Carbon is on everyone’s minds. Some farmers are looking to carbon trading to mitigate the loss of BPS. Many more see carbon audits becoming necessary to fulfilling supply chain obligations, assurance schemes, or accessing certain types of finance.
The Knowledge Hub will answer common questions around carbon audits and trading, such as the role of additionality and the difference between carbon brokers & carbon marketplaces. It will also chart the evolution of carbon audit technology to explain why calculators provide different answers and how these should be interpreted.
However, carbon is just one piece of the natural capital puzzle. Soil, biodiversity, and water quality all offer opportunities to increase farm incomes and business resilience.
Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is one opportunity that is increasingly discussed, though many express concerns about its impact on production. One way to benefit from biodiversity without taking areas out of production are biodiversity co-benefits.
Co-benefits are attached to carbon credits to evidence broader environmental benefits. Sustainability-focused buyers will pay a premium for these credits. A Shropshire farmer recently sold carbon with a biodiversity co-benefit for £100/credit on Trinity Natural Capital Markets, four times the market average.
Credits can also be associated with water quality co-benefits. Soon, air quality may be associated too. Farms selling their carbon without associating it with environmental co-benefits are probably missing out on significant income.
Outside of natural capital markets, many farmers are looking to increase farmgate prices by evidencing the provenance of their produce. This takes advantage of growing consumer demands for high animal welfare, localism, low carbon, and high biodiversity standards.
The potential of natural capital to improve farm incomes and resilience are large, however, the sector is rife with noise and confusion. Choosing the right technology to navigate these opportunities will essential.
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Programme
Sharing experiences to increase farm sustainability and profitability
There are many groups across the agricultural industry who are delivering great ideas and projects that make a difference to farm sustainability and profitability. Farmers are sharing their skills, experiences, and outlooks. But existing solutions for sharing regional actions at a global scale, and adapting global innovations at a local level, are not up to the task.
Hear from Michael Kavanagh, Shropshire farmer, co-founder of the Green Farm Collective, and Farmers Weekly Awards 2022 Farm Manager of the Year finalist. Find out how Trinity Global Farm Pioneers is supporting groups to integrate ideas on a single platform. Join online communities, connect, and communicate with other farmers and innovators. Discover how to access content that is relevant to your business, and where science and practice meets and progresses.
Time: 10.30 – 11.00am
Avoiding carbon tunnel vision
Agfunder recently profiled 75 new companies on its ‘Ag Carbon Map’. Google returns more than 600,000 results for ‘carbon farming’. However, the greatest results are being reaped by farms moving beyond the carbon-centric mindset to take a holistic view of natural capital. This talk will discuss how to create an asset register of your farm’s natural capital potential – and how you can leverage that potential to create multiple income streams.
Time: 11.50 – 12.20pm
Carbon + Biodiversity: The route to higher incomes
Not all carbon credits are created equal. Michael Kavanagh, of the Green Farm Collective, recently traded a high quality carbon + biodiversity co-benefit for £100/tonne on Trinity Natural Capital Markets; almost 5x the price being paid by some popular carbon trading brokers. This talk will explore the role of scientific credibility, environmental co-benefits, and trading platforms in extracting maximum value from carbon trading.
Time: 13.20 – 13.50pm
