County Agent News

Dan Folske

December 7, 2009

Carbon Regulation and Sequestration

Some Burke county producers have found extra income by selling sequestered carbon credits. Regulations relating to carbon emissions from various industries have resulted in a carbon credit market where industry can buy sequestered carbon credits to offset the carbon they release into the atmosphere.  The value of these carbon markets varies up and down with demand and there is a great deal of debate about the intrinsic value or lack there of. There is also the question of the real environmental value of regulations which limit carbon releases but allow industry to exceed those limits if they purchase credits which essentially pay someone (farmers) to do something which they were already doing or intended to do anyway. 

Some proposed regulations also directly impact agriculture negatively by adding cost to crop inputs, putting restrictions on livestock production or affecting producers in other ways. Are these regulations good or bad for agriculture?  A free webinar is scheduled for Dec. 17^th from 9 to 11 am. This webinar may help interested individuals get a better understanding of carbon regulations and their impact on agriculture.

Webinar on Agriculture and Carbon Regulation Set for Dec. 17

It is expected that new international policies will offer new opportunities, as well as increasing the regulation of the coal industry and animal agriculture.

A free webinar, “Agriculture and Carbon Regulation: Do We Win or Lose?” will be held Dec. 17 from 9 to 11 a.m. The webinar is sponsored by North Dakota State University and North Dakota Alliance for Renewable Energy (NDARE).

During the webinar, experts will present the latest information on federal climate change legislation and discuss the potential impacts of the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations on green house gases.

“The event will follow an international climate change conference starting in Copenhagen next week,” says Cole Gustafson, NDSU biofuels economist and one of the presenters during the webinar. “In particular, the webinar will describe the implications of any policy changes for agricultural and energy industries in North Dakota. It is expected that new international policies will offer new opportunities, as well as increasing the regulation of the coal industry and animal agriculture.”

Other presenters are:

• Bart Ruth, 25 by 25 board member
• Daniel De La Torre Ugarte, University of Tennessee Agricultural Policy Analysis Center associate director
• Burton English, University of Tennessee Department of Agricultural Economics professor and research coordinator
• Roger Johnson, National Farmers Union president

To join the webinar, go to http://www.ndivnlc.horizonwimba.com. Click on “participant login.” The room identification is “NDSU_carbon.” Under the name, enter your name and location.

Those wishing to join the webinar are asked to preregistration with Jocie Iszler, NDARE board member, at jiszler@cableone.net.