June 28, 1999

A dozen agricultural organizations and agribusinesses have signed letters delivered to the Senate in support of bills that promote research into agriculture's role in the carbon cycle, including greenhouse gas emissions. The groups say U.S. agriculture is the solution not the problem to greenhouse gas emissions. The seek Senate approval of two bills, one dealing with the carbon cycle and best agricultural practices and the other with energy and climate policy.

The groups say recent scientific reports have shown the United States is a "net carbon sink" with crop and forestry production and other U.S. agricultural conservation activities largely responsible for that benefit. Yet, the United Nations Global Climate Change Protocol does not credit agriculture for these contributions.

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) introduced a bill on the carbon cycle and voluntary best practices, such as conservation tillage and buffer strips. The bill seeks to give farmers and policymakers a better understanding between the cycle and the practices.

Sens. Frank Murkowski (R-AK), Rod Grams (R-MN), Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Larry Craig (R-ID) co-sponsored a bill that calls for USDA to conduct basic research on how carbon is stored in the soil the impact of agricultural practices on carbon and whether agriculture may be a tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Murkowski, Hagel and Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) introduced a bill that focuses on a long-term domestic commitment to research and development and calls for $2 billion in new research and development of public-private partnerships.