April 20, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – Today the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) praised Senators Mike Braun (R-IN), Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), plus an impressive bipartisan list of cosponsors as they reintroduced the Growing Climate Solutions Act for the 117th Congress. The bill would establish a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) certification system to help farmers and forest landowners participate in carbon credit markets. John Bode, President and CEO of Corn Refiners Association, commented:

“Responsible stewardship of the land is a tradition that has been handed down through generations of American farmers. This important bill creates a system to further incentivize that tradition, helping farmers and forest landowners deliver on their promise for their children and grandchildren. We thank Senators Stabenow, Braun, and their bipartisan cosponsors, who are working to tackle our climate challenges with measurable and actionable programs.”

Among the bipartisan list of cosponsors are Senators John Boozman (R-AR), and Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Susan Collins (R-ME), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Angus King (I-ME), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), Todd Young (R-IN), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tom Carper (D-DE), Ron Wyden (R-OR), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY).

Many farmers and foresters are interested in participating in voluntary carbon credit markets, but don’t know where to start or who to trust. This bill allows USDA to certify and post a list of third-party technical assistance providers that meet key criteria of competency and impartiality. By lowering this barrier to entry, it will be easier for landowners to be financially rewarded for the voluntary, sustainable steps they are taking through selling carbon credits.

This endorsement reflects CRA’s climate change policy principles, which guide the industry’s advocacy to ensure a more sustainable future for corn refining, agriculture, and consumers. CRA’s climate change policy principles include undertaking initiatives to reduce the overall carbon footprint of corn refining products and processes, an embrace of greenhouse gas reduction goals that are both achievable and science-based and recognizing agricultural feedstocks in industrial processes as a key element in advancing greenhouse gas reductions, among others.

CRA is committed to serving member companies as they strive for sustainability in all aspects of their operations, balancing economic viability, environmental impact, and societal benefits. That is why CRA serves as a leading voice in a broad range of industry and environmental coalitions focused on sustainability across the corn value chain.

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The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) is the national trade association representing the corn refining industry of the United States. CRA and its predecessors have served this important segment of American agribusiness since 1913. Corn refiners manufacture sweeteners, starch, advanced bioproducts, corn oil and feed products from corn components such as starch, oil, protein and fiber.