How is the Department of Agriculture involved?
As a general policy, USDA believes that market-based environmental stewardship can encourage competition, spur innovation, and achieve environmental benefits at low cost, while helping USDA customers comply with environmental regulations. In August 2005, former USDA Secretary Johanns issued a Memorandum on USDA Roles in Market-Based Environmental Stewardship (PDF, 105 KB), aimed at broadening the use of voluntary, private-sector markets for ecosystem goods and services. The memo establishes an Undersecretary-level council to facilitate department activities and ensure a sound market-based approach to ecosystem services. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill) took a first step towards facilitating landowner participation in emerging markets for ecosystem services. The conservation title directs the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with other agencies and interests, to establish standards by which to measure the ecosystem services provided by conservation
