The 2018 Farm Bill expires this year, which means agriculture and food policy -- and associated spending -- will be on the Congressional agenda in 2023. According to the Department of Agriculture, 11% of US greenhouse gas emissions come from the agricultural sector and that percentage is growing. While the biggest component of the Farm Bill is and will remain food assistance, this omnibus law also touches energy and climate policy and investment in myriad ways.
In this session, we will discuss what the 2023 Farm Bill could mean for advanced biofuels, distributed renewable power, crop insurance in the face of rising climate risk, and conservation and regenerative farming measures meant to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change. We will also discuss how the Farm Bill interacts with multiple other recent policies affecting energy and climate, including the Energy Policy Act of 2020 and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Please join us in this session as our board member Katherine Spector moderates a panel of experts in a discussion of these issues.
This event will be a virtual session via Zoom from 12:00 until 1:30 PM EST. Additional details will be provided to registered attendees prior to the session.
SPEAKERS
Mikayla Bodey
Mikayla Bodey currently serves as Senior Professional Staff for Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow on the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. In this role, Mikayla is the Committee's chief advisor on Rural Development and Energy issues. Mikayla led the Committee’s work to secure over $14 billion in rural clean energy investments in the Inflation Reduction Act. She previously served Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-MN-02) as her Senior Legislative Assistant covering issues related to the House Agriculture Committee and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Prior to this role, Mikayla managed the agriculture portfolio for former Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) during the 2018 Farm Bill. Mikayla holds a Bachelor's Degree in Public Policy and Management from The Ohio State University. Mikayla grew up on her family farm in St. Paris, Ohio, and currently resides in Washington, D.C.
Andy Olsen
Andy Olsen is a senior policy advocate at the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC), leading the Farm Bill Clean Energy and Rural Solar programs. His work has been reflected in Farm Bill legislation and rules, and thousands of clean energy projects. Andy has worked for years to advance clean energy in Wisconsin, in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Andy managed Wisconsin’s Alternative Fuels Task Force, where he drafted the proposal that led to the first-ever manufactured E85 vehicles, under former Gov. Tommy Thompson. He led several collaborative renewable energy efforts in Wisconsin and published numerous energy reports. Andy served in local elected office, winning three terms to the Dane County Board of Supervisors, as a Madison alder and commissioner of the Dane County Lakes & Watershed Commission. He enjoys the outdoors and recreational forestry.
MODERATOR
Katherine Spector
Katherine Spector is an independent consultant on energy markets and energy policy with ProSpector Energy Advisors. She is a longtime energy market analyst, having spent the past 15+ years producing thought-leading research at major banks including JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank where was responsible for the banks' energy price forecasts and market. Her work supported bank traders and originators in all major regions, and clients ranged from oil and gas companies, to institutional investors, to representatives of US and international government. Ms. Spector is also on the board of the New York Energy Forum and serves as an advisory committee member for environmental non-profit Scenic Hudson. She was previously a fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, an adjunct faculty member at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs and held term membership at the Council on Foreign Relations.
PROGRAM
12:00 - 1:30 PM: Presentation and Discussion
COST
This session is complimentary for all registrants. Registration is required for event link details.