July 2021 - 4

EDITOR'S LETTER
Carbon eyed as future 'crop'
An increasing awareness and concern about the environment, changes in
government policy, America's re-entry into the Paris Agreement and a robust
demand for carbon offsets all point toward an appetite for a different type of
agricultural crop - carbon.
" Carbon farming would allow for the
capture or sequestration of soil organic carbon,
making it possible for the sale of carbon
credits to corporations so they may offset their
greenhouse gas emissions, " said Joe Outlaw,
co-director of the Agriculture and Food Policy
Center at the Texas A&M College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences and economist with the Texas
A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
Even without considering the political
differences involved in the concept, many
questions on the efficacy of carbon farming and
its worth to the farmer are as yet unanswered.
Gary Pullano
Editor
Will there be incentives to attract a sufficient number of farmers for it to work?
How much trouble will it be to implement and monitor these carbon capture
methods? Will some farmers benefit more than others? Will farmers be credited
for the actions they have already taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Carbon farming involves implementing agricultural practices that improve the
rate at which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and converted to
plant material and soil organic matter. It works by applying agricultural methods
such as no-till or conservation tilling for minimal soil disturbance, mulching,
composting, rotating livestock and using cover crops as ways of sequestering
carbon in the soil.
" Carbon loss from the soil is mainly due to the removal of plant materials that
contain carbon, usually at harvest, " said Katie Lewis, a soil fertility scientist in the
Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences. " Changes in land management
can cause soil carbon increases or decreases, creating a new equilibrium. Carbon
farming can be considered successful when the net amount of soil carbon
captured or sequestered exceeds the amount lost. "
At least 32 on-farm conservation practices known to improve soil health
and sequester carbon have been identified. These practices also provide other
benefits in relation to water retention, hydrological function, biodiversity and
resilience.
" Recently, there have been discussions about creating a 'carbon bank' at the
USDA that would buy and sell carbon credits from farmers, " Outlaw said. " The
credits could then be sold to corporations needing to offset their emissions. "
This concept has received support from a number of farm, food, forestry and
environmental groups.
The jury is still out on whether carbon farming may be sustainable in the
long run.
" There are many technical and regulatory barriers to overcome, as well as
concerns by some environmentalists that even its widespread implementation
will not substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions or will provide only a
temporary solution, " Outlaw said.
He said there is also concern that carbon farming will primarily benefit certain
agricultural regions. Additionally, many farmers may not be able to afford the
cost of implementing environmentally beneficial measures without some sort of
financial assistance.
" At this time, there's really no way to know if carbon farming would be an
effective way to fight climate change, but there is no doubt there are many
ways to make changes in land management that would improve soil health and
benefit the environment, " Outlaw said.
Studies on soil organic carbon sequestration show the Corn Belt, with its good
soil, mild climate and reliable rainfall, is one of the best prospects for viable
carbon farming. Also, regions of the southern U.S. with long growing seasons
and sufficient rainfall, as well as those with substantial irrigation, make viable
opportunities for carbon farming.
" Carbon farming likely will be more of a challenge for farmers in hot, dry
areas of the country, " Outlaw said. " That's why there seems to be support for a
voluntary system that accommodates for climate differences while providing a
range of options farmers and ranchers can choose from to determine the best
program for their land. "
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Michigan vegetable industry supporter Calvin
Dyk dies
Michigan vegetable grower Calvin Lee Dyk, 80,
of Hudsonville, died May 25. Dyk retired from
full-time farming at the end of 2004. He had
been farming with his cousin, John Dyk, as part
of Dyk Bros. Inc. The farm's main crop over the
years was onions.
California produce shows low or now pesticide
residues
The 2019 California Pesticide Residue Monitoring
Program Report shows that 96% of fresh-produce
samples collected by Department of Pesticide
Regulation scientists in 2019 had either no
detectable pesticide residues, or amounts below
safety thresholds ( " tolerances " ) established by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Karcher to lead Ohio State Department of
Horticulture and Crop Science
Douglas Karcher, an alumnus of Ohio State
University College of Food, Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences, is returning
to the college as professor and chair in the
Department of Horticulture and Crop Science.
Bowery Farming unveils Farm X, an innovation
hub, breeding program
Bowery Farming, a large vertical farming
company, announced May 20 the opening of
Farm X, its newest state-of-the-art innovation
hub for plant science in Kearny, New Jersey,
adjacent to Bowery's original R&D Center of
Excellence and first commercial farm.
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July 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2021
