USDA forms council for greenhouse gas solutions

Aug 14, 2024
By Farms.com

Council to guide farmers in carbon credit markets

The USDA has announced the creation of the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council, under the directives of the Growing Climate Solutions Act. This council is designed to facilitate the connection between farmers and the burgeoning environmental credit markets.

By establishing this council, the USDA aims to provide technical assistance to farmers, helping them to obtain and sell carbon credits, a move that Secretary Tom Vilsack noted as critical to advancing climate-smart agricultural practices.

The council will focus on setting robust standards for environmental credits and ensuring fair participation across the agricultural sector.

Members of the council will include a diverse group of stakeholders from the agricultural and environmental sectors, tasked with advising on protocols for generating environmental credits and methods to quantify and verify emissions reductions.

Interested individuals or representatives are encouraged to submit their nominations by October 15, 2024.

The formation of this council underscores the USDA's commitment to integrating sustainability into the fabric of American agriculture, fostering economic growth and environmental health.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.