Copa-Cogeca has welcomed the council of EU agriculture ministers’ support for carbon farming as a “new green business model”.
The council recently adopted conclusions on carbon farming based on the EU Commission’s sustainable carbon cycles communication in the agriculture and forestry sectors.
The communication sets out an action plan for developing sustainable solutions to increase carbon removals.
Copa-Cogeca said that both the agriculture and forestry sectors must recognise their role in transitioning towards greener economies.
The representative body of European farmers and agri-cooperatives stated that the primary objective of agriculture must be sustainable food production and forestry needs to provide alternative energy mixes.
Carbon farming rewards landowners for taking up improved land management practices.
Copa-Cogeca noted the council’s support to “conceive carbon farming as a new green business model of voluntary nature”.
This will ensure that farmers can develop a business plan based on their economic capacities and other strategic aspects.
The body supported the council’s suggestion to expand the list of carbon farming practices and for sufficient payments for the implementation of the model on farms.
It noted the distinction between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural practices and the potential contributions of carbon farming to reducing these emissions.
“Solely focusing on carbon dioxide [CO2] does not reflect the nature and cyclical dynamics of agriculture and forestry,” Copa-Cogeca said.
The representative body said that the carbon farming model must have a simple certification framework which does not cause “disproportionate administrative burdens”, nor penalise farmers for any carbon release.
Copa-Cogeca outlined its support for plans by the EU Commission to establish an expert group to examine best practice and existing systems.
Finally, the group called for public and private investment and further innovation and research which are “crucial to further scaling the implementation of carbon farming practices on the ground”.