Rodale Field Day Focuses on Carbon Trading

Chris Torres
Staff Writer

KUTZTOWN, Pa. — Climate change is always a topic of discussion at the Rodale Institute. But now that the federal government is seriously considering climate change legislation, it’s taken on a whole new meaning.

At the “Cashin In On Soil Health” field day last Friday, which was attended by more than 100 people, Rodale’s CEO Tim LaSalle urged agriculture be more boisterous and involved in the overall discussion regarding climate change.

“We can be the largest single solution to climate change,” LaSalle said. “That is the message we need to educate people with and get into policy conversation.”

It has everything to do with how the land is managed. LaSalle claims that 40 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions could be mitigated if the planet’s 3.5 billion tillable acres were all managed “biologically” through a combination of organic practices, cover cropping and no-tillage.

“Not only can we do it, soils get better,” he said.

But measuring soil carbon is about looking deep into the soil and not just measuring what’s on the surface.

“If you just measure the top soils, you will not get a good reading of how much carbon you’re putting into that soil,” he said.

Farmers, he said, have a good opportunity to cash in on the carbon credit market.

Tom O’Donnell of the Global Emission Exchange gave an overview on the current state of carbon credit trading in the U.S.

“Right now, it’s mostly a buyer’s market,” O’Donnell said.

Prices on the Chicago Climate Exchange are hovering around 60 cents-per-ton, not an attractive number.

But he feels the market will turn to a sellers market once a “cap-and-trade” bill is passed and demand explodes. In Europe, prices are averaging over $20 per-ton.

Earlier this year, the exchange entered into an agreement with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau on an eight county pilot program where eligible producers can earn carbon credits based on certain practices they put it in on their farm.

Farmers can register their no-till acreage, grassland conversion acres or biodiesel purchases on a Website where they can earn carbon sequestration credits. Farmers must sign a minimum contract of three years for continous no-till. Agreements are renewable after that time.

Credits are typically bundled into larger units (100 tons per unit), with no-till acreage eligible to sell after one year, due to verification. Biodiesel credits are eligible for sale the same year.

Farmers can register for no-till credits only in the eight pilot counties. But biodiesel credits are available statewide.

Credits are verified by a third party, usually conservation districts.

As of last Friday, 10,000 acres were registered on the exchange along with 1,000 credits for biodiesel purchases.

A total of 15,000 tons worth of carbon credits were registered on the exchange, with an asking price of $5 per-ton.

The price, according to O’Donnell, came after discussions with farmers on a price they felt reflected the cost of converting acreage to no-till and costs associated with purchasing biodiesel.

Farmers interested in the program can access the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Website at www.pfb.com.

The field day also included an afternoon tour of the institute’s various farm plots.

Contact Chris Torres at ctorres.eph@lnpnews.com or (717) 721-4427.