Carbon Management Online Tool for Agriculture, Range, and AgroForestry: COMET2.0
COMET2.0 is an online carbon management evaluation tool that helps farmers and ranchers understand and assess impacts of changes in land management. It allows producers and land managers to document carbon changes and enables them to take advantage of additional agricultural management scenarios and a broad variety of nitrogen management options.
The on-line tool estimates greenhouse gas (GHG) emission changes in soil carbon sequestration, fuel-use and fertilizer use. It also generates data on soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and gauges changes in biomass carbon stock for agroforestry practices and perennial woody crops that include orchards and vineyards.
To generate all these information using COMET2.0, a user enters the following data online: location information, parcel number and size, soil properties, land management history, tillage system and nutrient management practices.
NRCS developed COMET2.0 in cooperation with Colorado State University’s Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL).
Incentive Programs and Assistance for Producers
The USDA has instituted new standards targeting specific portions of incentive programs that encourage carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. Some practices that decrease GHG emissions or sequester carbon may require a capital investment or increase farm-operating costs. The USDA is providing incentives and supporting voluntary actions by private landowners in targeting GHG and carbon sequestration through a portfolio of beneficial conservation programs. These programs are listed here.
Financial Incentives and Assistance in related agencies and institutions
NRCS has developed online courses on air quality, climate change and energy for its employees, partners and for other groups involved in agriculture and conservation. These courses include:
Air Quality, Climate Change, and Energy
Why Should We Care About Air Quality?
Air Quality Resource Concerns
Greenhouse Gases and Carbon Sequestration
Why Do We Care About Energy?
Energy Basics
You can access the courses through the following link:
COMET2.0