WASHINGTON- Farmers and academics came together in Washington to implore the U.S. House Agriculture Committee to support regenerative farming practices, and they want them placed in the next farm bill.

Committee Chair David Scott, a Georgia Democrat, stated that investment in soil health will curb climate change and prevent future food shortages. Scott held the hearings to gain insight into the best sustainable farming practices.

Regenerative agriculture is the practice of rebuilding organic matter in topsoil, restoring degraded soil biodiversity, and improving the water cycle; all after farming.

Jeff Moyer, chief executive officer of the Rodale Institute, stated, "Conventional agriculture models are degrading American soil." Moyer has worked in the past on sustainable farming methods, and believes they are of utmost importance.

President Biden has allocated around $300 billion to projects which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon output. These will include sustainable farming measures.

Several Republicans on the Committee stated that, if these regenerative farm measures pass, they should not be mandatory for each state. Glenn Thomspon, of Pennsylvania, stated that "tying food policy to climate policy is harmful."

Thompson argued that smaller farms can't take the risks that large, commercial farms can in regards to sustainable farming. He went on to state that many of the farms in Pennsylvania had already begun using sustainable farming methods, and that inflation was the key issue affecting farmers.

Rick Clark, a farmer from Indiana, suggested to the committee that they should begin educating and assisting smaller farmers who want to move towards regenerative farming. Clark has used regenerative farming methods on his own 7,000-acre farm for the past decade, all so he could rebuild soil health.

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