The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the formation of the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council.
The USDA announced the creation of the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council, commonly referred to as the Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA) Advisory Council. The USDA is now accepting nominations for council membership, as stated in a Federal Register notice Aug. 13.
Authorized by the Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA), which was enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (Public Law 117-328), the council will play a key role in the implementation of climate initiatives under the USDA.
“The program authorized by the Growing Climate Solutions Act will enable USDA to reduce market confusion by connecting qualified providers and third-party verifiers who can offer technical expertise with producers seeking to obtain carbon credits,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Establishing this Council with a slate of expert members from diverse backgrounds will be an important step forward in creating a program that can assist a wide scope of our stakeholders in accessing strong and verified environmental credit markets, furthering the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advancing climate-smart agriculture and creating new income opportunities for small and mid-sized farmers.”
The Advisory Council will support the program by making it easier for farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners—including beginning, underserved, limited resource, and veteran farmers—to participate in voluntary environmental credit markets. These markets offer credits that represent real, additional, lasting, unique, and independently verified emissions reductions or removals.
This initiative aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to its Principles for Responsible Participation in Voluntary Carbon Markets. These principles guide the establishment of robust standards for carbon credit supply and demand, improve market functioning, ensure fair and equitable treatment of all participants, advance environmental justice, and instill market confidence.
Key responsibilities of the Advisory Council include:
- Periodic Reviews: Recommending updates to recognized protocols for generating environmental credits and qualifications for entities providing technical assistance.
- Advisory Role: Providing guidance on methods used in voluntary environmental credit markets for quantifying and verifying greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and recommending ways to reduce market barriers and transaction costs.
- Strengthening Markets: Aligning with the administration’s stance on voluntary carbon markets by identifying high-integrity protocols for carbon credit generation that ensure consistency, effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency.
The Advisory Council will submit an initial assessment to Congress and will consult with the Secretary of Agriculture on subsequent periodic assessments.
The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint 32 members to the council, including representatives from USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and various stakeholders from farming, forestry, scientific research, and voluntary environmental credit markets. At least 51 percent of the council members will be farmers, ranchers, or private forest landowners, including representatives from beginning, underserved, limited resource, and veteran groups.
Council members will serve staggered terms, with the first appointments ranging from one to three years. Members can serve up to four additional two-year terms, and while they will not be compensated, USDA will reimburse approved travel expenses.
Interested parties should refer to the Federal Register notice for detailed candidate qualifications and requirements. Nominations must be postmarked by October 15, 2024, and can be submitted via email to GCSA@usda.gov or mailed to: Sasha Strohm, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 0249, Washington, DC 20250, Attn: GCSA Advisory Council. Electronic submissions are preferred.
For further details about the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program or the council, visit www.ams.usda.gov/services/GCSA.
