Sometimes all it takes is just a little push. A little extra incentive to get people to think about something new and different. You can go to your local Hy-Vee now and get a ten-dollar gift card for completing your Covid-19 vaccinations. It is the same in other realms too. On Tuesday, a new survey was released that financial incentives from carbon credit programs are changing the minds of farmers when it comes to conservation farming practices.
On Day one of the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, IL, Corteva Agriscience released the results of a survey they conducted in which farmers were starting to warm to the idea of changing to more soil health regenerative practices in their fields, now that there were some added incentives to take the leap. However, it is more than just getting a check from the carbon market. You also have to consider inputs and agronomy. Ben Gordon is with Pioneer and tells us more.
While these payouts are helping mitigate the risk that farmers are taking. Gordon adds that it isn?t about ?buying? a farmer’s interest, it is about reducing their risk on making these changes. It isn?t cheap to just change the way you have been doing things.
Gordon says that while the incentives are nice, farmers are reading the writing on the wall. They see that times are changing, and it is easier to get on board now. Being proactive and ahead of the game makes conversions easier.
Gordon says that farmers need to also know where to start. He says that while they would love to earn your business in the carbon incentives programs, they realize there are a lot of different fits for different producers. He talks about where Iowa farmers can find more information.
You can see the results of the Corteva survey here.
