Oklahoma electric utility paying farmers to sequester carbon

Farmers will be paid $3.50 per metric ton of carbon sequestered. Actually the article doesn’t say “farmers,” it says “landowners,” but possibly in this area they are generally equivalent. “The carbon offsets to be purchased through this program will be the result of changes in farming and ranching practices instituted by local landowners as part of a Section 319 Clean Water Initiative…” I infer that they’re being paid for something they were going to do anyway. I have no ideas how much $3.50/ton is in terms of acres or labor hours.

Apparently the farmers are being paid to change their practices. Had they already been farming sustainably, would they still be eligible to be paid?

Source:

Southwest Farm Press

WFEC to sponsor State’s First Carbon Sequestration Pilot Program, Sep 3, 2008 2:08 PM

Tags: carbon sequestration, Oklahoma