|
|
Nebraska Farmers Union |
1305
Plum Street • Lincoln, NE 68502 Contact
John Hansen Office: 402-476-8815, Fax: 402-476-8859, Cell: 402-580-8815 |
Nebraska Farmers
Union Announces Carbon Credit Program
For All Nebraska
Counties & New Rangeland Management Program
For
Immediate Release April
19, 2007
Lincoln,
NE. Nebraska Farmers Union announced
today the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) has made dramatic and positive changes
in their carbon sequestration credit program.
Soil Offsets
Carbon Credits for Conservation Tillage
All
93 Nebraska counties are now eligible for Exchange Soil Offsets from
conservation tillage practices. Last year, only 51 counties were eligible. Nebraska is now divided into four different
national zones for conservation tillage:
Zones A, B, D, and E, all of which qualify for both conservation tillage
and establishment of grassland and alfalfa. Each zone has its own specific
tillage and cropping criteria, but as a general rule, the tillage practice must
leave at least two-thirds of the soil surface undisturbed and at least
two-thirds of the remaining residue on the field surface to be eligible to earn
CCX Exchange Soil Offsets (XSOs) at the rate established for that zone.
The
rate of carbon credit in metric tons per acre for no till conservation tillage
practices has been increased upward in counties previously covered from .5
metric tons per acre to .6 metric tons.
Rates have been established for new counties. For Zone A, the dryland and irrigated rate is .6 metric tons per
acre. In Zones B and E, the dryland
rate is .4 metric tons per acre and the irrigated rate is .6 metric tons. In Zone D, the dryland rate is .2 metric
tons per acre and the irrigated rate is .6 metric tons per acre. While dryland rates vary, the statewide
rate for all irrigated acres in Nebraska zones is .6 metric tons per acre.
The
rate for all Nebraska counties in all zones for new grasslands or forage stands
established after January 1, 1999 on previous crop land is .75 metric tons per
acre, even if enrolled in CRP, harvested for hay, or grazed.
Zone
A includes 51 counties: Adams,
Antelope, Boone, Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Cedar, Clay, Colfax, Cuming,
Custer, Dakota, Dawson, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Gage, Greeley, Hall,
Hamilton, Howard, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearney, Lancaster, Madison, Merrick,
Nance, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Otoe, Pawnee, Phelps, Pierce, Platte, Polk,
Richardson, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Seward, Sherman, Stanton, Thayer,
Thurston, Valley, Washington, Wayne, and York.
Zone
B includes 26 counties: Arthur, Banner,
Blaine, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Dawes, Garden, Garfield, Grant, Holt,
Hooker, Keya Paha, Kimball, Knox, Logan, Loup, McPherson, Morrill, Rock, Scotts
Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux, Thomas, and Wheeler.
Zone
D includes 8 counties: Chase, Cheyenne,
Deuel, Dundy, Hitchcock, Keith, Lincoln, and Perkins.
Zone
E includes 8 counties: Franklin,
Frontier, Furnas, Gosper, Harlan, Hayes, Red Willow, and Webster.
New Rangeland Management Conservation Practice Available
A
new rangeland management conservation practice for intensive rotational grazing
for existing pasture has also been authorized with two different
practices:
·
Non-degraded rangeland managed to increase carbon sequestration through grazing
land management that employ sustainable stocking rates, rotational grazing and
seasonal use in eligible locations. The carbon credit rates on non-degraded
managed rangeland rate for counties in Zone G will be .27 metric tons per acre,
and for counties in Zone H, the rate will be .20 metric tons per acre.
·
Restoration of previously degraded rangeland through adoption of
sustainable stocking rates, rotational grazing and seasonal use grazing
practices initiated on or after January 1, 1999. The carbon credit rate for the restoration of degraded rangeland
for Zone G will be .40 metric tons per acre, and for Zone H, the rate will be
.52 metric tons per acre.
The
Rangeland Management carbon credits can be earned by independently verified
projects involving sustainable grazing practices, such as moderate livestock
density and rotational and seasonal grazing techniques.
Zone
LRR G includes 26 counties: Arthur,
Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Dawes, Garden, Garfield, Grant,
Holt, Hooker, Keya Paha, Kimball, Knox, Logan, Loup, McPherson, Morrill, Rock,
Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux, Thomas, and Wheeler.
Zone
LRR H includes 39 counties: Adams,
Buffalo, Butler, Chase, Cheyenne, Clay, Custer, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy, Fillmore,
Franklin, Frontier, Furnas, Gosper, Greeley, Hall, Hamilton, Harlan, Hayes,
Hitchcock, Howard, Jefferson, Kearney, Keith, Lincoln, Merrick, Nuckolls,
Perkins, Phelps, Polk, Red Willow, Saline, Seward, Sherman, Thayer, Valley,
Webster, and York.
Forestry Carbon Sequestration Program
A
new carbon sequestration credit program for forestry projects planted since
1990 is now also available for the entire state. The signup for forestry will not be available online, and will
require a different contract and procedure than no till contracts.
Methane Recovery Program
Methane offsets are available for projects activated after December 31, 1998. Projects are eligible to earn offsets during years 2003-2010. The rates are at a rate of 18.25 metric tons of carbon dioxide per ton of methane combusted. The application process for methane is on a case-by-case basis.
New
uniform contracts are now available online for all zones for tillable acre
programs. New program enrollees will also be able to receive payments for last
year if they would have been eligible. The ‘reach back’ feature allows new
program participants to receive an extra year of carbon credit. The cropland sign up deadline is August 15,
2007. Details for the new programs will
be available on the Farmers Union websites as soon as they are available. Producers are encouraged to keep checking
the websites for further new program details.
Program
enrollment will again be done through the Internet at www.nebraskafarmersunion.org or
www.nfu.org. The websites furnish producers with eligibility guidelines,
frequently asked questions, an income estimator, toll-free telephone numbers,
and the relatively simple enrollment forms.
For additional information or help in applying, producers are encouraged
to contact their local Farmers Union insurance agents. Nebraska Farmers Union can be reached at
402-476-8815.
-30-