The Senate Agriculture Committee this week unanimously passed the Growing Climate Solutions Act which will assist producers interested in participating in carbon markets. The bipartisan bill was introduced by Senators Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., chairwoman of the Sente Agriculture Committee, Mike Braun, R-Ind., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and 30 additional senators. The bill would establish a USDA program to certify credit verification services and provide technical assistance for farmers and forest owners interested in enrolling in a carbon-credit market. USDA would establish protocols for carbon markets and provide guidelines to farmers on how to qualify for carbon-credit programs. The carbon-credit program would then become "USDA certified." A 25-member advisory council of farmers, forestry industry, scientists, and representatives from private markets would be established to make recommendations to Congress and USDA. A majority of the committee members would be farmers.