House Ag Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson late last week announced five new packages of legislation targeting solutions to climate change. The bills sponsored by lawmakers from Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, South Dakota and Iowa make up “an initial slate of ideas to improve the productivity of America’s agricultural sector while reducing our carbon footprint,” Thompson said. The bills encourage private-sector partnerships with farmers and ranchers to invest in conservation practices in ways that are both economically and environmentally viable in the long-term, Thompson added. Specifically, bills target restoration of soils and trees, offsetting carbon emissions through tillage strategies and promoting responsible energy conservation. See more details on each of the five bills.