CARBON CREDITS: Breaking Down the Hype Carbon credits have become the subject of many agricultural publication advertisements over the past year and have caused many farmers to research the options of selling carbon credits or carbon offsets on farmland. While these options can generate alternative income, what does it take to do that? It depends! It helps to break down what the current lay of the land looks like in the carbon space to fully understand what this could be like in practice.
Farmers in the Carbon Market For a farmer to generate a certificate that allows a purchaser to release one metric ton of greenhouse gas, the farmer must prove they sequestered that same metric ton on their farm. Examples of how to implement this could include: • • •
Reducing passes across fields and reducing CO2 emissions from equipment Doing variable rate application of nitrogen fertilizer or using stabilizers with crop nutrition applications to reduce volatility and nitrous oxide emissions Planting a cover crop or moving to complete no-till to increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil rather than releasing into the atmosphere during tillage
Livestock producers can reduce greenhouse gas emissions through grazing strategies: • • •
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Implement rotational grazing to keep a healthy stand of grass actively growing Lightly fertilize grass to produce more vegetation Overseed another species of grass to create more vegetation, thus pulling extra CO2 out of the atmosphere and into the undisturbed soil For more information, visit www.carboncredits.com or https://www.essoar.org/doi/10.1002/essoar.10507653.2
