GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska - Producers in the Central Platte and Upper Big Blue Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) are encouraged to enroll their acres in the Nebraska Soil Carbon Project. This project provides financial incentives to producers who utilize key conservation practices in central Nebraska. Farmers can adopt soil health practices--including cover crops, no-till, and diverse crop rotations--that store carbon in the soil. Private companies will utilize the stored carbon and water quality benefits to help reach their goals around sustainability. Depending on the practices implemented, producers earn up to $45 per acre each year.

The goal is to have about 100 producers installing these soil health practices on 100,000 acres over the next three years. As a result of the two previous enrollment periods, 44 farmers committed over 42,274 treated acres to implement conservation practices between 2021 and 2026.  With the intention of getting closer to the targeted number of acres during the third round of enrollment, program organizers encourage farmers to apply at their local NRCS office for implementing practices planned for the fall of 2023.

Applications are accepted continuously but must be submitted by Friday, November 18, 2022, to be evaluated for the next round of funding.

The Nebraska Soil Carbon Project is a collaboration between the two NRDs, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), The Nature Conservancy, Ecosystem Services Market Consortium, Cargill, Target, and McDonald’s. The Nature Conservancy manages the new program and is investing $8 million for farmers to implement these practices over the next few years.  

Increasing cropland soil carbon has multiple benefits for the producer and the environment, including more stable yields, improved nutrient availability and water holding capacity, and climate stabilization. Private companies are looking for ways to decrease their carbon footprint partnering with Nebraska’s growers can provide these benefits by improving farming operations and implementing soil health practices. Markets linking these soil carbon buyers and suppliers allow companies to meet part of their greenhouse gas reduction goals while supporting farmers implementing new conservation practices.

The payments producers receive through this carbon market pilot project are tied to the practices implemented on the acres, not the carbon outcomes, to reduce producers’ risk. Colorado State University is providing scientific support through this project.

The project is estimated to store the equivalent of 150,000 metric tons of CO2 while enhancing Nebraska’s soil and linking producers to new carbon payment opportunities.

Beyond the financial incentives and soil health benefits, participating producers will have the opportunity to:

Share conservation stories with a larger audience via field days, media spots, and short videos relating to the project. 
Attend training events with local and national leaders in soil health, agronomy, and related topics.
Receive a report on the new practice’s soil carbon and water quality outcomes. Those interested in going deeper may also opt-in for a detailed report on the practice’s financial return on investment.

Producers receive year-round assistance from the NRDs, NRCS, and The Nature Conservancy staff, who provide support for paperwork/application processes and soil health practice management.

There is no gross income or acre enrollment cap for NRCS payments. Still, producers are encouraged to enroll a reasonable number of acres given their operation size and soil health experience. More acres can be submitted for enrollment in subsequent years of the program.

Payments are for new soil health acres only. However, a measurable improvement of an existing practice could count (such as moving from strip-till to no-till) if it aligns with the NRCS’s standards.

Are you interested in adding conservation practices to your acres?
Central Platte NRD: Visit https://www.cpnrd.org/land management/soil health to get started today, or contact Courtney Widup at (308) 385-6282 or widup [at] cpnrd.org.

Upper Big Blue NRD: Visit www.upperbigblue.org/soilcarbonproject to get started today or contact Marie Krausnick at (402) 362-6601 or mebel [at] upperbigblue.org.

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