MFU talks about carbon credit program at forestry conference
St. Paul (March 2, 2009) - Minnesota Farmers Union President Doug Peterson lead a discussion of how Minnesota Farmers Union can help farmers and landowners earn carbon credits for certain forestry practices at a "Forest Values & Carbon Markets Opportunities in Minnesota" conference sponsored by the Blandin Foundation. Cosponsors were the Society of American Foresters, the University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Association of Consulting Foresters.
In his remarks to the 175 attendees, Farmers Union President Peterson explained that Farmers Union is an aggregator of carbon credits through the Chicago Climate Exchange. He said, "This is an opportunity for farmers and landowners to explore another revenue stream for their properties. It might not fit everyone, but everyone might want to explore it as an option."
Peterson said the Farmers Union Carbon Credit Program, in addition to forestry, covers certain tillage practices, seeding of long-term grasses, and other means of terrestrial carbon sequestration. Peterson added, "Farmers have always been good stewards of the land. The Carbon Credit Program is not only about monetary gain, it is also a demonstration by Minnesota farmers and landowners of how seriously we take our responsibility to be a part of the solution to global warming."
Peterson said that all information and enrollment opportunities to participate in the Farmers Union Carbon Credit Program are done via the internet. He said there is a good Q & A section on the Farmers Union website which can be found at www.MFU.org.
President Peterson told the audience that he appreciated the Blandin Foundation's work in bringing attention to this issue. He said, "The more we understand that all aspects of climate change and global warming are something we all have to work on, farmers, landowners, urban and rural people, the greater the chance that we can reverse what scientists are telling us could happen."
In addition to Minnesota Farmers Union, other presenters at the conference included explorer Will Steger, and representatives from the Minnesota DNR, Minnesota Public Radio, the University of Minnesota, Dovetail Partners, the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, American Forests, the Manomet Center for Conservation Science and others.