Tom Vilsack Secretary of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) | Official Website
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather public input on procedures for quantifying, reporting, and verifying the impact of climate-smart farming practices on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from U.S.-grown biofuel feedstock crops. This initiative aims to establish voluntary standards for biofuel feedstocks cultivated with practices that mitigate GHG emissions or sequester soil carbon. These standards, authorized by section 2709 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, could be considered in international, national, or state clean transportation fuel policies to incentivize climate-smart biofuel feedstock crops.
Growing crops as feedstocks for biofuels contributes to GHG emissions. Climate-smart practices such as cover cropping or no-till farming can reduce these on-farm emissions. Current clean fuel transportation policies do not differentiate between conventional and climate-smart cultivation methods. Following the issuance of U.S. Treasury’s guidance on the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) tax credit and the USDA Climate-Smart Agriculture Pilot Program, this RFI will inform options for a robust standard that creates market opportunities for U.S. farmers while providing environmental benefits.
“By creating opportunities for biofuels policies to reflect climate-smart farming practices, we are enabling new markets for American producers and incentivizing more greenhouse gas emissions reductions,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This request for information lays the foundation for policies that would bring economic benefits to rural and farm communities while also helping in the fight against climate change.”
Adopting climate-smart farming practices more widely could lower overall GHG emissions associated with biofuel production and provide other environmental benefits such as improved water quality and soil health. Accurate quantification and verification are crucial to ensure that net GHG emissions reductions are real. Enhancing these capabilities can also improve credibility and confidence in various climate-smart markets.
The USDA's RFI will be published in the Federal Register on June 27, 2024, seeking feedback on topics including:
- Biofuel feedstock crops and practices for consideration in USDA’s analysis.
- Scientific data, information, and analysis related to quantifying GHG outcomes from climate-smart agricultural practices versus conventional methods.
- Records necessary to verify practice adoption and maintenance.
- Systems used to trace feedstocks throughout the biofuel supply chain.
- Third-party verification of practice adoption and maintenance.
The RFI is available today for public inspection with comments accepted starting June 27 through July 26, 2024.
USDA continues its mission under the Biden-Harris administration by focusing on resilient local food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to nutritious food across communities, building new income streams through climate-smart practices, investing in rural infrastructure and clean energy capabilities, committing to equity by removing systemic barriers within the department.
For more information visit www.usda.gov.
