The Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC) and the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) jointly announced that more ranchers and farmers in the North Canadian River Watershed will be eligible to participate in an expanded Oklahoma carbon credit purchase initiative.Ranchers and farmers in the North Canadian River Watershed who practice no-till farming, take land out of production, engage in erosion control, wildlife habitat protection, plant grassland for grazing, and riparian restoration will be eligible to enroll in the expanded carbon credit program. Carbon credit payments can be as high as $3.50 an acre. This is a change in the terms of the original pilot program.
Previously, according to an article on the Oklahoma Farm Report website, under the Section 319 Clean Water Initiative, the carbon offsets eligible for purchase were changes in farming and ranching practices implemented by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission Water Quality Division and the local conservation districts in Blaine, Dewey, and Canadian Counties. Only farmers directly enrolled in the 319 initiative were eligible for payment. The changes in eligibility aim to increase access to additional dollars for farmers and ranchers while also helping to preserve the local environment, particularly the drinking water.
As the Oklahoma Farm Report writes, Sarah Pope, director of the OACD Oklahoma Carbon Initiative stated, ‘“By opening the enrollment area for carbon credits to all eligible producers in the North Canadian Watershed between Canton Lake and Lake Overholser, we can get more dollars to producers pockets and encourage even more good work to protect Oklahoma City’s drinking water. It’s a win-win for everyone.”’
To read the Oklahoma Farm Report article click here.
Posted: 08/19/09
