Could Carbon Sequestration Be The Answer You Are Looking For?

What if you could increase the income of your farm by implementing practices that would improve the quality and productivity of your soil? Carbon sequestration could be the answer. This process is still in the developing stages but could eventually be a substantial source of income for many landowners.

What is carbon sequestration? Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by allowing plants to use the carbon dioxide then recycling the plant residue back into the soil as organic matter. Much of the carbon escapes from the soil each time it is cultivated. Carbon can be stored by using conservation or no-till systems, planting trees, and converting marginal farmland to perennial vegetation.

Why? Naturally the earth’s atmosphere contains greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide. These gases can trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere much the same way that glass in a greenhouse does. Burning fossil fuels and other activities that increase the release of these gasses may also increase the build up of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.

Who may pay for storing carbon? Domestic or International legislation could provide for government payments, tax credits, or laws that would provide incentives to producers of carbon emissions to buy carbon credits to offset their own emissions.

Although no legislation has been passed to proceed with carbon sequestration, research universities, USDA Agriculture Research Service and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service are investigating methods to store, measure, and market stored carbon. For further information and assistance, contact your local NRCS Field Service Center.

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