S.1251 – Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2021 passed the Senate on June 24, 2021.

This bill:

• Authorizes USDA to establish a voluntary Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Certification Program to help reduce entry barriers into voluntary environmental credit markets for farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners
• Defines eligible entities to participate in the program as: (1) providers of technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, or private forest landowners in carrying out sustainable land use management practices that prevent, reduce, or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, or sequester carbon; or (2) third-party verifiers that conduct the verification of the processes described in the protocols for voluntary environmental credit markets.
• Requests that USDA establish an advisory council to make recommendations regarding the list of protocols and qualifications, best practices, and voluntary environmental credit markets.

This bill has been sent to the House for consideration. Last week in the House Agriculture Committee, Chairman David Scott (D-GA) held a hearing with members to consider the need for legislation to aid in the production of high-quality carbon credits.

On both sides of the aisle members raised concerns that many farmers will be left out of emerging carbon markets, and whether USDA should be involved in regulating them.

Committee Chairman David Scott, D-Ga., also raised the possibility during the hearing that using agriculture to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could affect food production.

Following the Hearing, Chairman Scott confirmed that the committee would eventually vote on the Senate-passed Growing Climate Solutions Act, which is intended to accelerate the growth of carbon markets by authorizing USDA to certify farm advisers and credit verification services. However, he didn’t say when the committee debate would be scheduled.