At an intimate gathering in Los Angeles, TCU President Larry Kopald spoke with Senator Ed Markey about the potential that TCU sees in the Green New Deal to help rebuild our agricultural system while boosting the financial security of American’s farmers as it positively impacts climate change.

“Healthy food costs people more” said Senator Markey, before pointing out that “growing healthier food is actually less costly as it reduces the cost of production.”  The key is to grow more healthy food and get that food to people in a more direct way. If we can do this, the stimulant to our economy—from the farmer to the consumer—will be significant.

Markey also added that “Our current way of growing food also has massive indirect costs, when you consider all the greenhouse gases created.” We now know that if we create a new infrastructure for food, like we want to do for things like transportation and energy, we can create the agricultural jobs of the future. All while making sure actually have a healthy future.”

Calling this “The new Climate Democracy—of the People, By the People, and For the People” the Senator reminded us that America has acted on this scale before, and implored us to “do it again.”