Last night Delta Institute received an Innovation Award from the American Carbon Registry to recognize the registration of Delta’s nitrogen fertilizer project on ACR, marking the first-ever environmental credit transaction aimed at reducing harmful N2O emissions in agriculture.
The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, is a leading carbon offset program and recognizes carbon market innovation through its annual awards event.
ACR Director Jon Kadyszewski presented the awards to recognize outstanding environmental achievements, and this year’s Innovation Awards, specifically, recognize “important milestones in broadening the opportunities for farmers and landowners to participate in carbon markets, incentivizing adoption of voluntary actions to reduce emissions.”
In February 2014, Delta Institute announced its partnership with The Climate Trust on the Delta Nitrogen Credit Program, a new effort to reward farmers for reducing the environmental impacts of their nitrogen fertilizer practices. This program builds on Delta’s previous carbon trading experience from 2005 to 2010 which returned over $2 million to small farmers and landowners in 18 states.
“We are proud of this recognition by ACR of our nine years of work with Midwest farmers to create and implement market-driven solutions to build environmental resilience, such as the Delta Nitrogen Credit Program,” said Delta Institute CEO Jean Pogge. “Farmers are the ultimate stewards of our land and water resources, and this program demonstrates that they can reduce emissions while producing food, fuel, and fiber. We are excited to have great partners at The Climate Trust, USDA, American Farmland Trust, Conservation Technology Information Center, Environmental Defense Fund, and agricultural retailers on this innovative program to incentivize low emissions agricultural practices.”
The award was presented at the Navigating the American Carbon World conference held in San Francisco, California.
For more information on the Delta Nitrogen Credit program and how to participate, please contact Delta Institute or visit www.deltanitrogen.org.