California’s cap-and-trade program commences in January 2012, creating potential new opportunities for agriculture to participate in the carbon market.
A non-profit organization called the Climate Action Reserve, as well as others, are working to develop protocols that will describe farming practices eligible for selling carbon offset credits in the carbon market. Farmers participating in this program may be able to earn money for adopting new practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or sequester carbon.
At CalCAN, we have many questions and concerns
about the implications of the carbon market for organic, sustainable and small to mid-size growers. We produced a Policy Brief on this subject, available to download here:
A Sustainable Agriculture Perspective on the Carbon Market
January 2012
We have also submitted comment to the Climate Action Reserve on the first version of a protocol related to California rice cultivation:
CalCAN Comments on Rice Cultivation Project Protocol, version 1.0
Nov. 11, 2011
