WASHINGTON, D.C. (NAFB) – Voluntary private carbon market legislation gets a second shot (today, Earth Day), as the Senate Ag Committee plans to vote on the bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act, first introduced last year.

The reworked bill has 34 Senate cosponsors, evenly split between the two parties, and backing from over 50 Ag and environmental groups.

Lead GOP sponsor, Mike Braun of Indiana, on the speed of getting support.

Lead Democratic sponsor and Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow on improvements to the bill.

Some $4 million, plus a new scientific analysis to support the effort that now has the strong backing of the American Farm Bureau Federation, led by Zippy Duval.

Duval says the bill empowers USDA to let producers know of carbon market options, and develop a certification program, allowing farmers to reap profits from their ‘climate-smart conservation efforts.