March 2024 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 33 Central City, Nebraska (308) 946-3068 Lexington, Nebraska (308) 324-7409 Brush, Colorado (970) 842-5165 BillsVolume.com When timing is everything, Breakdowns are costly and Customer service is priceless. Commercial Beef & Dairy Sales & Service • New & Used Equipment SALES & SERVICE TO THE INDUSTRY FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS! BVS 7.25x4.875 4c-NE Cattleman.indd 1 1/30/24 9:35 AM practices that reduce carbon emissions, thus creating carbon credits that benefit the company and offset their carbon emissions. A relatively new and judiciously used practice, Bracht offered caution when looking into carbon contracts. Bracht shared that during the term of the ag carbon contract, the farmer or rancher is required to adopt practices to increase carbon sequestered in soil. Later, during the storage period, they must avoid actions that will cause CO2 release. Examples of such practices include: • Adopt minimum or no-till farming • Avoid soil disturbance • Plant cover crops • Adopt regenerative ag practices • Reseed native grasses • Restore marginal cropland to grassland • Reduce stocking rates • Increase pasture rest and recovery periods • Adopt rotational grazing or other systems that increase rest periods for rangeland between grazing • Limit controlled burns or other practices that result in release of CO2 Different ag carbon contracts calculate payment differently, as well. In some contracts, the farmer or rancher is paid for simply completing the practice required by the contract, with the carbon credits produced based on an assumed rate for the practice. Other contracts require measurement of soil carbon David Bracht Ag Carbon Credit Terminology CARBON CREDIT is the measurement unit representing the removal or avoided emissions of one metric ton (1,000 kilograms) of CO 2 from the atmosphere. Practices that result in biogenic carbon being removed from the atmosphere and stored in plants or the soil can earn carbon credits. REGULATED CARBON MARKETS are established or mandated by a government regulation, sometimes referred to as a cap-and-trade system. VOLUNTARY CARBON MARKETS or programs meet corporate greenhouse gas commitments by paying a thirdparty to reduce emissions. ADDITIONALITY means that the adopted practice in the carbon contract is new and has not previously been adopted. An example might be a farmer using minimum till or growing cover crops if not used in the past on that particular field. PERMANENCE means that carbon is stored permanently, with some government programs requiring carbon sequestration for as long as 100 years. CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
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