The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is preparing to launch a new pilot program to encourage farmers to undertake practices to reduce and sequester greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and potentially expand the supply of carbon offsets for the voluntary market.

The agency today announced a request for information to help shape the new Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Partnership Initiative, which will support pilot projects that provide incentives for the use of "climate smart conservation practices" on working lands and track the associated reductions in emissions.

The program, to be administered by Commodity Credit Corporation, could aid in the "expansion or development of new markets," including for voluntary carbon offsets, USDA said. The agency is seeking input on a number of issues, including how to help the projects participate in the voluntary offset market and how they might affect compliance markets.

The initiative will "create new market opportunities for commodities produced using climate-smart practices and position US farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners as leaders in addressing climate change," agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said.

The request for information is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register tomorrow and comments will be accepted through 1 November. USDA said the information it collects will be used to shape the program and a funding announcement it plans to issue this autumn, with project selection to take place early next year.

Farm and agriculture groups cheered USDA's plans for the program, which they said will help prepare US farmers to participate in carbon markets.

"Secretary Vilsack's focus on pilots to get the policy 'right' will help inform future discussions and ensure we are doing the best for the environment, our farms and ranches, and rural communities," said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau and co-chair of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance, a coalition of farm, forest and environmental groups.

By Michael Ball

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Argus Media Limited published this content on 29 September 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 29 September 2021 20:01:08 UTC.