Steve Davies

The last time a Democratic administration tried to pass climate legislation, in 2009, the bill died in the Senate partly because of resistance from farm groups. This year, one of the first significant climate bills a congressional committee is going to vote on is a measure backed by farm groups – the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which is aimed at facilitating the development of ag carbon markets.

This afternoon, Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and GOP Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana will release a new version of their Growing Climate Solutions Act, a bill intended to speed the development of ag carbon markets. The measure would put USDA in charge of certifying credit verification services and technical advisers.

This week will be the most important so far when it comes to climate policy. In connection with a global leaders summit that President Joe Biden is holding online Thursday and Friday, the administration is expected to release a new pledge for reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

House Republicans introduced a slate of bills Friday they billed as "natural solutions" to climate change and an alternative to Sen. Debbie Stabenow's soon-to-be-reintroduced Growing Climate Solutions Act.

Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow tells Agri-Pulse she expects a new bipartisan version of the Growing Climate Solutions Act to be released within a few days. The funding issues have now been apparently worked out with the bill, which is aimed at laying the groundwork for ag carbon markets.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says he’ll make sure the Treasury Department understands the importance of stepped-up basis to farm groups. Vilsack was pressed about that issue during an appearance Wednesday before the House Ag Appropriations Subcommittee.