Farm and Forest Carbon Solutions Task Force

The Farm and Forest Carbon Solutions Task Force came together in early 2021 to shape policy recommendations that enhance the role of American agriculture and forestry as valuable natural climate solutions and provide new revenue streams to farmers, ranchers, and foresters. Co-chaired by former Sens. Heidi Heitkamp and Saxby Chambliss, the task force includes leaders across industry, agriculture, and forestry; environmental and conservation nonprofits; trade associations; and former government officials.

America’s natural and working lands underpin the national economy—sustaining food supply, generating timber, and providing wildlife habitat, recreation resources, and environmental benefits. These lands can further deliver natural climate solutions, including carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions reductions in agriculture and forests, often while supporting rural economies, improving the profitability of producer operations, and further enhancing the many values Americans rely upon from these landscapes. In fact, nature-based solutions are emerging as a vital element of any comprehensive approach to address the risks of climate change.

BPC’s work builds from decades of experience supporting voluntary and incentive-driven conservation solutions for America’s farm, ranch and forest landowners and is timed to respond to growing interest from Congress, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and corporations pursuing net-zero emission pledges that include natural climate solutions. Markets for carbon credits, new incentive programs, and other tools could generate tens of billions of dollars per year in new investment for working lands within a decade. If the U.S. can establish an efficient and workable framework for supporting these opportunities and verifying their contributions, farmers and forest owners stand to generate substantial new streams of income while contributing to a climate solution.