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Bayer’s carbon incentive program taking off

Bayer Crop Science is running a carbon incentive pilot program for corn and soybean growers in nine states including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio. 

The Bayer Carbon Initiative pilot kicked off this summer – whereby farmers engage in new conservation practices on their farms – such as cover crops and they are paid $10 an acre by Bayer for doing so.

Central Illinois farmer Jason Lay, who is participating in the pilot, says he’s looking forward to the research and he’s “Extremely excited about the opportunity to uncover an additional revenue stream. And, also, just uncover the multitude of benefits that it not only presents me as a farmer but also all of society.”

Bayer’s U.S. Carbon Initiative pilot program Chad Bilby says farmers have to use their Climate Field View system to capture the data which easily tracks their field practices.

“The reason we started with a very straightforward $10 an acre to make it simple for the farmer so they really understood, right up front, what the benefit was in this particular pilot given that it’s new, given that it will evolve. And, we’re still learning as well in this.”

Bayer has been approved by the Gold Standard for the first part of it’s certification for a voluntary carbon market.

There are about 600 growers in the U.S. and 600 in Brazil involved in the pilot programs. There is a waiting list of growers who want to be involved in the U.S. but Bayer says there will be more opportunities to sign up.