In early June, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which is aimed at helping farmers, ranchers, and landowners use carbon dioxide-absorbing practices to fight climate change.
The proposed Growing Climate Solutions Act directs the USDA to create a program that would help the agriculture sector gain access to revenue from greenhouse gas offset credit markets.
The lead sponsor of the Growing Climate Solutions Act is Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, and his Democratic counterpart on the subcommittee, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
Co-sponsors on the bill include Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
“As a Main Street entrepreneur and conservationist, I know firsthand that if we want to address our changing climate, then we need to facilitate real solutions that our farmers, environmentalists, and industry can all support, which this bill accomplishes,” said Braun.
The bill has the support of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), National Corn Growers Association, over 40 other farm groups, environmental organizations, and many Fortune 500 companies.
“America’s farmers and ranchers have made tremendous strides in reducing our carbon footprint, with overall greenhouse gas emissions under 10 percent for our industry,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall in a press release. “As we endeavor to do more with less, we are always focused on doing better and working together to protect the natural resources we all enjoy.”
About the bill
The bill would amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to add a new section 1240M titled, “Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Certification Program.” This new authority would require USDA to establish a certification program and would help to break down existing greenhouse gas (GHG) barriers in several beneficial ways.
The USDA would “publish a list and description of standards” for GHG credit markets using “industry protocols.”
Once the standards are published, third-party “USDA certifiers” would assist with compliance with those standards.
According to the press release by Braun, “the USDA certification program will ensure that these assistance providers have agriculture and forestry expertise, which is lacking in the current marketplace.
“As part of the program, USDA will administer a new website, which will serve as a ‘one-stop shop’ of information and resources for producers and foresters who are interested in participating in carbon markets.”
The bill would create an advisory council for the administration of the program. According to a report by the National Law Review, the committee would consist of USDA-appointed members, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, members of the agriculture and forestry industry, experts in GHG credit markets and the scientific community.
Lastly, the bill instructs the USDA to compile a report to Congress which would address any barriers and challenges presented by landowners and producers, and make suggestions for further adoption and participation in carbon sequestration practices.
Some aspects of the bill will fall in line with what states such as California, Washington and Maryland have implemented, or are introducing, using “nature-based GHG reduction programs.”
“As Americans, we have the ability to come up with climate solutions that can benefit our economy and our way of life,” said Graham. “The United States has long been a leader in innovation. This legislation is an opportunity to put our knowledge and can-do spirit to work to promote business opportunities for the agriculture industry while promoting the protection of our environment.”
Congress has expressed interest in using “nature-based” methods to reduce GHG when legislation was proposed earlier this year to plant a trillion trees by 2050 to fight global warming.
“Carbon credit exchanges can provide them with a market-based system to finance those improvements,” said National Farmers Union President Rob Larew in a press release. “The Growing Climate Solutions Act is an important step toward strong and comprehensive climate policy that both provides farmers of all sizes with the resources they need to mitigate and adapt to climate change as well as recognizes the vital public good that comes from those efforts.”
Currently, there is no companion legislation introduced in the House of Representatives. — Charles Wallace, WLJ correspondent
