Bayer
Bayer launched ForGround, in August of 2022, a unique regenerative agriculture platform that supports producers in considering, adopting, and expanding regenerative agricultural practices by creating the connection to a suite of resources, decision support tools, and meaningful opportunities and value. One program on the ForGround platform is Bayer Carbon.
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| Year Organization Established a Carbon Program | 2016 |
| Affiliated Organization Type | Seed and Crop Protection company |
| Affiliated Organizations | |
| Buyers secured | Producers enroll in the Bayer Carbon Program through ForGround. |
| Payment Basis to Farmers | Price / Acre / Yr. |
| Payment Amount and Details | • $6/acre/yr. for cover crop adoption* • $12/acre/yr. for adopting both practices*• $4 for nitrogen management and use of select nitrification inhibitors, when a field is planted with corn • $6/acre end of contract bonus. • Carbon market upside evaluated on an annual basis |
| Agricultural System Focus | Cropland |
| Eligible States | Select counties in the U.S. Confirm with Bayer if your county is eligible for Bayer Carbon. Regardless of location, ALL growers qualify for ForGround. |
| Eligible Practices | No till, strip till, and/or cover crops (Cover crop and reduced tillage must be done each year without planned interruptions to qualify) |
| Contract Length | Each field must remain enrolled in the Bayer Carbon Program for 10 years (minus any years for which the farmer receives payment for historical practices), plus an additional 10-year retention period after the program term, during which practices must be maintained. |
| Contract Details | 1-year look back and historic payment if enrolled before December 31, 2022. Dropping out of the program is permitted, but producers need to provide written notice to Bayer at least 30 days prior to the end of the current program year. Payment occurs once practice is verified and on an annual basis for up to ten years. |
| Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) | Practice validation through field evidence photos, purchase receipts, soil samples, and historical management practice data collection, supported through Climate FieldView™ and with in-person support Practice validation costs are incurred by Bayer |
| Digital Tools for MRV | Climate FieldView™ |
| Qualification/eligibility criteria | Eligibility is on a field-by-field basis: • Producers can plant corn, soy, wheat, barley, sorghum, oats, rye, millet, dry beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas • Plan to implement no till, strip till, and/or cover crops on enrolled fields (Cover crop and reduced tillage must be done each year without planned interruptions to qualify) • New eligible practices adopted continuously since October 1, 2020, are eligible for up to two years of historical payback, in addition to current year payment. • Fields must be in currently eligible counties which are regularly updated on Bayer’s program website. • Are or will become a Climate FieldView™ user (all ForGround growers receive a free Climate FieldView™ Plus subscription with membership) |
| Minimum Acreage | 10 acres |
| Must land be owned? | Own or obtain permission from landowner to participate on enrolled fields |
| Minimum Data Requirements | Data Collection: field evidence photos and historical management practice data collection, supported through Climate FieldView and with in-person support. Unclear. |
| Years of management practice data needed | |
| Does the program pay for past practices? | Unclear |
| Additional information | How the Program Works: 1.Bayer develops program. 2.Producer enrolls in the Bayer Carbon Program through ForGround. 3.Producer shares fields through the Climate FieldView™ digital ag platform and enrolls fields that meet eligibility criteria. 4.Throughout the season, producer records management practice data in Climate FieldView Data Manager. Most data can be streamed and automated via the FieldView Drive. Data can also be entered manually through Data Manager. 5.Bayer verifies practice implementation using various methods, including on-farm verification and remote sensing, at no cost to the producer. 6.Bayer pays producer after verification and validation. 7.Bayer issues credits through a registry. A partnership with Nori marketplace was announced, in which credits are known as NRTs and can be purchased with cash or NORI tokens. Bayer intends to work with multiple registries. Bayer producers enrolled in ForGround are eligible to receive discounts for equipment and agronomic tools and services, as well as a free FieldView™ PLUS subscription, to reduce cost barriers. |
| Payment Calculator | Bayer offers a calculator to determine the potential payment for enrolling fields into the Bayer Carbon Program. |
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For additional details, visit the Bayer’s website