Bill Would Help Farmers Sell Carbon Credits

The agriculture industry would be able to take part in an expanding carbon credit market thanks to bipartisan legislation introduced last week. A report in The Hill Dot Com says the goal of the legislation would be to provide money to farmers for using sustainable farming practices. Farming is a source of carbon emissions, but it also presents vast opportunities to sequester carbon in both the soil and plants. The legislation would require the USDA to create a certification program to help farmers and landowners in implementing protocols and monetizing the climate value of their sustainable practices. “As Americans, we have the ability to come up with climate solutions that can benefit our economy and our way of life,” says South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who co-sponsored the bill. “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.” The bill has the support of environmental and farm groups, along with numerous corporations like McDonald’s and Microsoft, both of which have promised they will reduce their carbon footprints.