Wisdom is the retention of innocence through adversity.

The most important vote in the country is happening in Washington State on Initiative 1-631. Even if you won’t be able to vote on it, you need to know about it, because this is the legislation we need to pass in all 50 states and Congress. Before you vote, ask every candidate on your ballot if they support it.

I-1631 would require the worst polluters to pay a $15 per ton fee for their greenhouse gas pollution. The $800 million collected would be used to create a Clean Up Pollution Fund. The fund would be used to facilitate a just transition from fossil fuels to a clean energy economy. I-1631 includes funding for regenerative agriculture and land-use projects that pull carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it in the soil.

On November 6, we need to pass I-1631 in Washington State and elect a new wave of #RegenerationCandidates at the local, state and federal level who will pass similar legislation (there are ways it could be improved) nationwide.

If the candidates on your ballot aren’t able to articulate the regeneration message, point them to candidates who can and urge them to adopt their talking points.

Our favorite campaign video of 2018 is this one by Audrey Denney, a candidate for Congress in California’s 1st District. Click here to watch Audrey Denney talk climate change, renewable energy and regenerative agriculture.  Denney “gets it” because she’s a regenerative farmer, like many of the candidates we’ve endorsed, including:

Col. Kim Olson, running for Texas Agriculture Commissioner. Olson is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel turned farmer. She and her husband raise fruits, vegetables and pecans sold directly to consumers, as well as are restoring native grassland and keeping beehives.

Anthony Flaccavento, an organic farmer and president of SCALE (Sequestering Carbon, Accelerating Local Economies), who is running for Congress in Virginia’s 9th District.

Paul Theobald, running for Congress in Nebraska’s 3rd District. He and his wife Maureen live on a small farm in Pierce County where they pasture-raise purebred heritage breed hogs.

Denise O’Brien, an organic farmer running for Iowa State House District 21. O’Brien co-founded the Women, Food and Agricultural Network. She is the president of the board of the Pesticide Action Network. She co-chairs the board of the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust. She is an assistant soil and water commissioner.

Emily Best, running for Pennsylvania State Senate in District 30. Best is the general manager of Tuscarora Organic Growers Cooperative.

Lissa Lucas, running for West Virginia House of Delegates District 7. Lucas is an organic homesteader and co-author of “My Pet Chicken.”

Kayla Koether, a regenerative livestock farmer running for Iowa State House District 55. Koether is a specialist at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach providing technical assistance to businesses and beginning farmers on best business practices, sustainability, production, marketing and innovation.

Dr. Lanita Witt, running for Jackson County Commissioner Position 3. Dr. Witt practiced medicine from 1976 until she retired in 2016. Thirty-three years ago, she started a side-career when she and her family bought 445 acres of forested land in Jackson County that became Willow-Witt Ranch.

Holly Bud, an organic farmer running for Calvert County Commissioner in District 3. Bud is the chair of the board of directors of the Maryland Organic Food and Farming Association. She also serves on the environmental commission to Calvert County Commissioners and the Maryland Organic Certification Advisory Committee of the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Another candidate we want everyone to know about is Vaughn Stewart,running for Maryland’s House of Delegates District 19.