Carbon Farming with Starvation Farms

In this episode, we explore the evolving landscape of carbon credit generation in Pacific Northwest agriculture. What sustainable practices are farmers and ranchers using to generate carbon credits? How does the rugged, diverse terrain of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho influence the opportunities in this market? Whether you’re familiar with the region or new to it, we’ll paint a vivid picture of the PNW’s fields, valleys, and rolling hills — and why they may offer unique advantages for ag carbon projects.  “There are a lot of progressive minds in the PNW there is always producer wondering what can I do more to better my operation” -Mitch Wayment, PNW Ag Carbon Representative Plus, we tackle some of the most common questions we hear from producers and stakeholders about getting involved in the ag carbon economy. Tune in for a practical, down-to-earth conversation about where opportunities are growing.  

In this episode, we dive into the world of carbon ranching and agricultural carbon sequestration. What exactly is carbon ranching, and how does it work? Join us as we break down the process—from understanding the initial steps ranchers take to establish a carbon baseline to implementing conservation practices that generate high-quality carbon credits. We'll discuss how ranchers can customize their journey, what kinds of data are collected, and how the voluntary carbon market works. Whether you're a rancher curious about joining a program or simply intrigued by this innovative approach to climate action, this episode has something for everyone! About the our guests: Kelsey Miller is an agronomist with Agoro Carbon Alliance. She comes from a ranching family, and enjoys sharing that lifestyle with her children on their homestead in Montana. She began her agronomy career young, while also serving her local FFA chapter and later the Wyoming State FFA Association. Kelsey did undergraduate research as a McNair Scholar at Montana State University, where she earned her B.S in animal science, after she worked with the USFWS at the National Bison Range. Her agricultural career continued in work with local governments, nonprofits, and in her own enterprises. Her professional skills include grazing systems, noxious weed management, mapping, monitoring, remote sensing, soil health, local food systems, animal handling, conservation ecology and more.  

Join agronomists Clay Craighton (IA-based) and Tanner Pribble (IN-based) for a high level conversation about carbon sequestration on farmland or also called “carbon farming.” They discuss farm practices that capture carbon, how growers get involved, what onboarding looks like for farmers who join our carbon program, what happens after onboarding, and then the other side of carbon farming - the buyers (companies that are interested in purchasing ag-based carbon credits). Whether you are learning about agricultural carbon for the first time or wanting to brush up on the ag carbon topic or just curious about carbon programs, listen to this episode!  About the our guests:Tanner Pribble lives on a farm in Northeastern Indiana with his wife Ali and sons Tatum and Tripp. Having worked in the agriculture industry for 11 years, he has enjoyed the opportunities to partner with producers every day. Based in Clear Lake, Iowa, Clay Craighton is an experienced agronomist in the Corn Belt who has worked in several realms of agriculture. Clay has worked with DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto (Bayer) and Indigo Ag. His specialty lies in soil sampling, carbon cropping, manure management and sustainability.

What does it take to ensure sustainable projects truly make an impact? Find out in this episode with Christopher Daley, Agoro Carbon's Carbon Project Development Manager. The sustainable development verified impact standard also know as "SD VISta" is the sustainability standard managed by Verra, the world’s leading standard for climate action and sustainable development. SD VISta verifies and quantifies sustainable development benefits generated from voluntary carbon offset projects. This standard ensures that certified projects not only produce measurable, sustainable development benefits but also follows best practices to protect local communities and ecosystems. Agoro Carbon Alliance works with farmers and ranchers to implement sustainable practices, like rotational grazing, biodiversity, cover crops and reduced tillage, that sequester carbon in the soil and generate carbon credits. The SD VISta standard, managed by Verra, will verify and quantify the sustainable development benefits generated from practices implemented with farmers and ranchers that partner with Agoro Carbon once registered.

Join us as we sit down with Andre Rauch, a farmer out of Lexington, OR to chat about his perspective and experience so far with carbon farming. Andre and his family run a wheat, dryland cereal, and barely operation called Starvation Farms. We dive into how Andre selected a carbon program, what the process of creating a contract with regenerative ag practices is like, what payments look like, and yes, how the name Starvation Farms came to be!  

We are asked time and time again what is an "agoro." Wonder no further because in this episode Ashley Bruner, Agoro Carbon Global Marketing & Communications Manager, shares the ins and outs behind our company’s identity. And just like soil there is more than meets the eye on the surface. In this episode you’ll learn the meaning of Agoro Carbon Alliance, our origin story, and how we settled on our name.

The European Green Deal provides much-needed reason for optimism in the fight against climate change, offering a comprehensive roadmap for the EU's transition to a sustainable future. Join Christopher Chapman, Agoro Carbon Alliance's Value Chain Manager to discuss his thoughts on the recent European Green Deal and the impact on the EU economy.  Over the past 7 years Christopher has worked to ensure private sector funding for climate change mitigation is directed to credible activities that contribute to sustainable development. Prior to joining Agoro Carbon, he worked for a voluntary carbon market standards organization, managing two sustainable development focused standards. Listen in to the conversation and learn about what criteria the European Commission is setting for certifying carbon removals, certification requirements, how the certification process for carbon removals will be monitored and verified, who is buying these credits and many more topics surrounding the European Green Deal's impact on carbon credit certification.

Come down memory lane and reflect on the early days (with a few stories) and how the agricultural carbon market has evolved. Get to know our US Managing Director here at Agoro Carbon Alliance, Dr. Yebin Zhao. He has been with Agoro Carbon Alliance since day one - in fact he helped start the business when there were only 3-4 people. His strong background in soil science and agronomy have helped shape Agoro Carbon.  Based in Illinois, Yebin joined Agoro Carbon Alliance to help farmers and ranchers adopt soil health practices and add additional revenue to their bottom line. He is an experienced Agronomist skilled in water quality, soil fertility, and environmental awareness. Yebin has degrees from The University of Georgia, South China Agricultural University, and Shandong Agricultural University, including a doctorate in Agronomy.

In this episode, Brekke Munks, an agronomist with Agoro Carbon, and Jess Peterson, the Executive Vice President of the Society for Range Management, discuss the intricacies of ag carbon and its impact on modern agriculture. Brekke Munks' passion for agriculture began in rural Wyoming, and she earned a Ph.D. in Agronomy. Her expertise in soil health practices aims to sustain farmers and ranchers through improved soil quality. With extensive experience in agriculture policy and practical range management on his Montana ranch, Jess Peterson brings a unique perspective to the conversation. They explore how grazing producers have received the carbon program, highlighting the direct and indirect benefits, such as improved soil health, increased forage quality, and enhanced livestock production. The "Good Grazing Makes Cents" initiative is discussed, detailing its integration with carbon farming practices for maximum environmental and economic gains. The impact of the carbon credit program on range management and producers in the Western United States is examined, emphasizing additional revenue streams and positive environmental outcomes. Practical advice for producers considering carbon programs includes thorough research, asking questions, and understanding carbon credit generation. Brekke and Jess provide a comprehensive overview of ag carbon critical role in sustainable agriculture, making this episode essential for anyone interested in soil health and carbon management. How do you prefer to listen? You can listen to the episode here or on your favorite service: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Audible. Browse all our podcast episodes here.

The podcast featuring Christopher Daley, a Carbon Project Development Specialist, looks into the role of biodiversity in the agricultural carbon market. Daley emphasizes the importance of biodiversity,  highlighting its crucial role in sustaining ecosystems and supporting agriculture. Increasing biodiversity offers numerous benefits for farmers and ranchers, including healthier soil, higher yields, and better water management.  While biodiversity is becoming a focus for corporations as part of their climate-related targets, it's also essential for responsible land stewardship and consumer demand. Biodiversity credits, which have been part of the voluntary carbon market for years, are gaining traction, with frameworks like the Global Biodiversity Framework incentivizing projects to address biodiversity loss. Agoro Carbon contributes through practices such as no-tillage farming, cover crops, seeding native plants, and improved grazing practices, which support healthier and more resilient ecosystems. The future of biodiversity credits lies in projects that promote biodiversity across various landscapes,  aligning with the vision of Agoro Carbon.