Understanding and accurately measuring carbon emissions is crucial to managing carbon footprints and related sustainability efforts. By enrolling in a Truterra program, farmers agree to provide Truterra with their field management data so we can measure their impact and generate assets for sale to companies inside and outside of the food and ag industry with their own sustainability goals. To translate that data into salable assets, we use computer modeling and carbon quantification tools. These tools are essential for Truterra's sustainability programs, providing valuable insights to our farmers and customers.
After we've gathered the farmer’s relevant management data, the data is modeled. Truterra leverages various modeling platforms, with one of the primary models being the System Approach for Land Use Sustainability (SALUS) model developed at Michigan State University by Bruno Basso, co-founder of CIBO Technologies (CIBO). CIBO, Truterra’s technology provider, holds an exclusive commercial license for SALUS.
Modeling involves integrating various data sources, like management practices, soils, and weather data, to analyze greenhouse gas emissions at the field level. While some factors, like the choice of tillage system and crop type, are within the farmer's control, others, like weather conditions, are not.
Example of farmer field management data collected for most programs
Once the farmer's management data has been modeled, we move on to quantification. This step uses a baseline condition to calculate carbon reductions and removals occurring as a result of field management activities and practice adoption. This is what allows us to quantify carbon assets that can then be sold to customers inside and outside of the food and agriculture industry.
Of course, these processes heavily rely on data, and implementing processes focused on data quality is paramount. Errors in data collection can jeopardize results and reputations. That's why Truterra has a dedicated team for carefully collecting and reviewing all field management data before the modeling and quantification process begins. We also perform quality checks on the results, a necessary step in developing assets for customers as well as providing accurate compensation for farmers.
These modeling and quantification steps are essential in enabling Truterra to pay farmers for the assets generated by their on-farm practices while meeting the needs of our customers. We’ll continue to use our agricultural experience and evolving technological advancements to improve how we measure this impact.
Learn more about Truterra’s farmer program offerings here. Learn more about our offerings for helping companies inside and outside the food and ag industry work towards their sustainability goals here.