(Credit: Pixabay)A group of farmers in three US states have completed the initial benchmarking phase of Rabo Carbon Bank’s first carbon sequestration and soil health pilot program in North America. Participating farmers will receive compensation for implementing regenerative agricultural practices that enrich their fields’ soils while capturing carbon from the air. Rabo AgriFinance, a Rabobank subsidiary that serves US farmers and ranchers, is facilitating the pilot program as part of the global Rabo Carbon Bank initiative.
Rabo AgriFinance and Continuum Ag – an agronomic advice and carbon sequestration measurement company – work with every individual farm business participating in the Rabo Carbon Bank pilot. Together, they identify the tailored practices that will lead to better soil health and carbon sequestration for each operation.
Based on Continuum Ag’s agronomic recommendations, each farm commits to implement a combination of regenerative agricultural practices to increase the carbon content of their soils. Practices may include:
Participants will continue to receive compensation based on the amount of carbon sequestered, measured and monitored over time using Continuum Ag’s soil carbon testing and analysis technology.
The initial stage of this Rabo Carbon Bank pilot is focused on learning which practices reap the best soil health and carbon capture results in a variety of conditions and crops. Pilot participants grow a multitude of crops in a number of regions.
Launched in early 2021 by the global Rabobank Group, the Rabo Carbon Bank aims to transform vital sustainability efforts throughout the food supply chain into commercially viable projects.
