Scott, Thompson agree climate change real, disagree on concern

By Carrie Stadheim, Tri-State Livestock News

Scott, Thompson agree climate change real, disagree on concern

At the first House Agriculture Committee hearing in this Congress, House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott, D-Ga., and Rep. Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, R-Pa.., set the tone for debate on climate change.

Scott said that changes in weather patterns “introduce significant risks to agricultural production, forest resources, and the economy” and “these risks cannot be understated.”

“According to USDA’s Economic Research Service, climate change will likely affect risk-management tools, financial markets, and our global food security, among other important areas,” Scott added.

Thompson said, “There’s a saying I learned BC (before Congress) — if you’re not at the table, you’re probably on the menu. For too long the agriculture sector has been on the menu when it comes to climate.”

“The hearing today begins to put us at the table, and I’d like to start my remarks by making a very clear position,” Thompson said.

“The climate is changing, the Earth’s temperature is rising, and I trust the science that global industrial activity has contributed to the issue.

“Reducing global emissions is what we should be pursuing — it is the right thing to do, and it requires smart, prudent and science-based policies. But the apocalyptic narrative of the world coming to an end within the decade is not evidence based and it is not supported by science.”