CA Dairy Producers Ask for Clarity on Farm Bill Carbon Market

As congress discusses the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill, dairy producers in California keep an eye out for carbon market legislation. Joining us, dairy expert Rick Naerebout.

“As we’re looking at this Farm Bill, every indication is that there’s going to be a climate chapter added to the Farm Bill, where we’re going to see incentive programs added that our dairymen could benefit from in trying to implement sustainability programs on their dairies. So, making sure that those incentive programs are right sized for our dairies.”

Naerebout added, at this stage, he’s encouraged that the USDA is looking at using a carrot, rather than a stick approach, to incentivize farm practices.

“Why not try and solve some of these carbon sequestration problems by offering farmers and dairymen a market and that revenue opportunity. Every expectation is if you give us a good, healthy market, that has sound economics to it, we’re going to produce to what the market is and probably over produce it a bit because we’re so efficient at what we do in agriculture. And that really should be the approach with carbon sequestration.”

A recent analysis published by the state says California is behind on its goal of cutting livestock methane emissions 40 percent by 2030.