In the Spring of 2021, popular press articles were reporting on the opportunity and benefits of enrolling in pilot carbon programs across the U.S.  Touting high payments, low enrollment costs, environmental benefits, and increased yields gained the attention of farmers.  Numerous stakeholders contacted our department asking if we knew about carbon programs, what qualified, and whether they could receive payments for adopting carbon sequestering production practices. Given Kentucky stakeholders’ interest in learning about carbon markets, initial research into carbon markets occurred, resulting in an article for our departmental newsletter, “Economic and Policy Update.”  To date, this popular article has been read by 4,500 viewers and gained the attention of state, regional, national, and international stakeholders.  This article was a springboard into developing a national and internationally recognized extension program on the economics of carbon markets.  During the 2021-2022 reporting period, I have been invited to speak to ~2,000 individuals on this topic across Kentucky (county meetings and field days), regionally (Southern Outlook Conference and Southern Extension Economics Committee Meetings), nationally (Crop Insurance Professionals Association and Texas Ag Forum), and internationally (USAID, U.S. Department of Commerce-Global Agribusiness Team, and Altria Group Employee Meeting).  This program’s success has led to be being labeled the leading expert on carbon market economics.  Furthermore, multistate collaborations included joint extension programming and invitations to pursue ~$12M in federal funding on the topic (current grants in review).  

This extension program has been my number one requested extension program since I began at UK in 2015.  I always say that 80% of my job is educating farmers/stakeholders, so they do not make a bad decision.  This extension program is a perfect example.  While popular press (and other sources) are pushing interest in enrolling farmers in carbon programs across the country, there is a high cost to the producers, limited eligibility to enroll, low payments, strict contractual arrangements, and inherent economic risks.  A typical response from attendees after my presentation is first, “Thank you,” followed by, “this is not the right time for my farm to consider enrolling in carbon markets.”  Comments like these drive me as an extension specialist.  I look forward to educating producers and stakeholders on the most up-to-date information on carbon markets into the 2022-2023 extension season.