WASHINGTON, D.C. (NAFB) – Biden nominee to oversee USDA farm and conservation programs Robert Bonnie said at his confirmation hearing that carbon is not a CCC commodity, but he won’t reject the CCC as a funding source for carbon capture programs.

It was an issue that Senate Ag Committee members brought earlier with Secretary Vilsack—would the administration turn to CCC for climate efforts at the expense of traditional farm programs? Now, USDA Climate Adviser and Biden’s pick for Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation was asked the same question.

So, while admitting carbon is not a CCC commodity, Bonnie insists that the CCC and climate-smart efforts are not in conflict, answering this question from Kansas Senator Roger Marshall.

Which is exactly what a carbon bank tries to do and why Senator Marshall told Bonnie of the CCC.

Secretary Vilsack agreed in an earlier hearing that nothing should be done to jeopardize the intent of the CCC to fund traditional farm programs. Bonnie adds that agriculture must support any new climate efforts, or they won’t work.