Farmers must register with an aggregator by April 29th or risk losing out on claiming their carbon credits.

The deadline comes from changes to the Emission Offset System Program, meaning producers now need to identify fields they're considering claiming credits on for the 2018 growing season.

Aggregate Agent with Carbon Credit Solutions Inc, Dale Valin, says after the deadline, you'll also lose the ability to claim your last three years of carbon credits.

"Everyday we encounter more farmers, and large farmers here in Alberta that have never heard of the program, and this retroactive over three years is very very valuable, and you deserve those funds."

Valin says, the process takes about ten days, so it's important to register as soon as possible.

He says, producers must be using no till farming practices to claim carbon credits.

"The big zero till requirement is about the percentage of cultivation regarding your seeding activity and it's 46 per cent. Theoretically, if your opener is 4.6 inches, and you've got 10 inch spacing, you are right on the line. So anything below that, you qualify."

Valin says, in the region south of Calgary, which side of Hwy 2 your land is on determines your the value of your carbon credits.

"On the east side, those rates are called dry prairie, and they are about 75 cents per acre to give you an idea of what you will receive. On the west side of the highway, it doubles at $1.47 per acre. Irrigated land is also in the $1.47 per acre category."

CEO and Chair of Carbon Credit Solutions Inc, Ed Alfke, says if farmers miss the deadline of April 29th, they won't receive money from their credits earlier than 2020.

 

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