ESMC, Sorghum Checkoff, Launch Project to Create Ecosystem Services Credits

Ecosystem Services Market Consortium and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program Tuesday announced the launch of a carbon pilot project in Western Kansas for sorghum farmers. 

The program seeks to generate high-quality carbon, greenhouse gas, water quality and biodiversity credits in ESMC’s market program. 

The project will test ESMC’s streamlined programming to create environmental credits from sorghum farmers’ fields. 

Many of the farmers are new to private voluntary ecosystem markets linked to conservation practice adoption, so the project will also develop knowledge, capacity and repeatability to continue expanding support for sorghum growers in the region. 

The research project covers about 5,000 acres in Western Kansas and is working with sorghum farmers interested in implementing conservation practices such as nutrient management and edge of field practices. 

Sorghum farmers can earn credits from increased soil carbon, reduced or avoided greenhouse gases, improved water quality, and preserved habitat at field edges that increase plant, bird and insect biodiversity and populations.

(Story Courtesy of the NAFB News Service)