sierra Club who encouraged and made possible my participation. I look forward to doing this some more.
Carberry's summary words to me regarding the event were,
“My biggest hope from our Farm Bill fly-in was with Democratic Agriculture Committee leadership. There is no chance that GT Thompson’s 'skinny farm bill' will pass in September because it will not have bipartisan support. A truly bipartisan farm bill that restores SNAP and supports regenerative agriculture and small and medium-sized independent family farms could pass after the election in 2026.”
If you want to get involved with the Sierra Club Food and Agriculture Team, please contact Mike Carberry directly.
With gratitude, - Seth

#food #agriculture #FarmBill #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #soil #grazing #washingtonDC


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Seth J. Itzkan

Cofounder, Soil4Climate Inc.
Join the global movement of scientists, practitioners, and engaged citizens working to make soil a climate solution
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