Ranchers are falling into debt and selling land. Carbon credits are a way to keep farming

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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Wall Street Journal or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Ranchers in South Texas, like Frates Seeligson, are using carbon credits as a new income stream to prevent land sales and reduce farming debt
• Seeligson works with Grassroots Carbon, which helps farmers employ regenerative agricultural techniques to sequester carbon in the soil, earning carbon credits in return

🔭 The context: The agriculture industry, particularly ranching, faces challenges such as drought, rising costs, and inflation
• A quarter of American farms were in debt in 2022, and many farmers have turned to selling land to survive
• However, carbon credits offer a financial solution by rewarding farmers who implement carbon-capturing techniques

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Regenerative farming practices, like rotational grazing, help restore grasslands and sequester carbon
• This offers a dual benefit: it provides farmers with a new income source while reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture
• With agrifood systems accounting for one-third of global carbon emissions, scaling such practices can play a key role in mitigating climate change

⏭️ What's next: Grassroots Carbon's success could inspire more farmers to adopt regenerative practices, leading to larger-scale environmental benefits
• With corporate backing from major companies like Microsoft and Nestlé, this model could become a critical component in the global effort to limit global warming

💬 One quote: “I see the carbon market as another income source to help families stay on the properties,” says Frates Seeligson

📈 One stat: Grassroots Carbon has sold over 1.9 million tons of carbon-removal credits, contributing to the goal of removing a billion tons of carbon from American grasslands

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