The factors are converging to make this coming year a springboard for how agriculture is involved in carbon sequestration and climate policies. New carbon programs for farmers are being announced at a pretty fast clip. Just a few months ago, Farm Journal assembled a table to compare the leading carbon markets. To update that table for this magazine, I added three additional enrollment opportunities for farmers. And there’s at least one more to be introduced in 2021 that the company wasn’t ready to discuss at press time.
Will it be the carrot or the stick?
In December, I moderated a panel with ARA’s Richard Gupton, Wilbur-Ellis’ Scott Rawlins and Growmark’s Chuck Spencer at ARA’s virtual conference. Those leading policy experts shared their outlook for what was coming in 2021, and climate policies topped all three of their lists.
Grab the reins
This is opening an opportunity for you to be a trusted adviser to your farmer customers in navigating this new frontier. Data will be paramount with carbon. Whoever understands how to manage the very detailed data required will hold the keys to maximizing opportunities.
In partnership with Aimpoint Research, a study we conducted in mid-2020 found 41% of farmers were seeking help with data management. If you have not already, then there is no better time to invest in data management and data analysis services. And it will be equally important when new environmental mandates are put into place.
