JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri corn farmers looking to explore and better understand carbon and ecosystem credit markets now have an opportunity through a new pilot launching in 2021. A partnership with the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, MFA, Inc., and Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC), offers corn farmers in Missouri a low-risk opportunity to pilot an emerging voluntary agricultural carbon and water quality market. The ESMC ecosystem pilot project will quantify and certify carbon and water quality credits on enrolled piloted acres resulting from adopting eligible conservation practices. Once credits are certified, ESMC will make those credits available for purchase to interested buyers.
Missouri is one of more than 10 pilots ESMC is launching this year to test and further refine voluntary market program aspects before a full launch in 2022. The pilot project provides MCMC, corn farmers, and other partners a chance to better understand the emerging voluntary agriculture carbon market space and how improved soil health and nutrient management practices can translate into direct economic benefits and ultimately money in corn farmers’ banks. The pilot will also test ESMC’s processes for credit generation and sales to ensure other program aspects are operational and meet grower (supplier) and buyer needs. This partnership will go a long way in answering questions and helping farmers tap into the full economic benefits of stored carbon. For more information about the Missouri pilot, or ESMC, visit https://mocorn.org/.
— Missouri Corn
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