Carbon credit programs are gaining tractions among farmers and ranchers to help improve soil health while bringing in an additional stream of revenue for their operation. Agoro Carbon Regional Sales Manager Jerry Stephens says, “I think there’s a little mystery around carbon credits. There are really two types of credits on the market. One is the greenhouse gas avoidance credit which just means a year-to-year payment for emitting less carbon into the air; so, less tillage, cover crops can capture some of that. And the other program that Agoro is really involved in is carbon sequestration where a plant takes CO2 out of the air and turns it into plant material, which in turn, turns into plant residue in the ground. If you can increase the organic matter in your soil over time, then you’re capturing carbon.” Stephen says these carbon programs are meant to help more than just your bottom line. “Something that folks need to understand is that the real benefit of these carbon programs, isn’t necessarily going to be a cash-cow payment, although there could be a significant amount of money involved. Most of this is about improving long-term soil health or the forage base in your pastures and investing in your ground.”
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