June 26, 2009

A provision in the US House of Representatives climate-change legislation would provide "significant" benefits to farmers by allowing them to cash in on efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, US Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Jim Miller said Thursday (June 25).

 

The House is scheduled to vote on the bill Friday. If the provision survives the vote, is adopted by the Senate and becomes law, farmers "will be able receive an offset credit from USDA to sell in the market place to utilities, refiners, or other firms subject to limitations on greenhouse gas emissions," according to a statement released Thursday by the House Agriculture Committee.

 

The USDA believes "there are significant opportunities for production agriculture" in the House bill, Miller told reporters. And it will be up to the USDA to implement the bill and "help insure that our farmers and ranchers are able to collect what we believe can be significant benefits in terms of improving the overall environment through innovation and the ability for agriculture to become a significant player in producing carbon credits."

 

One farm group pleased with the House provision, authored by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., is the National Association of Wheat Growers.

 

The group said it is pleased farmers will have "a place in any climate-change legislation and that producers are able to reap potential benefits rather than just accept coming costs."

 

Miller said farmers will be rewarded for current methods of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but he also expects new ways of greener farming to develop.

 

The House Agriculture Committee said in the Thursday statement: "Practices, such as no-till farming and avoided deforestation, will be available to earn offset credits under the new program, as long as they were started after 2001 and result in additional greenhouse gas reduction."