URBANA, Ill. — The carbon market is an emerging entity and buzzword in the agriculture industry. Every day, different programs are being presented to farmers, landowners, and researchers, creating a lot of questions around carbon and farm operations.

“It is a vital time to bring producers and researchers together, have conversations, and ask questions to continue learning about emerging ecosystem markets,” says Talon Becker, commercial agriculture specialist with University of Illinois Extension.

Help clear the air and confusion by attending the Eco Markets and Carbon Dynamics Field Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 7 at the ACES Energy Farm in Urbana, IL, with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Extension, and Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership.

Spend the day with ISAP and university experts to:

• Learn what carbon markets are and the process of carbon sequestration.
• Find out more about the economic perspective of these markets.
• Discover what entities are in this industry space and how they operate.
• Explore the science and latest technology behind current methods for estimating or measuring carbon, including a tour of eddy covariance towers.
• Hear what research is being done to better understand carbon sequestration from different agricultural practices.

“It is important that farmers, landowners, and researchers work together to identify and attempt to answer the many questions that exist around ecosystem markets and agriculture’s potential for carbon sequestration so that we can better serve farmers, the agriculture industry, and our communities,” says Becker.

There is no cost to attend the field day, but registration is required. A free lunch is provided to those who register before Nov. 3. Find the full field day agenda, including topics, presenters, and registration, at go.illinois.edu/CarbonFieldDay.

Those looking for regenerative agriculture information are welcome to attend the Illinois Regenerative Agriculture Initiative Public Convening event following the field day. The event will be held at the same location beginning at 2 p.m. Find more information and registration at go.illinois.edu/IRegenConvening.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Talon Becker at tbecker2@illinois.edu or 217-300-0576.

SOURCE: Talon Becker, Commercial Agriculture Specialist, Illinois Extension

WRITER: Jenna Braasch, Media Communications Coordinator, Illinois Extension