Name: Joe Biden’s new climate ad addresses the plight of American farmers
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Joe Biden’s new climate ad addresses the plight of American farmers

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PublishedOct 06, 2020TopicShare/RepublishLast week, former Second Lady Jill Biden visited Michigan on behalf of her husband, Democratic nominee Joe Biden. There, she toured a cherry farm in Central Lake owned by the Kings, a family of farmers. The campaign *.“We’re having more challenges in tart cherries than ever before,” John King, co-owner of King Orchards, says in the ad. “As I think about my grandchildren and the world we live in, I think it’s very important to adopt measures to mitigate climate change.” Michigan is the nation’s No. 1 producer of tart cherries. have caused headaches for farmers across the state.In a , King Orchards explained why they chose to wade into the political fray. “If you know us on a personal level you may know our political leanings, but you probably also know that we rarely mix business with politics,” they wrote. “However, we make exceptions when it comes to climate change and protecting our environment. We believe that those topics should not be partisan.”To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider to allow ads on Grist.It makes sense that the Biden campaign chose to focus on agriculture in its . Climate change in general is (though some Republicans, , have been coming around recently). The relationship between climate and farming, however, is an area that’s ripe for compromise.In June, Republican Senators Mike Braun of Indiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina in sponsoring a rare piece of bipartisan legislation called the , which is intended to help cut emissions from farms. Farmers’ advocacy groups like the National Farmers Union are pushing for . A showed a majority of registered voters in five major agricultural states consider extreme weather to be a significant threat to farmers and their communities. Sixty-three percent of Michigan voters said they think climate change is affecting local agriculture.Trump flipped Michigan red in 2016. The Biden campaign has been homing in on the state ahead of the general election, with Joe and Jill Biden, vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (stumping on Biden’s behalf) all visiting Michigan in recent weeks. Will Biden’s new emphasis on the intersection of climate and agriculture pay off? We’ll find out in less than a month.*An earlier version of this article mistakenly stated that Biden’s ad is the first climate-themed ad in presidential campaign history.&nbsp;To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider to allow ads on Grist.The only newsroom focused on exploring solutions at the intersection of climate and justice.&nbsp;Our in-depth approach to solutions-based journalism takes time and proactive planning, which is why Grist depends on reader support. Your gifts keep our unbiased, nonprofit news site free. Donate today, and your gift will be matched dollar for dollar.&nbsp;The only newsroom focused on exploring solutions at the intersection of climate and justice. Your support keeps our unbiased, nonprofit news free. Donate today, and your gift will be matched dollar for dollar.&nbsp;To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider to allow ads on Grist.

PublishedOct 06, 2020TopicShare/RepublishLast week, former Second Lady Jill Biden visited Michigan on behalf of her husband, Democratic nominee Joe Biden. There, she toured a cherry farm in Central Lake owned by the Kings, a family of farmers. The campaign *.“We’re having more challenges in tart cherries than ever before,” John King, co-owner of King Orchards, says in the ad. “As I think about my grandchildren and the world we live in, I think it’s very important to adopt measures to mitigate climate change.” Michigan is the nation’s No. 1 producer of tart cherries. have caused headaches...

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Zoya Teirstein

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Joe Biden’s new climate ad addresses the plight of American farmers

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