PelletNews Obama signs Farm Bill, launches new initiative
Total forest ecosystem carbon density imputed from forest inventory plots, conterminous U.S., 2000-2009. SOURCE: WILSON ET AL., CARBON BALANCE AND MANAGEMENT 2013
RFF event addresses carbon accounting, forest management Resources for the Future recently hosted a seminar focused on carbon accounting and forest management. The event, titled “Considering the Contributions of Forests in the Management of Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” was cosponsored by the Society of American Foresters. Roger Sedjo, senior fellow and director of the Forest Economics and Policy Program at RFF moderated the discussion, noting forests can play an important role in moderating greenhouse gas emissions.
When it comes to monitoring net biogenic emissions from bioenergy facilities, he said there are two major options. The first focuses on individual facilities. The second involves monitoring the overall stock of wood in the forest. “A huge advantage of the second approach is its low cost compared with detailed monitoring of individual facilities,” Sedjo said, noting the U.S. Forest Service already collects much of the data that is needed.
President Obama signed the 2014 Farm Bill into law during a Feb. 7 ceremony at Michigan State University. During his speech, Obama also announced the launch the new Made in Rural America export and investment initiative. “Despite its name, the Farm Bill is not just about helping farmers,” Obama said during his speech at MSU. “Secretary Vilsack calls it a jobs bill; an innovation bill; an infrastructure bill; a research bill; a conservation bill—it’s like a Swiss army knife,” he continued, noting the legislation helps create jobs and provides an economic lift for rural communities. The Made in Rural America initiative is expected to further benefit the U.S. agriculture community and related businesses. The program is charged with bringing together federal resources to help rural businesses and leaders take advantage of new investment opportunities and access new customers and markets abroad.
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