June 24th, 2021
By Lori Sallet
AFT Statement on the Senate Passage of the Growing Climate Solutions Act
Washington, D.C. – American Farmland Trust (AFT) applauds the Senate’s passage of the Growing Climate Solutions Act. Reintroduced by Senators Stabenow (D-MI), Braun (R-IN), Whitehouse (D-RI), and Graham (R-SC), the Act passed the chamber today in a 92-8 vote. This vote highlights the legislation’s substantial bipartisan support. The Act’s passage shows that helping farmers to lead on climate change can be an area of broad agreement and forward progress.
This legislation recognizes the unique role our nation’s farmers and ranchers can play in combatting climate change, by helping to pave the way for more producers to be rewarded for implementing practices that sequester carbon and reduce emissions. By creating the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Certification Program, the Act would hold carbon-credit verifiers and technical service providers to uniform standards. The Act would also create an advisory council to help the program evolve with the latest science and market needs.
As AFT President John Piotti has noted, “sequestering carbon in the soil through regenerative farming practices is considered one of the most cost-effective and immediate solutions we can implement… Our farmland and ranchland may be our only hope for a sustainable future.” With devastating storms, droughts, floods, and fires already impacting production, our nation’s farmers and ranchers find themselves on the front lines of climate change. The Growing Climate Solutions Act would help lower the barriers to entry for producers tackling the greatest challenge of the 21st century. In addition to the climate benefits, private carbon markets could provide another source of revenue for producers, thereby increasing the viability of their operations and preventing additional agricultural land from being converted to other uses.
AFT looks forward to working with members of the House of Representatives to ensure passage of the Growing Climate Solutions Act through the chamber.
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American Farmland Trust is the only national conservation organization dedicated to protecting farmland, promoting environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land. Since 1980, AFT’s innovative work has helped to permanently protect more than 6.8 million acres of farmland and ranchland and led the way for the adoption of conservation practices on millions more. No Farms, No Food. Learn more at www.farmland.org.