WASHINGTON – Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) President Heather Reams today applauded the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report assessing protocols and barriers that prevent farmers and landowners from participating in voluntary carbon markets. This report was directed by Congress as part of the bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA) (PL117-328) – a CRES-endorsed proposal advancing the interests of American agriculture and reducing global emissions.
“The Growing Climate Solutions Act recognizes the potential for America’s agriculture producers and forest owners to be leaders in conservation, innovation, and emissions reduction. Today’s report provides policymakers the clarity and direction they need to ensure voluntary carbon markets are farmer-focused, effective, and transparent – taking us one step closer to actualizing the priorities laid out in the GCSA,” said CRES President Heather Reams. “These markets are an important solution to provide producers an additional revenue stream, protect the environment, and lower global emissions without overburdensome government mandates, and I am pleased to see progress being made.”
The GCSA passed the U.S. Senate by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 92 to 8, with more Republican Senators supporting than Democratic. Following its passage, CRES launched a six-figure advertising campaign—including a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal—thanking the U.S. Senate and propelling the bill forward in the U.S. House, where it passed as part of the year-end funding package.