Despite volatility in the voluntary carbon market, carbon sequestration remains a financial opportunity for farmers, according to Clay Craighton, agronomist and regional sales manager for Agoro Carbon Alliance.
In an interview with Mid-West Farm Report, Craighton highlights a major new agreement as proof of the commodity’s viability. Agoro Carbon recently secured a flagship carbon credit agreement with tech giant Microsoft.
“They decided to purchase 2.6 million tons of carbon from us over the next 12 years,” he says. “So it’s a pretty exciting, pretty flagship opportunity.”
The agronomist was quick to differentiate soil carbon sequestration from carbon pipeline projects, which he described as fundamentally different. Agoro Carbon focuses on measurable, on-farm practices.
“The difference is mainly for us, in particular, we are doing carbon offsets. So we are measuring and modeling how much carbon you’re sequestering in your soil,” he explains. The company samples every contracted acre in years one, five, and 10, and producers are paid based on the measured increase in carbon.
Farmers interested in generating revenue from carbon credits must meet specific criteria, including having 400 acres or more. A combination of row crop and rangeland is acceptable. The land must demonstrate “additionality,” or being able to implement at least one new qualifying conservation practice, such as cover cropping or no-till, which serves as the baseline for new carbon accumulation.
Craighton urged producers to begin planning now, between the end of the year and the first quarter of 2026, to determine how a carbon program can fit into their operation.
Hahaha!! I love that farmers are going to receive guilt money from a bunch of liberal fools who believe the global warming/climate change fear mongering lies! Unfortunately, it will mostly go to factory farms instead of the hard-working family farms who need it desperately.