Part of the Carbon by Indigo program is adopting a new practice change on your enrolled fields. This article will cover some of the common questions about practice changes and provide an overview of those that qualify.
Why do I need to have a practice change?
Two primary reasons: 1) Valuable carbon credits are in high demand, and buyers are only willing to purchase credits that demonstrate a change. Credits generated as a result of practice changes are valuable because they represent new benefits to soil carbon and emissions, above and beyond “business as usual.” 2) These types of valuable credits are extremely rare – that’s why buyers come to Indigo and are willing to pay high prices. That’s also why we’re able to guarantee a credit payment minimum. Past carbon markets have been unsuccessful because buyers did not see the credits as truly valuable without the practice change requirement.
2. Since when and by when can I adopt a new regenerative practice to meet the additionality requirement?
Typically, you can meet the additionality requirement during the current growing season, even if it was prior to signing your Carbon by Indigo contract. You can also meet the additionality requirement on a given field via changes made on the field in the previous 24 months from enrolling. Whenever you made a practice change, either in the first year of enrolling or in the 24-month lookback period, that date would be the field’s “start date” for any historical data requirements.
3. What practice changes qualify?
Please review the resource below for more information on qualifying practice changes. You can click on the picture to enlarge it. Keep in mind that at least 25% of a field boundary area must exhibit this new carbon farming practice to qualify.
