WASHINGTON, D.C. — Illinois Rep. Eric Sorenson (D-17th) joined New York Rep. Mike Lawler (R-17th) to introduce the Advancing Research on Agricultural Climate Impacts (ARACI) Act, which would, among other objectives, establish standards and technology for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to measure soil carbon in a cost-efficient and scalable way. The bill’s creators say that by giving the USDA tools to accurately track farmers’ efforts to retain carbon in soils, it will be less difficult to reward farmers for improving soil health and reducing greenhouse gasses. In essence, the legislation will assist USDA and policymakers to better incentivize environmentally friendly farming practices in the emerging carbon sequestration market.  

“I’m proud to introduce this bill with my colleague, Congressman Mike Lawler, that ensures farmers are rewarded for good practices that improve soil health,” said Sorensen. “Farmers and ranchers like those in Central and Northwestern Illinois have always been at the forefront of understanding our environment and the changing weather. Investing in soil carbon tools and techniques helps ensure that we can make our lands sustainable for future generations of producers.”

The University of Illinois will be charged with developing some of the resources and tools that will be made available to USDA scientists and agronomists to measure soil carbon sequestration, according to German Bollero, dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the U of I. 

“With federal support and in consultation with stakeholders, the University of Illinois is ready to contribute scientific resources for developing the necessary tools to measure, monitor, report and verify soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions so that farmers can be appropriately rewarded for carbon capture,” Bollero said. 

“Consistent with this proposal, our experience shows the power and potential for advanced data analytics to contribute to understanding the relationships between land management practices and greenhouse gas emissions and soil carbon sequestration. We look forward to partnering with all interested parties in developing predictive models to enable practices that expand the potential for our agricultural sector to be profitable, sustainable, and inclusive, while playing a positive role in a comprehensive climate strategy,” he added.

Reaction from environmental groups regarding the bill’s introduction was swift and supportive.

“By directing critical investments into soil carbon sequestration, the ARACI Act can help transform agriculture’s relationship to climate change. This legislation makes soil carbon sequestration more accountable to environmental benefits by investing in innovation to better measurement tools, regionally-relevant insights, and on-the-ground support for American farmers who wish to shift to climate-friendly practices on their land,” said Cristel Zoebisch, Deputy Director of Policy for Carbon180, a nonprofit environmental organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. 

Sorenson and Lawler’s bill is companion legislation to Senate Bill 2241 of the same name, introduced on July 11. The bill states that not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall develop a standardized methodology to directly measure soil carbon for research and conservation purposes. To develop the methodology, the Secretary must consult with agricultural producers, including socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers (as defined in section 355e of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act), soil carbon experts, nonprofit organizations, academic researchers and other stakeholders who reflect the operational, geographic, and socioeconomic diversity of United States agricultural operations.

The bill authorizes around $20 million per year for the development and implementation of new soil carbon measurement tools, as well as a carbon data center administered by the Secretary, under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant program. 

Nik Jakobs, Executive Advisor at nZero and Partner at Jakobs Bros. Farms in Sterling, Illinois, said the legislation will help more farmers to reap tangible rewards for their soil conservation efforts. “Illinois grain farmers are global leaders in producing low carbon commodities. We utilize highly productive soil, implement advanced farming techniques and practices, and operate highly efficient equipment and technologies. This bill will enhance the ability to measure and verify this massive competitive advantage and unlock new revenue opportunities for the impressive stewardship Illinois farmers continuously provide,” said Jakobs, in a news release issued by Sorenson.