Meet David, Kelly, Curtis, and Carl, four forward-thinking, midwest farmers who have accomplished low Carbon Intensity (CI) Scores through their sustainable practices. Discover why farmers are turning to Continuum Ag to understand the opportunity at hand and how low-carbon agriculture can enhance your profitability.
Farmer Leads Sustainable Agriculture Movement on His Farm in Western Iowa
David Trowbridge, manager at Mar-I-War Farms in Tabor, Iowa, farms 4,600 acres and runs a 7,000-head customer feedlot. He has been at the forefront of adopting sustainable practices by utilizing minimal tillage, cattle, and hog manure. These practices have helped David reach a CI Score of 4!
“We believe that the future of agriculture will depend on the practices that add to the story we can tell our consumers,” said Trowbridge. “This is especially true in animal production, and we are dedicated to improving the image of cattle production to our customers.”
Although we aren’t sure what the specific monetary value of low-carbon grain is yet, we do know that there is a market for it. When it comes to biofuel manufacturers, they are willing to purchase crops at a greater price depending on their carbon scores, as they work to achieve low carbon score goals for tax credits.
“Everyone should know their score just to know where they rank within the industry, and getting additional income for your corn isn’t bad either,” Trowbridge stated when asked why others should find out their CI Score.
Sustainable Practices Get Rewarded Without Changing Practices
Carl Clark, a third-generation farmer in East Central Illinois, raises hogs and grows corn, soybeans, and wheat. Carl is particularly excited about the opportunities for low-carbon grain because he appreciates that he isn’t being forced to change his farm.
Regarding sustainable practices, manure management and minimum tillage practices are the largest contributors to a low CI Score on Clark’s operation. “We are also trying to incorporate cover crops to help with our score,” he shared. Whether it’s rye or alfalfa, using a cover crop can significantly reduce your CI Score — on average, by 10 points among our customers at Continuum Ag. Utilizing the practices listed above has allowed Clark to gain a CI Score of 1.8.
Change can be difficult when you’ve worked hard to find practices that work well for your operation, which is why Clark was excited about getting premiums around low-carbon grain. “Other carbon programs seem to simply offset the rise associated with adopting a new practice. This appears to be a program to help with rewarding already good practices and incentivizes any new practices at a scale that works for me,” he said. “If the year doesn’t permit the practice I can adapt to what is best for my farm.”
As everyone involved in the agriculture industry knows, farming is a very tight business, which is why Clark urges other farmers to find out their CI Score. “If you don’t know what money you might be leaving on the table, how do you know how competitive you will remain?”
Achieving Low CI Scores with Manure and Vertical Tillage
A farmer in Northwest Iowa, Kelly Nieuwehuis raises corn and soybeans and finishes about 10,000 head of hogs annually in partnership with neighboring farmers. With the use of commercial nitrogen, Kelly’s CI Score ranges from 9 to 12 and is -1.5 where he applies manure.
Kelly has achieved low CI Scores and reduced nitrogen rates through one-pass vertical tillage. Having high organic matter and yields on his farm have further supported these lower nitrogen rates.
Passionate about helping the biofuels industry lower its CI Score, Kelly believes this is essential for driving demand growth. “With CCS and Climate Friendly Farming practices as well as other new technologies, we can achieve this goal of net zero in the future! This will ensure biofuels a place in the energy sector,” he stated.
Like David and Carl, Kelly is excited about the future of low-carbon grain and has confidence in the opportunities it will bring to farmers. “Continuum Ag has been a leader in low-carbon grain research, and knowing your CI Score and being certified will be essential when the 45Z Tax Credit goes into effect on January 1, 2025.”
Farmer Achieves -6.9 CI Score, Advocates for Farmer-Owned Data
Curtis Wilson, a farmer in West Central Iowa, raises corn, soybeans, rye, and cattle. His agricultural background runs deep, as his father, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers also farmed.
Curtis’ practices include no-till, liquid fertilizer, cover crops, and chicken manure, which helped him reach a CI Score of -6.9! He is extremely excited about the opportunities that Carbon Intensity is bringing to farmers and urges others to work with Continuum Ag. “Farmers should work with Continuum Ag because all data rights remain with the farmer. Your data is still yours and isn’t sold off to the highest bidder,” he said.
When farmers work with Continuum Ag, we want to make sure they understand that they own and control their data. We are farmers ourselves and utilizing this tool for our own data management.
If you are ready to get your CI Score for FREE using the most current and thorough GREET calculator, visit TopSoil.ag today to get started! In less than 15 minutes you will know your CI Score.