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Nutrien carbon credit program growing

One of the largest fertilizer retailers in the world is in the early stages of developing a program that monetizes carbon credits for farmers.

Mark Thompson with Canadian-based Nutrien says they launched in North America last year with a target of 100,000 acres.

“So we’re working with growers in the U.S. and Canada designing farm-specific carbon pilots, with really the goal of increasing practices, products, and services that can enhance soil carbon sequestration. But also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

He tells Brownfield Nutrien has eclipsed 100,000 acres for 2021 and plans to robustly measure carbon reduction performance.

“In the soil carbon sequestration category, we’re targeting practices of course like no-till and cover cropping. And in the emissions reduction category we’re really looking at things around nitrogen management (like) nitrogen inhibitors (and) enhanced efficiency fertilizers like our ESN product.”

Thompson says farmers could receive $10 to $20 per-acre for the carbon credit alone.

Nutrien is the world’s largest producer of potash and third largest producer of nitrogen fertilizer.