What is Decode 6?
Carbon farming is a term used to describe carbon as a crop similar to other crops that farmers produce. Agricultural practices that increase carbon sequestration in the soil are being promoted so that a farm’s carbon sequestration can be turned into cash from the sale of a carbon credit, which represents one metric ton of CO2 equivalent that is either not emitted into the atmosphere or is removed from the atmosphere as the result of a carbon reduction practice. Carbon credits are a form of exchange that are used to offset CO2 emissions under “Cap and Trade” guidelines. Simply stated, entities responsible for emitting CO2 must reduce their emissions (cap) or pay others such as farmers who are removing CO2 from the air (trade).
The carbon market creates a potential new revenue source for farmers because entities [generally outside of agriculture] can buy carbon credits from farmers to offset their own emissions. This provides farmers an additional financial incentive to transition to conservation farming practices such as planting cover crops, converting to no-till or reduced tillage, and/or using more diversified crop rotations that will sequester more carbon in the soil. Thus, the conservation practices that are adopted to generate carbon credits can provide revenue to farmers that will be in addition to the financial gains that should eventually arise from increased crop yields, lowered production costs, and improved soil health that will result from the adoption of conservation farming practices.
According to a News Release on Feb. 22, 2023, Decode 6 is provided by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America to provide information to the agricultural sector about carbon and ecosystem services. It is a free and accessible online resource available to those interested in adopting carbon programs or creating policy or policies that are designed to help curb climate change. Click here for a one-page “explainer” about this resource.
According to its website, “Decode 6 drives innovation in the agricultural sector by bringing clarity to carbon and ecosystem service markets through transparent, unbiased, and free education for all”. The educational resources are provided in Articles, Podcasts, and Videos that can be accessed to learn about:
• Carbon, to include total soil carbon, soil organic carbon, carbon credits, soil carbon measurement, additionality in a carbon market, and carbon contracts;
• Water conservation and quality and how conservation farming practices affect both;
• Cover crops, including their benefits and drawbacks, their sequestration of soil carbon, their effect on soil water and water quality, and how they can counter nutrient loss from crop fields;
• A Classification system used to account for all greenhouse gas emissions.
Information on the Decode 6 website can supplement that in the “Carbon Credits, Carbon Farming, and Carbon Programs” White Paper on this website. Midsouth soybean producers are encouraged to access the information on the Decode 6 website so that they can be informed about how the adoption of conservation farming practices can benefit their sustainability and profitability in the long-term.
Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, May 2023, larryh91746@gmail.com