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No-till farmer wants to see a level playing field in the carbon market
A northeast Illinois farmer believes carbon markets are a good thing and are headed in the right direction, but hopes they recognize farmers who implemented regenerative practices years ago.
Corey Johnson tells Brownfield their Will County farm has been 100% no-till since the late 80’s and this is their 7th year planting cover crops on the majority of their acres- and they’ve never done it for a carbon market payment.
“We’re not looking for credit for doing it the past however many years, but to allow farmers who have been doing it to jump right into the program instead of penalizing them for not having a new practice change.”
He says farmers who already have those practices in place should have the same opportunities in the carbon market as those just starting out.
“It’s not like our fields that have been in no-till, or reduced tillage, or running cover crops haven’t been sequestering carbon for the past 15 or 20 years. If you are already doing it, or if you plan on starting to do it, in my mind those people should be on a level playing field.”
Based on the educational webinars he’s attended, Johnson says it seems like companies with carbon market program do want to work with farmers like him, but just haven’t determined a solution to the “additionality” aspect.
Tags: ag issues, carbon, Carbon Markets, cover crops, Illinois, no-till
We have experienced the same issue. we have been 100% no till since 1999. We have cover cropped since 2008. Every time we check about carbo credits, the comment is they only want to work with new applications. Therefore a I agree with Corey Johnson that there is not a level playing field. I am also concerned about the credibility of some of the carbon capture programs. There needs to be a reliable clearing house to put the farmer and the carbon credit purchaser together.