Grainswest Tech 2021

Tech 2021 grainswest.com 37 Although he believes “carbon farming” could be lucrative, Beck questions how sequestration will be quantified and verified. He’s heard certain soil types and crops sequester more carbon than others at varying rates. Could putting a price on carbon inflate or diminish land values? Could it impact crop selection and rotation? Who determines the price of carbon and verifies practices—private companies, the government or third parties? And, finally, who benefits on rented land, the farmer who has improved the soil or the landowner? “It’s going to be an ugly market,” he said. EMMISSIONS VERSUS SEQUESTRATION Joy Agnew, associate vice-president of applied research at the Olds College Centre for Innovation, posed similar questions in a presentation to the federal Deputy Minister’s Committee on Climate Change and Energy in which she outlined the opportunities and challenges of carbon economics. Agnew believes farmers have an important role to play in carbon sequestration. Experts estimate Canada’s 55 million hectares of farmland has the potential to sequester between four and 20 megatonnes (Mt) of carbon annually where alternative management practices are adopted. Researchers have found the carbon sequestration rate depends on geographic location, soil composition and nitrogen levels. And while some believe Canadian farmland has plenty of carbon holding capacity, others believe it may be near saturation. Western Canadian farmers adopted minimum tillage practices in the ’80s and ’90s and have since steadily increased soil organic carbon. Agnew said it’s possible the biggest gains have already been made. Farmers can also reduce emissions. Each year, agricultural production—including emissions from animal digestion processes, fertilizer use and machinery operations—emits an estimated 85 Mt of CO2. Experts believe alternative practices could lower emissions by 30 per cent. Add this to the approximately 17 Mt of new carbon captured by soil per year, and farmers can reduce the net carbon footprint of agriculture by as much as 24 Mt of carbon annually, or 26 per cent of Canada’s overall 2030 reduction goal. “Not bad for an industry that is responsible for approximately 10 per cent of Canada’s emissions,” said Agnew. Investment is being made in emissions reduction innovation. A portion of carbon tax revenue, for instance, is put toward the Climate Action Incentive Fund (CAIF) and used for rebates and retrofits that reduce carbon emissions. However, ACA’s Carey points out CAIF has not accepted applications since mid-2019. Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) helps the province deliver on its environmental and economic goals by investing in the pilot, demonstration and deployment of clean technologies that reduce greenhouse gases, lower costs and create jobs. In April, ERA announced $33 million in TIER funding to advance Alberta’s agricultural, agri-food and forestry sectors. Since January 2020, it has committed $616 million to 186 projects worth $4.5 billion. ERA’s Technology Roadmap, which identifies impediments to Alberta’s climate goals, guides the organization. Projects are reviewed and selected by a panel of industry experts. For example, in its latest round of funding, the Opti-Cart, a dual-purpose grain cart and seeder tender unit was awarded $638,000 to aid in prototype redesign. While Opti-Cart has the potential to lower emissions, farmers really need high-efficiency grain dryers. The Canadian Agricultural Partnership offers cost-share programs, including the Efficient Grain Dryer Program. However, it has been temporarily suspended and cannot accept applications until new funds are available. Helpful technological advances may be developed. In recent years, ERA has funded promising renewable energy projects. While they’re not designed for grain drying, the technology may be transferable. QUANTIFICATION AND VERIFICATION There’s no question Canadian farmers can lower emissions and sequester carbon. Many practices boost sequestration and “Even if I’ve only been down this path for two to three years, I’m ahead of the guy who’s beside me who’s not even thinking about it.” —Josh Beck