The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking public input on protocols for a new Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program. It was announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, as part of the Growing Climate Solutions Act. The program aims to help farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners participate in voluntary carbon markets, creating new revenue streams while reducing greenhouse gases.
The USDA’s Request for Information will guide the establishment of this program by gathering feedback on evaluating carbon credit protocols and the qualifications needed for technical assistance providers and third-party verifiers. This input will help develop consistent, reliable, and transparent carbon credit systems.
“High-integrity voluntary carbon markets offer a promising tool to create new revenue streams for producers and achieve greenhouse gas reductions from the agriculture and forest sectors,” Vilsack said in a press release. “However, a variety of barriers have hindered agriculture’s participation in voluntary carbon markets and we are seeking to change that by establishing a new Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program.”
The USDA encourages public comments over a 30-day period which began May 29. The program, authorized under the Growing Climate Solutions Act, seeks to overcome barriers in current carbon markets and support the agricultural sector in adopting science-based practices for emission reduction and carbon sequestration.
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Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West