The Department of Agriculture Tuesday published the Intent to Establish the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program report. Authorized under the Growing Climate Solutions Act, the report explains how the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program will facilitate farmer, rancher, and private forest landowner participation in voluntary carbon markets.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says, “This new program will provide resources for producers and landowners, helping them pursue opportunities to generate revenue while benefiting the environment.”
The report justifies the Secretary’s intent to establish the program following an earlier publication, which found that voluntary carbon markets offer a promising tool to achieve greenhouse gas reductions from the agriculture and forest sectors and support producer livelihoods. USDA will work towards formal establishment of the program in 2024. As a first step, USDA will soon solicit information on protocols to be evaluated for inclusion in the list to be published as part of the program.
