Wisconsin Ag Connection - Wisconsin Farmers Union to Hold More Carbon Credit Meetings

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Wisconsin Farmers Union to Hold More Carbon Credit Meetings
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 03/19/2008

The Wisconsin Farmers Union will host a series of informational meetings on the Farmers Union Carbon Credit Program for agriculture producers and landowners across the state on March 27 and 28. Through this dynamic program, farmers and landowners can earn income from storing carbon in their soil through no-till crop production, long-term grass seeding practices on grasslands seeded since 1999, and afforestation projects that have been planted since 1990 on CRP land. Lands must be enrolled in an FSA program to qualify.

Farmers Union is approved by the Chicago Climate Exchange to aggregate carbon credits and sell them on the open market. Farmers Union enrolls producer acreages of carbon projects into blocks of credits that are traded on the Exchange, much like other agricultural commodities are traded.

Farmers Union representatives will be traveling the state next week to hold informational meetings on how to qualify and enroll in the program.

"Farmers Union was the first organization to roll out the carbon credit program, and we are pleased with response from producers so far," said WFU President Sue Beitlich. "We encourage anyone who is interested in the program to attend one of these meetings to earn how easy it is to enroll in the Farmers Union program."

Qualified landowners must enroll by April 15 for a payment in 2008. The final deadline for 2008 enrollment is August 15 with a payment made in 2009. If eligible conservation methods were practiced in 2007 and 2008, landowners could receive payments for both 2007 and 2008.

For a list of meeting dates and locations, or to learn more information about the Farmers Union Carbon Credit Program, contact the WFU State Office at 800-272-5531.

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