Grassland Carbon Credits

[Overby]

Is there any companies working out / offering Carbon Credits for grassland yet?

It must be feasible by using cut grass as the 'harvested crop'. (Heard nothing re working out for grazing land)

 

[CornishTone]

Is there any companies working out / offering Carbon Credits for grassland yet?

It must be feasible by using cut grass as the 'harvested crop'. (Heard nothing re working out for grazing land)

None as yet that I’m aware of. There’s a lot of interest around it but most can’t get their heads round the ruminant methane conundrum so are unlikely to touch it until GWP* becomes more widely recognised.

Even though grassland has a much higher sequestration potential, it’s a lot more complex and political than an arable offering, and most of those are pretty dubious in terms of the science around them.

Ultimately, these people want easy money and adding livestock into the equation makes things more complicated.

 

[Overby]

My thoughts were more along grassland that isn't grazed but cut for silage / hay. No livestock element and a tangible 'harvest'.

GWP being updated so often, and being as clear as a dark night to the layman, certainly doesn't help !

 

[CornishTone]

My thoughts were more along grassland that isn't grazed but cut for silage / hay. No livestock element and a tangible 'harvest'.

GWP being updated so often, and being as clear as a dark night to the layman, certainly doesn't help !

No livestock element to hay or silage?! Who’s eating it then? What and where’s its final destination? How’s it being harvested, transported and grown? What inputs are being used? Is it already carbon neutral allowing you to reliably sequester enough carbon to be able to sell? There’s a coach and horses standing by!

GWP100 is the current system in use but doesn’t treat methane as the short term gas it is or allow for ruminant methane being part of a cycle. GWP* is the latest science that accounts for the cyclical nature of ruminant methane dependant on changes to stocking rates. Already in use in NZ and hopefully will be adopted here.

 

[delilah]

Maintain the moral high ground, go to bed with a clear conscience. Don't do it.

 

[Overby]

No livestock element to hay or silage?! Who’s eating it then? What and where’s its final destination? How’s it being harvested, transported and grown? What inputs are being used? Is it already carbon neutral allowing you to reliably sequester enough carbon to be able to sell? There’s a coach and horses standing by!

GWP100 is the current system in use but doesn’t treat methane as the short term gas it is or allow for ruminant methane being part of a cycle. GWP* is the latest science that accounts for the cyclical nature of ruminant methane dependant on changes to stocking rates. Already in use in NZ and hopefully will be adopted here.

Plenty of silage grown round here for digesters, plenty hay to the horsey market too, without thinking of those who've used it for bedding this last year. A very muddy puddle.

 

[milkloss]

Even though grassland has a much higher sequestration potential, it’s a lot more complex and political than an arable offering, and most of those are pretty dubious in terms of the science around them.

I can't see this being much different to arable. Wheat straw gets burnt, grains brewed for car fuel and the leftovers fed to livestock.

 

[Loftyrules]

You need to understand how your "grassland" is sequestering carbon. Are you boosting soil organic matter, are you applying Nitrogen? All these things have an impact. You also need a benchmark and a place to start.
It is thought that permanent pasture has already sequestered as much carbon as it can and instead the payment should be made for maintaining this. Interesting to see the GWCT potential scheme for hedgerows and carbon sequestration

 

[7610 super q]

If I stick a " Grassmen " sticker on my tractor windscreen, can I claim carbon credits ?

 

[Yale]

If I stick a " Grassmen " sticker on my tractor windscreen, can I claim carbon credits ?

Carbon debits…….

 

[CornishTone]

Plenty of silage grown round here for digesters, plenty hay to the horsey market too, without thinking of those who've used it for bedding this last year. A very muddy puddle.

Yep, very muddy indeed! Hence, I suspect, the reluctance to put a “scheme” around it. The whole carbon market is like the Wild West at the moment… farmer beware!

 

[egbert]

Wouldn't it be a beautiful irony if the idea got legs.
Cows burping methane is the end of the world, but burning diesel/sprinkle nitram to cut grass and conserve it gets you brownie points.....as long as no-one sills the beans about where the fodder then goes.
Mums the word.