Your reward for regenerative farming
You will increase the proportion of organic matter in your soil, which will retain water on your land.
You will receive regular results and analysis of soil samples free of charge.
We'll pay you a reward for sustainable farming - the more carbon, the higher the reward.
By revitalising the soil, you will encourage good yields while minimising expenditure on diesel and chemicals.
As the degradation of other soil accelerates, your living soil will increase in market value.
Healthy, chemical-free soil produces quality, award-winning products.
With fewer field crossings and other chores, you'll have more time for you and your loved ones.
The soil is your gold. With permanent cover, it will stay on your property and not wash away to your neighbours.
You are part of a community of like-minded farmers; society will appreciate your responsible farming.
• Organic and conventional farms and businesses.
• The total area of fields or pastures involved in the project is at least 10 hectares.
• Land that has been in agricultural production since at least 2013.
Together we will look at the possibilities of converting your farm to regenerative agriculture. Once you've signed a five-year contract, we'll provide expert support and facilitate your gradual transition.
At the start, you will record basic information about your practice in the Carboneg application. You will then complete the seasonal data for the Regenerative Practice Index assessment by 31 December each year.
Soil samples are taken at the same time each year and the amount of organic carbon is determined in the laboratory. This is converted into tonnes of CO2 that have been stored in the soil as organic matter due to your farming.
The results will be confirmed by an external certification agency. Based on this, we monitor and generate carbon credits that will be publicly registered.
We will pay you a reward for every tonne of CO₂ you remove from the atmosphere. The reward is directly proportional to the increase in organic matter in your soil.
Simply a commitment to long-term regenerative management.
Use direct drilling or strip tillage.
Strive for permanent ground cover through the incorporation of intercrops.
Reduce the use of mineral fertilisers and plant protection products.
In the case of grazing, practise regenerative (intensive rotational) grazing.
Have a different carbon program on the same property.
Cultivate the soil deeper than 10cm.
Implement other measures that divert water from the landscape.
Burning biomass and draining wetlands.
Plot selection, REGE practice plan
Provision of plot and practice data
Signing the contract
Začátek
Výběr pozemků, plán REGE praxe
Poskytnutí dat k pozemkům a praxi
Podpis smlouvy
1. rok
Completion of data for the practice at the end of the calendar year
1st soil sampling and laboratory analysis
2. - 5. rok (konec)
Improving REGE practice
Data submission for the practice at the end of the calendar year
Regular soil sampling
Regular analysis of satellite imagery and review of REGE practices
80% reward when organic matter increases*
10. rok (konec)
Permanent REGE practice
Additional soil sampling or satellite image analysis
After meeting the conditions, the rest of the bonus 20% is paid in full
*Reward may be increased by a bonus from the Practice Rege Index
at least per tonne CO2
CO2/ha/year
We regularly pay a financial reward according to the measured increase in organic carbon in the soil.
The measured carbon is converted into tonnes of CO2, which is fixed as organic matter thanks to your management.
For every tonne of CO2 you remove from the atmosphere thanks to your management, we will pay you a minimum reward of 8 EUR. With the correct and consistent application of regenerative principles, you can store approximately 10 tonnes of CO2/ha/year in the soil, which works out to a reward of 80 EUR/ha/year. This is an approximate long-term average, which cannot be contractually guaranteed.
You will receive 80% of the reward instantly. You will receive the remaining 20% as a top-up payment 5 years after the last measurement, i.e. in the 10th year after signing the contract, unless there is a significant reduction in soil organic matter in the meantime.
A retention fee of 20% serves as an insurance policy for the use of regenerative principles throughout the duration of the program.
In addition, by improving your regenerative practice you can earn a financial bonus of up to 30% (Carboneg Regenerative Practice Index).
• Better practice = more support for overall biodiversity
• Reward system for using multiple elements of regenerative management at the same time
• The condition is the timely and correct submission of your practice values
• Additional financial support for each tonne of CO2 stored in the soil
• Up to 30% extra on top of basic remuneration
• In total you can get up to 10 EUR per tonne CO2/ha/year
To avoid double counting of stored CO2, we only pay a reward for the year-on-year increase. Measured carbon (Cox) values are naturally quite highly variable. When regenerative practices are followed, the overall trend according to the available science is upwards over the years. However, in some years the carbon content may stagnate or even decrease.
According to the above chart, if there is a decline in the fourth year, no financial reward will be paid. If there is an increase in carbon in the following year, the compensation will be calculated against the difference of the highest previous value achieved. Dark green indicates an increment that is rewarded.
Regenerative management has increased and stabilised our profits. In 2022, we have reduced our POR costs by 20% and our diesel costs by 25%. Thus, despite a drier year, we recorded record profits, thanks to the increase in commodity prices.
Rostislav Mátl
Chairman of DVP Agro a.s., Czech Republic
We have not ploughed or fertilised the land for almost 10 years and every day we see how life is gradually returning to the soil thanks to the change in management. I am pleased that for the second year we have received a financial reward for the carbon we have deposited, which has enabled us to purchase a new direct drilling machine and invest in further soil conservation and diversity measures.
Ing. Robert Dohál
Chairman of PD Krakovany, Slovakia
"Our priority is healthy soil and keeping water in the landscape."
Rostislav Mátl, Czechia
Blog
Yes it is possible, but you need to incorporate principles into your system in the future that lead to the retention of as much organic matter/carbon in the soil as possible.
Involvement in our project is not affected by the application of plant protection products or fertilisers. However, there is an expectation that the frequency of application will decrease over time.
Yes, you can. Just bear in mind that incorporating any material into the soil releases carbon previously stored there.
This situation should not arise. The increase in carbon depends on the number of principles you put in place, the more you put in place, the faster your soils will improve and the more carbon will increase.
Financial rewards are being financed by large corporations in service industries that are trying to achieve carbon neutrality but are unable to get to zero with existing technologies. Typically these are various banks, IT companies, operators, etc. These are not direct stack CO2 emitters like power or heating plants, their emissions are regulated by emission permits.
The use of both cultivators and disk harrows increases the mineralisation of carbon in the soil, which is released into the atmosphere as CO2. The more intensive the soil intervention, the more carbon is released.
Regenerative agriculture uses minimal mechanical tillage, direct seeding techniques, strip-till, cover cropping and other practices. Any mechanical disturbance of the soil releases organic carbon in the form of CO2. Additionally, any deeper mechanical disturbance of the soil will, among other things, disrupt the mycorrhizal fungi hyphae that live in symbiosis with the crop, thereby depriving the crop of the nutrients that the fungi could contribute.
Replace mechanical soil disturbance with suitable mixtures of cover crops. Different cover crops affect the soil structure at different depths. For example, the roots of peas, vetches, oats, or cowpeas affect the top layers of the soil, broad beans or mung beans affect the middle layers, and it is mainly the Brassicas such as mustard, radish, or rapeseed that reach down to the depths of one metre or more. If the subsoil layer is compacted, the roots are able to grow through the cracks and tunnels left by earthworms to break up the layer. If the compacted layer is too thick, it is advisable to first break it up mechanically and then sow a deep-rooting cover crop such as alfalfa or purple clover. In this case, the cover crop should be left on the plot for at least 2-3 years. When selecting cover crops, it is advisable to form mixtures, the roots will then grow through the entire soil profile and, due to competition with each other, will also grow through the deeper soil layers.
In accordance with current legislation, we recommend that manure is spread as evenly as possible.
Applying compost is a suitable and recommended method to add organic matter and nutrients to your fields. However, take care to ensure the quality of the compost.
Cover crop roots dig deep into the soil, increasing its water-holding capacity to make better use of rainfall from heavy rains. In addition, soil rich in organic matter is able to retain a considerable amount of water, which plants can use for their growth even in drought conditions and then subsequently cool the surrounding landscape with their leaves via evapotranspiration. The soil covered by green plants is heated less and is protected from excessive evaporation and water loss.
Yes you can, you need to change to rotational managed grazing.
We know that it takes courage to commit to change. But regenerative agriculture is not a step into the unknown, it is a return to nature. And you don't have to worry about profitability. Healthy soil yields good returns and is the sign of a good farmer. Your buyers and end customers will appreciate your quality products and your responsible approach. And new market opportunities will open up for you. We'll support you on the road to regenerative agriculture, show you how to save money and make it easy for you to get started. Get in touch with our carbon programme.
