Policy

ESMC’s policy work focuses on educating policymakers at the federal, state, and local level on the importance of ecosystem service markets as a critical tool to drive adoption of regenerative agricultural practices and profitability for U.S. producers. We work to further the mission of ESMC, the principles of our policy committee and members, and the ecosystem services market sector writ large.

2024

Request for Public Input About Implementation of the Sustainability Targets in Agriculture to Incentivize Natural Solutions Act [Docket ID NRCS-2024-0014], Submitted to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 9/2024

Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program, Request for Information [Doc. No. AMS-LP-24-0012], submitted to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, 6/2024

Proposed Revisions to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service [Docket No. NRCS-2023-0022]: Grazing Management (Code 528); submitted 3/2024

Commission Guidance Regarding the Listing of Voluntary Carbon Credit Derivative Contracts; Request for Comment (RIN: 3038-AF40); submitted to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission; submitted 2/2024

2023

COP28 and Implications for US Agriculture; an explainer by Debbie Reed; drafted December 2023

ESMC Comments on Use of Electronic Identification Eartags as Official Identification in Cattle and Bison (Docket No. APHIS-2021-0020); submitted 10/2023

2022

ESMC Comments on Request for Public Input about Implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act Funding (Docket ID: NRCS-2022-0015); submitted 12/2022

2021

Notice of Request for Public Comment on the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF) Partnership Program (Docket ID: USDA-2021-0010); November 1, 2021

Testimony by ESMC’s Debbie Reed to the House Ag Committee on Voluntary Carbon Markets in Agriculture and Forestry (September 23, 2021)

ESMC comments on the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) request for input on extending the deadline for federal agencies to propose updates to National Environmental Policy Act procedures. July 29, 2021

ESMC comments on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) request for input on advancing racial justice and equity for underserved communities as part of its implementation of Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. July 15, 2021

ESMC Comments on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) request for input on the Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains. Submitted June 21, 2021

ESMC Comments on U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) request for input on the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. Submitted April 29, 2021

2020

ESMC Agriculture Innovation Agenda Comments to USDA – July 31, 2020

ESMC Testimony on the Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2020 (S. 3894) – June 22, 2020

ESMC Letter to Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis – June 18, 2020 Letter submitted in response to request for input from rural and agriculture stakeholders on the impacts of extreme weather and climate change. Read more here.

ESMC Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Carbon Sequestration at the Entity-scale for Agriculture and Forestry Comments to USDA – May 15, 2020

ESMC Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Comments to USDA – May 8, 2020

ESMC Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) Comments to USDA – March 20, 2020

ESMC Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Comments to USDA – February 18, 2020

ESMC Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Comments to USDA – January 30, 2020

ESMC Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Comments to USDA – January 10, 2020