New climate change laws affect row crop farmers

» November 26, 2007 «

Symposium addresses potential and challenges for participation in carbon markets

Change could be in the air for California row-crop farmers. An upcoming symposium will help farmers learn about opportunities and barriers to new efforts to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

The symposium, titled "Row-Crop Farming and Climate Change: What the Future Holds," will be held Thursday, Dec. 13, at the Satellite Student Union, California State University, 2485 San Ramon, Fresno 93740. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. The event is co-sponsored by the California Agricultural Technology Institute, California Cotton Ginners and Growers Associations, California Farm Bureau Federation, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Sustainable Conservation.

One goal of the symposium is to educate row-crop farmers about Assembly Bill 32, a new California law that will cap greenhouse-gas emissions from stationary sources, possibly including some farms and food-processing facilities.

"It's important for farmers to understand the implications of the new law and become familiar with the opportunities to earn credit for the work they do to improve air quality," California Farm Bureau President Doug Mosebar said.

The symposium will include discussions on AB 32 implementation and impacts as well as selling carbon credits and new technologies in this innovative field. Speakers will include growers with experience in the carbon-trading market, plus representatives of government agencies and farm organizations.

Lunch will be provided at the meeting, and the sponsors ask people interested in attending to RSVP with Ariana Fernandez of California Farm Bureau Federation at (916) 446-4647 or afernandez@cfbf.com.

The California Farm Bureau Federation, the state's largest farm organization, works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of 53 county Farm Bureaus whose members include farm families and those who support the farming way of life.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item.