Carbon farming offers a cost-effective way to draw down carbon from the atmosphere. No new technology is needed, no moon-shot innovation, just regenerative agricultural practices. Carbon farming is also key to reducing soil loss. As the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) noted recently, generating three centimeters of topsoil takes 1,000 years with natural processes. If current rates of degradation continue, all of the world's topsoil could be gone within 60 years. This set of challenges and opportunities was discussed at the recent Carbon Farming Founder’s meeting in Half Moon Bay, California, organized by Green America. The group of diverse stakeholders explored the most promising approaches and planned ways to drive these carbon-farming practices into mainstream agriculture.

Carbon farming includes a variety of carbon sequestering agricultural practices applicable to conventional and organic producers, such as managed grazing, conservation tillage, crop rotations, cover cropping, manure management, and tree intercropping. Growing interest in this emerging activity could not come at a better time. 

According to NASA, historic atmospheric CO2 levels have never exceeded 280 ppm in the last 400,000 years. Today, however, the level has reached 410 ppm and is growing at 2 ppm per year based on measures in Mauna Loa, Hawaii. According to the FAO, carbon sequestration can offset more than 10% of anthropogenic emissions in 25 years. Others see even greater potential. France launched its “4 per 1,000” initiative at the Paris Climate Summit last year. A “0.4%” annual growth rate of the soil carbon stock would make it possible to stop the increase in atmospheric CO2. While this sequestration rate is not a target for every country, it is intended to show that even small increases in carbon in grasslands, pastures, and forest soils can mitigate climate change.

In addition to the Carbon Farming Founder’s meeting in June, broader efforts to bring carbon sequestration and healthy soils to the mainstream are underway. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has long been advocating for healthy soil practices at the farm level and offers extensive resources, such as this video and publications that are a great starting point to learn more. Leading brands and NGOs are engaging as well. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and General Mills developed the Soil Health Roadmap, which makes the business case for investing in sustainable soil health practices to achieve conservation outcomes and economic benefits for U.S. farmers and businesses. According to TNC, “Healthy soils are the cornerstone of life on Earth, yet they are increasingly rare with less than 10 percent of U.S. soils managed optimally today.” I recently talked with Organic Valley farmer Brent Beidler about his 10-year journey to double the soil organic matter on his farm, a feat he achieved though improved pasture management. 

 It is an exciting time to be involved in agriculture. As the science evolves and practices change, agriculture is increasingly seen as a promising partner in global efforts to fight climate change.