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Farm state voters in swing states like Minnesota see extreme weather, such as droughts and floods, as a significant threat to farming. According to a new poll conducted by Iowa-based RABA Research on behalf of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a majority of these voters say they would be more likely to back a 2020 presidential candidate who proposes ways to help farmers and communities cope by building healthy, living soil.
67% of Minnesota poll respondents,
64% of Iowa respondents and
57% of Michigan respondents said they would be more likely to support a presidential candidate with such a platform.
More from the study: Overwhelming majorities of voters in each state—as high as 93% in Nebraska and Minnesota—say extreme weather is a significant threat to farmers and communities in their area.
When asked specifically if “climate change” is affecting local agriculture, majorities in Iowa (58%), Michigan (63%), Minnesota (65%), and Nebraska (59%), and a plurality in Arkansas (49%) agreed that it is.
Notably, 61% of respondents with farmers in their households across the five states also agreed.
Why This Matters: This poll shows that there’s a real opportunity for presidential candidates to talk about the environment and conservation with voters. They cannot shy away from this issue and fail to connect it to the economy. Joe Biden has a strong rural climate action vision that promises to “ensure our agricultural sector is the first in the world to achieve net-zero emissions, and that our farmers earn income as we meet this milestone.” Additionally, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders also address farming issues in their climate plans. Let’s hope that they begin to drive these issues home on the campaign trail.
By Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer The earth is collapsing under Russia’s northeastern towns as global warming melts the permafrost beneath them. Permafrost occupies 65% of Russia’s landmass, making this massive thawing particularly destructive. “There isn’t a single settlement in Russia’s Arctic where you wouldn’t find a destroyed or deformed building,” said Alexey Maslakov, […]
By Ashira Morris, ODP Staff Writer Heirs’ property is a type of land ownership whereby property is passed down without a will, and it’s one of the main reasons Black families in the US are losing their land. But the Mobile Basin Heirs’ Property Support Initiative announced yesterday could help families in Mississippi’s Mobile Bay […]
By Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer The White House announced Friday that President Biden will use his executive authority to restore protections for three national monuments drastically reduced during the Trump Administration. He will reestablish and increase the boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, both of which are in Utah. The orders […]
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