Companies are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint. More than; 80 percent of companies worldwide committed to reducing greenhouse gases through varying practices, including purchasing carbon credits.
Carbon may have the spotlight, but many farmers still have questions about this new revenue stream and hwat it means for their farms. This gudie will explore what a carbon program is, how these programs work, and most importantly, the questions to ask as you evaluate a carbon contract.
Companies are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint. More than; 80 percent of companies worldwide committed to reducing greenhouse gases through varying practices, including purchasing carbon credits.
To reduce its carbon footprint, a company will cut emissions internally. For example, a corporation like Amazon™ might cut transportation steps in its supply chain or adopt clean energy at a distribution center.
If that’s not enough, the company can “offset” its emissions (i.e., pay for the pollution it can’t reduce). One of the easiest ways to offset emissions is to buy carbon credits through a carbon program or market.
The demand for carbon credits is rising, and farmers who enroll in a carbon program will only see the upside in terms of market demand and carbon credit pricing.
Agricultural carbon programs give farmers the opportunity to make money for the carbon they sequester and/or the emissions they prevent by selling carbon credits to buyers who want to offset their carbon footprint.
Science shows that agriculture can reduce greenhouse gas (CO₂) emissions through soil health practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops or more efficient nitrogen management.
By introducing soil health practices, a farmer can:
For every 1 metric ton of carbon sequestration or emissions reductions, a farmer earns 1 carbon credit. Your carbon sequestration, or carbon yield, is measured by the practices you choose and data-driven models that predict soil carbon based on soil type and sampling, and weather data.
To be eligible for a carbon program, you have to introduce new soil health practices. Before you sign up, ask yourself three important questions:
Farmers are in the business of growing crops, not carbon. If you’re committed to improving soil health through new practices and reaping the long-term financial and agronomic benefits, then a carbon program will make sense for you. It is important to understand the following considerations before signing up for a carbon program.
Eligible practice(s) must be introduced within the prior crop season to satisfy “additionality” requirements.
You still have options.
To be eligible for a carbon program, you can:
Before you sign up for any carbon program, make sure to fully understand three important things.
All offers updated as of December 2021
Farmers aren’t afraid to ask tough questions. We’re here to answer them.
A carbon program can help farmers build better soil, reduce greenhouse gases -- and help them make more money along the way. How?
Currently, carbon programs only pay for carbon sequestered from new practice changes. That’s what buyers want and are willing to pay premium prices for. Any fields where these practices have already been implemented won’t be eligible.
If you’re considering soil health practices, now is the time to sign up for a carbon program so you don’t risk eligibility later.
Nothing — other than the time, effort, and science needed to generate and sell a carbon credit. To get paid for carbon credits, farmers must measure their carbon sequestration rates field by field, certify their credits with regulatory bodies, and then negotiate credit prices with individual companies.
Congress has demonstrated its support of private carbon markets (as shown by the Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2021), and farmer participation in private carbon programs should not affect eligibility for any government program (as is currently the case with government subsidies and cost-sharing programs like EQIP).
Carbon programs are marketed directly to the individual who is farming the land (i.e., choosing the practice(s)). The farmer — not the landowner — signs the contract and payments go to the contract holder. Depending on the program, you may or may not need signatory permission from the landowner to enroll.
Carbon programs rely on multiple factors to determine the amount of carbon in soil:
Most carbon programs rely on data-driven models to predict soil carbon outcomes across fields. These models simulate how crops grow — factoring in soil condition and type, plant growth and soil disturbance — to predict soil carbon. There are baseline scenarios for both historical practices and soil health practices. Because it’s not cost effective to sample soils across all enrolled fields, randomized soil samples are often used to validate the models.
Set a clear objective, start small and tap into your advisors for counsel — it’s the same advice for any new practice you introduce on your farm. For a quick overview of the benefits of these soil health practices beyond just a carbon payment, check out our Soil Health Resource Guide.
Any new practice comes with costs. The trick is to see the big picture. For example, costs saved from reducing tillage passes, reduced erosion, and increased organic matter can all help offset investments in new equipment. Likewise, extra revenue from a carbon program can alleviate some of the risks behind new practice changes.