Bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act Makes it Easier for Farmers, Ranchers and Forest Owners to Benefit from Voluntary Carbon Markets

The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) applauds the bipartisan re-introduction of the Growing Climate Solutions Act and thanks Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) for sponsoring the bill. The act establishes a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) technical assistance and certification program to assist producers and forest owners seeking to participate in voluntary carbon markets. Sens. Stabenow and Braun are joined by 34 cosponsors of the bill, including Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.) and 12 other committee members, demonstrating that bipartisan, common ground can be found on climate policies.

Climate change directly impacts the farmers, ranchers and forest owners who rely on a healthy environment to produce food and forest products. The Growing Climate Solutions Act would ensure agricultural producers and forest owners of all sizes looking to enter the carbon market for the first time have access to reliable information, qualified technical service providers and third-party verifiers. In addition, the bill establishes a robust USDA advisory council composed of farmers, scientists and other climate stakeholders. FACA would like to recognize Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Boozman for their work together to ensure producer representation on the advisory council.

FACA, consisting of almost 70 agriculture, food, forestry and environmental organizations, is built on guiding principles that stress federal climate policy must be built upon voluntary, incentive-based programs and market-driven opportunities, promote resilience and adaptation in rural communities, and be grounded in scientific evidence. In addition, climate solutions must be strongly bipartisan and accommodate the diverse needs of producers and landowners, regardless of size, geographic region or commodity.

FACA members developed more than 40 joint recommendations to guide the development of federal climate policy, including an endorsement of the Growing Climate Solutions Act introduced last Congress. Download the recommendations and see a full list of member organizations at agclimatealliance.com.