Oct. 12, 2006: Minnesota Farmers Invited to "Exchange Carbon"

Farmers in Minnesota and 13 other states are now eligible to trade "carbon credits" on the Chicago Climate Exchange. The program is designed to promote land stewardship, clean the air and boost farm profits.

Minnesota News Connection
Oct. 12, 2006

Minnesota Farmers Invited to "Exchange Carbon"

St. Paul, MN - Minnesota farmers may have a new bumper crop - carbon credits. They now have access to the Chicago Climate Exchange, through an agreement between the Exchange and the National Farmers Union. The Union's Minnesota president, Doug Peterson, says it's a market designed to protect the environment through good land use practices.

"It's a non-government program, without taxpayer dollars, that for selected practices that are approved, can be a little added boost for stewardship in this effort to reduce carbon or global warming. "

He says large companies buy the credits on the Exchange to offset their own carbon emissions, and stay within pollution limits. And, producers earn income based on their enrolled acres. Carbon dioxide has been identified as a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, which leads to increased temperatures.

Peterson says the carbon exchange program is a good deal for Minnesota farmers, consumers, the economy and the environment.

"For farmers that are doing no-till and grassland already, there's some potential to earn up to $4 an acre for the practices that they are currently doing. But, the bigger picture for consumers and people that care about land stewardship is that there is a non-government program that is trying to capture carbon, to reduce global warming, that's being practiced by agricultural states."

Peterson says the application deadline to trade in "carbon credits" for next year is November third. He says farmers can sign up online at www.nfu.org.