When determining how climate-smart farming practices affect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cropland, policymakers should consider the merits of individual practices, not whether farmers adhere to a prescriptive, one-size-fits-all conservation program.
That was among the key messages delivered by Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) President Dana Allen-Tully to USDA in comments submitted last week.
USDA should develop tools that allow for the efficient calculation of a crop’s carbon intensity (CI) and accurately account for the impacts of individual climate-smart practices, Allen-Tully wrote. Furthermore, the agency should verify CI scores by using qualified third parties, Allen-Tully said.
Allen-Tully’s letter was in response to a USDA request for public input issued in June. The request sought input on procedures for quantifying GHG emissions reductions from climate-smart farming practices associated with the production of crops used as biofuel feedstocks. Read the comments here.