As supermarkets and brands look to reduce their carbon footprints across their supply chains, carbon certification schemes are becoming increasingly important. Regenerative farmer Thomas Gent found Agreena’s carbon program so easy to use that he has become the UK manager, sharing his experiences of using carbon certification tools with other farmers.
Thomas is a speaker at the event �?Agri-Tech and ELMs – the Innovation Enablers’ on 22nd March 2022.
Carbon certificates provide evidence of best practice
He explains that the carbon certificates, accredited to the internationally recognised ISO14064 GHG standard, can be generated by adopting best practice on the farm, such as reducing tillage, using cover crops and reducing artificial fertilisers – particularly nitrogen.
“I chose Agreena for its simplicity – it is essentially an online carbon calculator. Most of the information required, farmers just know off the top of their head – field, definition, all the soil types, for example – and then you enter your strategy for the next year’s cover crops, that sort of thing.”
“From the data you input, the program does an impact assessment, calculating the carbon impact of those practices. There is an external verification process – and the resulting carbon credits certificates are an asset given directly to the farmer.”
Although currently Agreena uses farm practices as a proxy to measure carbon capture, Thomas is also soil sampling to measure carbon directly. He is investigating soil probes and other technologies that offer this, but has found the measurements too variable so far.
Thomas is joining other farmers at �?Agri-Tech and ELMs – the Innovation Enablers’ on Tuesday 22nd March at 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at Rothamsted Research.
At this in-person event farmers and advisors involved in these early trials will be sharing their experiences – warts and all – and innovators with potential solutions will be giving quick-fire presentations. Measuring, monitoring and getting paid are all challenges to be discussed at this interactive event.
