- The initiative makes the Company the first company to develop a transparent and collaborative, science-based approach to a carbon market in agriculture.
- Brazil will be one of the countries where the initiative will begin in the 2020/2021 harvest. In the country, Embrapa will be Bayer's main technical partner in carbon capture measurement protocols.
Monheim, – Agriculture may have the opportunity to generate new sustainable solutions thanks to an initiative being launched this week by Bayer. The Company will begin rewarding farmers in Brazil and the United States for generating carbon credits, encouraging sustainable agricultural practices that contribute to reducing the carbon footprint and greenhouse gases (GHG).
A Bayer Carbon Initiative, an industry first, is the result of years of work to validate a science-based carbon capture measurement methodology on the production site. Bayer recognizes the key role that producers play in contributing to sustainable environmental projects, and reducing carbon emissions is the latest sustainability commitment of the company, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the field by 30% by 2030.
The Initiative will involve approximately 1,200 farmers in Brazil and the US. All will receive assistance in implementing sustainable agricultural practices, focusing on productivity with low climate impact. In addition, for a portion of the selected farmers, Bayer will reward the carbon removals generated through these practices.
In Brazil, Bayer has selected around 500 rural producers, located in 14 Brazilian states (RS, SC, PR, SP, MG, MS, GO, MT, RO, TO, PA, BA, PI, MA), who mainly grow soybeans and corn. They are also users of the Climate FieldView digital agriculture platform, as the tool plays an important role in the measurements and implementation of the program. The initiative will begin in the 2020/2021 harvest, on around 60,000 hectares. The estimated investment for the Initiative will be around 5 million Euros, over three years, in Brazil.
“Together with producers, we will develop a carbon business model in the country. This is a market with great potential, but still intangible for Brazilian farmers. This initiative aims to create a basis for a model that works for producers, in addition to encouraging the adoption of techniques, tools and management to increase productivity with greater carbon capture within production areas,” says Rodrigo Santos, president of Bayer’s agricultural division for Latin America.
Throughout all stages of the initiative, producers will benefit from carbon measurement in their areas and experience in accessing the carbon market, when established in Brazil. They will also have access to exclusive technical content, with prescriptions and monitoring of crops by the Bayer team and partners, in addition to events to encourage knowledge sharing, combining theory and practice to accelerate the development of the carbon market in Brazilian agribusiness.
In Brazil, Bayer will count on Embrapa as a technical partner to build a viable carbon market for farmers. The partnership includes Embrapa Environment, Embrapa Instrumentation and Embrapa Agricultural Informatics, supported by other units, and by Embrapa Headquarters.
According to the president of the entity, Celso Moretti, it is possible to obtain greater productivity due to more appropriate management, improving the producer's income. “The dissemination of more sustainable practices for agriculture is one of the results sought by Embrapa. They bring more efficiency, as they generate environmental, economic and social benefits”, argues Moretti.
This is also what Brett Begemann, Global Head of Commercial Operations for Bayer’s agricultural division, argues when he states that farmers carry out important environmental practices and are natural guardians of the land they cultivate. “Farmers’ lives and livelihoods depend on the climate and they are the first to be affected by droughts, floods and extreme conditions. If there is anyone interested in combating climate change, the producer certainly stands out. We are committed to developing new business models such as Bayer Carbon Initiative to help them in this fight.”, explains Begemann.
Currently, producers are rewarded for their production of food, grains and fibers, however, those who participate in the Bayer Carbon Initiative will have the opportunity to be rewarded for their best agricultural management practices and other sustainability efforts.
“It is very important that we conduct this new partnership with producers. We believe it is a major step towards creating a zero-carbon future for agriculture, a legacy for future generations, developed together with producers,” concludes Begemann.
The idea is to extend the program applied in the USA and Brazil to new producers and, later, to other regions of the world, with personalized approaches that will allow the choice of sustainable agricultural practices and management most appropriate for their crops.
About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the areas of health and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the key challenges posed by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its profitability and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, credibility and quality worldwide. In fiscal 2019, the Group employed around 104,000 people and had sales of EUR 43.5 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.9 billion, and R&D costs amounted to EUR 5.3 billion. For more information, please visit www.bayer.com.
Forward-looking statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given herein. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports, which are available on Bayer’s website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no responsibility for updating these forward-looking statements or adapting them to reflect future events or developments.
Bayer Press Release – JeffreyGroup
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