Bayer Announces 2024 Carbon Program, Expanding Opportunities

For the coming year the Bayer Carbon Program highlights six expanded opportunities for farmers to enroll in the program and earn incentives for regenerative practices. The company structures its program around practices to sequester carbon and promote soil health while paying per acre incentives (not based on the amount of carbon sequestered). 

The six enhancements for 2024 include: 

• Open enrollment for now 28 states
• Expanded practices: no-till/strip-till and/or cover crop practices rewards at $6 per acre, per practice. And a new Nitrogen Management Program, rewards at $4 per acre.
• In addition to corn, soybeans and wheat, newly eligible crops include barley, sorghum, oats, rye, millet, dry beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas.
• Farther look back period so fields with practice change on or after August 1, 2019, may be eligible to participate 
• The renewal potential is adjusted so the program performance period is five years, with the potential to be renewed for up to three additional five-year periods. 
• A renewal bonus is available with the potential to receive a one-time renewal bonus of $6 per acre, per practice, if the program performance period is renewed for an additional five-year renewal period.

“Our mission is to improve and expand our program to create additional opportunities for even more American farmers,” said Leonardo Bastos, Senior Vice President of Ecosystem Services at Bayer Crop Science. “These recent enhancements provide farmers with more options, resources and benefits so that we can meet them where they are in their regenerative journey. There’s never been a better time for farmers to explore enrolling in our program.” 

In addition to expanding the program’s reach and opportunities, Bayer also focused on making enrollment easier with a streamlined online process. 

“We listened to feedback from farmers who are already enrolled in the program and concentrated on the enrollment process to make it even simpler to understand and navigate,” said Bastos. 

Enrollment includes Bayer providing Bayer agronomic support, soil sampling and help with data collection and verification.

The Bayer Carbon Program is part of ForGround by Bayer, which is the company’s digital platform of resources and programs.