AgriCapture Receives First Carbon Credits in Texas History for Grasslands Conservation

The Climate Action Reserve issues carbon credits to AgriCapture for conserving native grasslands and preventing greenhouse gas emissions on a West Texas ranch.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AgriCapture is issued the first-ever avoided grasslands conversion carbon credits in Texas through a partnership with the property's landowner and the Texas Agricultural Land Trust to protect soil carbon and ensure that the property's native grasslands will not be converted. 

The credits were issued by the Climate Action Reserve (CAR), a globally trusted carbon market offset registry, to a Bailey County ranch. Located in the High Plains of the Texas Panhandle, the area is recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a New Dust Bowl Zone, where preserving native grassland habitats and preventing land use conversion is especially critical.

"We are proud to deliver the first avoided grasslands conversion carbon credits in the history of the state of Texas and thrilled that AgriCapture's programs will unlock significant value for Texas landowners," says AgriCapture Board Member and Texas landowner, Kam Kronenberg.

Based in Nashville, AgriCapture was created by a group of agriculture specialists, passionate environmentalists, and economists to combat climate change through sustainable agriculture. AgriCapture verifies Climate-Friendly agricultural practices on farms, ranches, and grasslands to track environmental benefits and boost profitability for agricultural partners across the country.

AgriCapture's Avoided Grasslands Conversion Project is dedicated to protecting native grasslands and ranches from conversion to cropland, allowing the land to naturally sequester carbon, and prevent agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To facilitate the generation of carbon credits, AgriCapture methodically collects data on soil types, vegetative cover, land use history, and ranch operations to submit for registry verification and credit issuance under CAR's Grasslands Protocol. The AgriCapture team quantifies avoided GHG emissions and monitors ranch operations to protect underground carbon storage.

The Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT) partnered with AgriCapture on the Bailey County project and holds the conservation easement that will protect the land from being converted or developed. The easement contains provisions that make the property eligible to receive carbon credits for sequestering and storing soil carbon, as well as eliminating emissions that would be associated with crop production. 

"We believe this bellwether project could result in future carbon credit revenue streams for agricultural landowners in Texas and beyond," said TALT CEO Chad Ellis. "We are excited about what these new carbon markets will mean for working lands families, and we look forward to sharing our learning with landowners as this project progresses."

Despite constant threat of development and conversion to cropland, native grasslands provide critically important wildlife habitat, filter water flowing into aquifers, rivers, and lakes, and naturally sequester over a third of land-based carbon.

Grasslands conservation carbon credits incentivize landowners to protect underground carbon storage within their grasslands. Corporate supporters of the Avoided Grasslands Conversion Project will offset company GHG emissions while preserving disappearing native grasslands.

About AgriCapture

AgriCapture is a leading agricultural technology company that enables farmers and landowners to identify and implement climate-friendly practices and capture value for their positive climate impact. AgriCapture rigorously collects field level data and monitors field operations to generate carbon credits and Climate-Friendly Rice products. By providing farmers, ranchers, and landowners with tools to monetize their carbon sequestration and emission reductions, we enable them to conserve natural resources while increasing profitability. For more information about our climate-friendly practices, visit us at www.agricapture.com. 

Contact: Megan Garvey
Phone: (859) 317- 0789
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE AgriCapture