Farming in a carbon economy topic of May 11 workshop

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will present a Carbon Farming in Texas workshop May 11 in Robstown.

The workshop is free and open to the public, with both in-person and virtual attendance options. Topics will focus on shifting farm policy and conservation practices to improve productivity while reducing environmental impact.

The program will begin with check-in at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at 2 p.m. Participants may attend in person in Suite 1 of the Johnny Calderon Building, 710 E. Main St., or virtually via Zoom. Refreshments and lunch will be provided for in-person attendees, compliments of Texas Corn Producers and Texas Farm Credit.

Attendees should RSVP at https://bit.ly/CarbonFarming by May 10. A link to Zoom will be provided to those who RSVP for virtual attendance.

“The idea of farming for carbon is not completely new, but recently this has become a quickly rising issue that could impact future farming practices for many,” said Jason Ott, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Nueces County. “There are still a lot of unknowns about this topic, and this workshop is an opportunity to learn more.”

Ott said the focus of the program will be to provide growers with some initial insight into what is bringing about this interest in carbon farming and identify current opportunities in carbon markets, as well as discuss practices that should be feasible in the Coastal Bend area.

Topics and presenters

• Key Indicators Directing Farm Policy Change, Joe Outlaw, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension economist and co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M, Bryan-College Station.

• Overview of Carbon Cycling and Budgeting, Katie Lewis, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research soil fertility scientist, Lubbock.

• Lessons from Long-term Tillage and Cover Crop Studies in the Coastal Bend, Jamie Foster, Ph.D., AgriLife Research forage agronomist, Corpus Christi.

• Modifying Equipment for Success and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Ronnie Schnell, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist, Bryan-College Station.

• Dealing with Limited Water and Abundant Weeds, Josh McGinty, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist, Corpus Christi.

• Fuel Price Squeeze and Production Cost Opportunities, Steven Klose, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension economist, Bryan-College Station.

• Positive Landowner Relationships and Farming with Conservation Practices, Jim Massey IV, Nueces County farmer, and Jon Whatley, San Patricio County farmer.

• Natural Resource Conservation Service Program Implementation, Ray Hinojosa, Natural Resources Conservation Service agronomist, Corpus Christi.

• Current Carbon Economy Opportunities for Agriculture, Shelby Swain Myers, American Farm Bureau Federation economist, Washington, D.C.

For more information, contact Lisa Martinez at the AgriLife Extension office in Robstown at 361-767-5223.