Membership

illustration © 1995 Heidi Natura   Conservation Research Institute

Becoming a Member Carbon Farmer of America

Carbon Farmers of America is seeking ecological farmers who are ready to farm to build new topsoil and stabilize our climate. As a member, a core component of your work will be conducting practical, on-farm research into effective soilbuilding. Our member farmers are our research scientists.

Building new topsoil is demanding and rewarding. Grassfarming is central to soilbuilding, and most farmers considering becoming Carbon Farmers will already be grassfarmers, or will be in the process of transitioning to making the planned grazing of livestock the foundation of their operation. That said, we do welcome the participation of any farm that annually increases overall soil health and realizes significant net farm carbon increases.

The financial incentive to build new topsoil as a Carbon Farmer of America is significant. Of course, in order to get paid, our organization has to market Carbon Sinks to conscious citizens and businesses. We rely on our farmers to act as grassroots marketers of Carbon Sinks as well as soilbuilders and researchers. Carbon Farming is not a get-rich-quick scheme; it is likely for the first few years of membership that the primary benefits to a farmer will be training and skills aquisition in the carbon farming strategies.

Further, the voluntary market for carbon offsets is a small but rapidly growing one. Members of Carbon Farmers of America should be of the mindset that they are positioning themselves to capture a share of the mandatory offset market that is taking shape in the United States.

For example, a one-hundred acre grass farm with soils having a bulk density of 1.2 g/cm3 which increases its soil organic carbon by 1%, to one foot of depth, will remove roughly 5,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. That is equivalent to the annual C02 emissions from 100 American families of four. The Carbon Farmer who captures this carbon will receive $19 per ton of C02 sequestered, representing an additional gross income of $95,000. There are exceptional farmers today achieving soil fertility increases on this scale on a yearly basis with very aggressive carbon farming strategies.

See the article Carbon Credits by Dr. Christine Jones to gain better understanding of the conversions between soil organic matter, organic carbon and carbon dioxide.

The Benefits of Being A Carbon Farmer of America

The benefits of increasing soil organic matter are many. In terms of production, for example, research shows that a one percent increase in soil organic matter increases overall productivity about 12%.

Further,as a member farmer of Carbon Farmer of America, you will:

• Receive training, consultation and ongoing support for your soilbuilding work from leaders in the field of ecological agriculture.
• Belong to a supportive network of Carbon Farmers.
• Conduct annual, comprehensive testing of soils and forages.
• Have access to critical soilbuilding technologies.
• Advertise your farm and products through the CFA website and publications.
• Have use of the CFA brand logo to distinguish your product.
• Be linked to non-farming supporters of Carbon Farmers of America.
• Receive public recognition and incentives for exemplary on-farm research and soilbuilding work.

Membership Requirements. Member farmers will:

• Pay an annual membership fee, equal to $5 per farmed acre. The membership fee will be not less than $500.
• Enter into a legally binding, long term contract with Carbon Farmers of America. The contract will obligate the member to meet all conditions of membership and to annually increase soil organic matter in excess of farm carbon emissions for the duration of the contract.
• Conduct annual soil carbon monitoring and biological monitoring.
• Conduct “Whole Farm Carbon Accounting.” All farmland will be monitored for soil carbon levels, and all losses in soil C and greenhouse gas emissions from farm operations will be deducted from annual compensation for carbon sequestration in soils. Carbon Sink payments will be based on “additionality.” That is, payment will be awarded for carbon increases based on new, intentional practices. For example, a farm would not be rewarded for increases in biomass in an existing woodlot on the farm. We do not aim to reward business as usual; we want to push the envelope of soil fertility creation and climate stabilization.
• Meet monthly in Carbon Farmer Management Clubs, and read and discuss a core curriculum.
• Practice Holistic Management Planned Grazing. Copies of all Grazing Plans will become the property of Carbon Farmers of America for research purposes.
• Produce detailed annual nutrient management and land treatment plans and records, copies of which will become the property of Carbon Farmers of America.

We believe that restoring soil fertility and biological diversity and stabilizing our climate are the defining challenges of our time. It is for this reason that the requirements of membership in Carbon Farmers of America are so high. It is also for this reason that the potential financial rewards of membership in Carbon Farmers of America is so significant.

Click here to fill out and submit the following membership application form to begin the membership process.