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Duvall: USDA is the best choice for administering climate program

American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall says the USDA is best suited to administer any program authorized in the Growing Climate Solutions Act that will allow farmers to participate in carbon credit markets.  

“USDA is the one that understands agriculture and our farmers and ranchers trust the USDA,” he says.

And he says trust will be necessary for widespread adoption…“For farmers to participate in any voluntary program, they have to have that trust,” he says. “So, I think it’s essential that all that happen within the USDA and through the discussions with Congress.”

The bipartisan bill would create a certification program to help solve technical barriers preventing farmers and ranchers from carbon credit markets. The senators who introduced the bill say the barriers include access to reliable information about markets and access to technical assistance providers and credit protocol verifiers.

Duvall testified today during a Senate Ag Committee hearing on the Growing Climate Solutions Act.