WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger — Chair of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee’s Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee — today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted 92 to 8 to pass the Growing Climate Solutions Act, legislation led in the U.S. House by Spanberger and U.S. Representative Don Bacon (R-NE-02).

“The Growing Climate Solutions Act is a tremendous opportunity to make carbon credits more accessible for farmers and producers in Central Virginia and across the country. Today, I am proud to see the Senate pass this legislation with overwhelming bipartisan support,” said Spanberger. “This bill is a terrific example of how Members on both sides of the aisle can find common ground on addressing the major climate challenges we face. Our bill would break down longstanding barriers for farmers, ranchers, and foresters — and it would reward them for embracing smart practices that are good for the land and good for their bottom lines. I would like to thank Senators Stabenow and Braun for their strong leadership on this issue, and I am confident that the House Agriculture Committee will move quickly to advance our legislation to the floor of the House.”

Spanberger and Bacon reintroduced the Growing Climate Solutions Act in April 2021.

BACKGROUND

The Growing Climate Solutions Act would create a certification program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help solve technical entry barriers that prevent farmer and forest landowner participation in carbon credit markets. Through the program, USDA would help connect landowners to private sector actors who can assist the landowners in implementing the protocols and monetizing the climate value of their sustainable practices.

The Growing Climate Solutions Act is supported by a wide range of farm, environment, and industry organizations in Virginia and across the country — including the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the Virginia Agribusiness Council, and more. Click here for a list of the Growing Climate Solutions Act’s supporters.

The bipartisan bill is led in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Mike Braun (R-IN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

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