Carbon Sequestration Focus of Talk

The Powder River Basin Resource Council (PRBRC) hosted a workshop on Monday, May 18, about Carbon Markets and how regenerative agriculture can help the land as well as being managed for sequestration of carbon. Companies will pay landowners to make changes on their ranches to help to decrease their carbon footprint to offset global warming.

The first presenters were Roger and Betsy Indreland, who ranch near Big Timber Montana, and who have recently entered the carbon market.

Roger talked about regenerative agriculture and what they are doing to improve their grazing land, which helps to capture the carbon.

He also talked about how the carbon credits work, and said the whole idea for them was

He said in 2011 they were grazing at a rate of 21 acres per cow, but as the grass improved with their new practices, they now graze at a rate of only 14 acres per cow.

Betsy added,

After a lunch, which was provided by Farm Bureau, Chris Mehus, of Western Sustainability Exchange, presented a talk and a slide show about what they do to help ranchers sequester carbon.

He said they work throughout Montana, Idaho and into Wyoming, however, he added that the ranchers they work with need to have at least 2500 acres or more or it isn’t worth the expense.

He talked about new ways of doing things on the ranch.

Anyone wishing for more information about carbon capture and whether or not it would work on their ranch, they can contact Western Sustainability Exchange.