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Bayer launches Carbon Initiative
Bayer has launched a pilot Carbon Initiative program in Brazil and the US that will reward farmers for generating carbon credits by adopting carbon-smart practices.
Brett Begemann, Bayer’s chief operating officer says this is an opportunity for farmers. “We do that by creating a market for that carbon,” he says. “In the near-term, that market could be us as Bayer because we have a sustainability commitment that we want to offset our carbon footprint as well. That’s how we know we’ll pay for the credits in the early days.”
He tells Brownfield the program recognizes the pivotal role farmers and the land play in creating lasting environmental impacts. “We’ve done more than most other industries in improving our sustainability footprint,” he says. “This is an opportunity to do even more. We can continue to be part of that solution for climate change and greenhouse gas.”
The program’s initial season will include around 1,200 farmers in Brazil and the US. Bayer says farmers in both countries will receive assistance in implementing climate-smart agricultural practices. The company is also collaborating with partners like Embrapa in Brazil to build a viable carbon market for farmers.
Begemann says Bayer plans to eventually expand the program in the US and Brazil and then to farmers in other regions of the world.
AUDIO: Brett Begemann, Bayer chief operating officer
