Climate change has been a hot topic on the national and global stage in recent years. With the changing climate, many farmers have seen an increase in precipitation and severe weather events which can impact their operations. The concern about a changing climate has prompted actions such as the formation of the United States Climate Alliance and proposed legislation in Congress to plant a trillion trees by 2050, to name a couple. Proposed policies have impacts across numerous industries from agriculture to energy to transportation.
In addition, agriculture has been recognized as having the potential to sequester a significant amount of carbon. As a result, initiatives have been started such as the Terraton Initiative from Indigo Ag that incentivizes the use of regenerative agriculture practices to sequester carbon. Or the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium, whose mission is to advance ecosystem service markets that incentivize farmers and ranchers to improve soil health systems that benefit society. To make these programs successful, researchers need to understand how much carbon is sequestered when farmers implement different practices in order to accurately determine payments for sequestered carbon.
Contact: Tess Van Gorder | 517-323-6711
How do we ensure farmers remain at the table for any climate change or sustainability discussion happening at the federal or state level?
What meaningful and constructive policies and programs are needed to guarantee farmers get the credit they deserve for work already completed through conservation practices and to avoid unnecessary regulation?
How should programs that pay farmers for sequestering carbon or other ecosystem services (such as water quality improvements) be designed to ensure both early adopters of conservation practices and farmers adopting new practices can participate?
MFB Policy #72 Climate Change
AFBF Policy #503 Climate Change
Farmers for a Sustainable Future
Ecosystem Services Market Consortium
Terraton Initiative by Indigo Ag