While we continue to fight climate crisis together, we must ensure that resources are available to everyone, particularly underserved farmers.

Thank you for holding this important hearing on our Energy Title programs in the farm bill.

All of these programs deliver on-the-ground resources that help us mitigate and adapt to climate change, and benefit our producers.

our farmers and producers are the original conservationists, and they are the climate heroes.

So when we are talking about REAP, Under Secretary, it is consistently oversubscribed and under-funded, leaving many producers and agribusinesses to be pretty frustrated with the backlogs in the program.

So, could you give an update on this program, how it pertains to the funds that have been directed for meat and poultry processing, and how many awards have gone out so far?

I have been a strong supporter of the REAP program, and I was very proud when provisions from my REAP Improvement Act were included in legislation that recently passed.

Spanberger's bipartisan REAP Improvement Act strengthens REAP resources and advances key concepts we need now for a significant REAP upgrade.

A failure to address these basic infrastructure needs for charging in rural communities really will lead towards a future where communities will be left behind.

opening statement

Farmers are the original conservationists, and there is so much we can learn from our growers and producers on how to combat the climate crisis.