How To Lower Your Farm's Carbon Intensity Score

This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

We’ve been reporting lately on the growing importance of calculating the carbon intensity of the crops we grow. But measuring this CI score is only the first step. The next logical question is: how do we lower it? Continuum Ag’s Mitchell Hora says it really is all about the soil health principles like keeping living roots in the soil, reducing disturbance, embracing biodiversity and keeping the soil covered.

Hora… “ And that's what got me into this. I'm still a firm believer in the soil health principles. I've seen them make my family farm more profitable, more resilient, and I want more farmers to come to that realization. But now we're just seeing a better carrot than ever before. I mean I mentioned we've scored for free over 350 million bushels. The average CI score on that is 11.5, which is a significant decrease from the default CI score of 29.1. The delta between 29.1 and the average of 11.5 creates a tax credit for the biofuel producer worth a dollar and 2 cents per bushel. A portion of that would be shared with the farmer.”

Hora anticipates these shared incentives to become available with the implementation of the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Tax Credit.