MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Local lawmakers and farmers are working together to promote clean energy and sustainable farming.
On Tuesday, the Climate Action Campaign’s Clean Energy REVolution (CER) Tour visited Dane County. At Hinchley’s Dairy Farm, local leaders including Senator Melissa Agard and Representative Melissa Ratcliff celebrated and promoted clean energy farming.
Representative Melissa Ratcliff spoke at the event saying, “We must work to promote the economic impacts and the public health benefits of carbon free energy as though our lives depended on it, cause it does”
Tina Hinchley, owner and operator of Hinchley’s Dairy Farm, and her daughter Anna Hinchley-Skadahl, who will take over owning the farm soon, have already invested in sustainable agricultural practices. They use cover crops, conservation strips, and a water retention pond to boost productivity and sustainability in their farming.
Hinchley said, “It definitely impacts what our crops are like the next year, higher productivity, and that’s so important when you’re dealing with cows that are going to be eating the crops that we’re growing.”
They also have plans to implement more clean energy tools like solar energy and a food waste digester.
“We do utilize natural gas and we’re looking into solar panels and whatnot, so this way we can go on and ensure that my generation, the next generation, will all be here and well all have a place on the farm,” said Hinchley-Skadahl
The Hinchley’s encourage other farmers to participate in green energy products to keep relevant in agriculture, and to keep their farms going for future generations.
The Clean Energy REVolution Tour is highlighting programs that come from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). These are aimed help farmers be part of the solution to address climate change. The Tour is stopping in several states continuing to highlight local climate action coming from this legislation.
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