WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced its intention to establish the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council. This initiative is part of the Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA), authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.
The new Advisory Council aims to simplify the participation of farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners in voluntary environmental credit markets. These markets offer credits representing verified reductions or removals of greenhouse gas emissions. The Council’s primary goal is to ensure these credits are real, additional, lasting, and independently verified.
“The program authorized by the Growing Climate Solutions Act will enable USDA to reduce market confusion by connecting qualified providers and third-party verifiers who can offer technical expertise with producers seeking to obtain carbon credits,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Establishing this Council with a slate of expert members from diverse backgrounds will be an important step forward in creating a program that can assist a wide scope of our stakeholders in accessing strong and verified environmental credit markets, furthering the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advancing climate-smart agriculture and creating new income opportunities for small and mid-sized farmers.”
Key activities of the Council will include periodically reviewing and recommending updates to protocols for generating environmental credits and qualifications for entities providing technical assistance. The Council will also advise on methods to quantify and verify greenhouse gas emission reductions and suggest ways to lower barriers to market entry.
The Council will provide an initial assessment to Congress on the program’s progress and consult with the Secretary of Agriculture for periodic assessments. It will consist of 32 members, including representatives from USDA, EPA, NIST, and various stakeholders such as farmers, ranchers, private forest landowners, industry experts, and civil society organizations. At least 51 percent of the Council members will be farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners, with representation for underserved and veteran groups.
Council members will serve staggered terms initially, with subsequent terms lasting two years. Members will not receive compensation but will be reimbursed for travel expenses as per U.S. General Services Administration guidelines.
The USDA is seeking nominations for Council membership, with a deadline for submissions by October 15, 2024. Interested parties can submit nominations electronically to GCSA@usda.gov or mail them to the USDA’s address provided in the Federal Register notice. Electronic submissions are preferred.
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