Indigo Ag announces FieldFlex for sustainability program flexibility

A new offering available through Indigo Ag's industry partners will give farmers flexibility in choosing sustainability programs that meet their needs. Indigo's FieldFlex will offer a comprehensive suite of programs, allowing farmers to choose the program that meets their needs without jeopardizing their eligibility for another.

Both Carbon by Indigo and Market+ Source, Indigo's sustainable crop (scope three) program are offered under FieldFlex.

"Each program is a little different in terms of sustainable characteristics and the premiums paid. We've been doing both of these as separate programs for several years now and we've had tremendous success in both areas," says Heather Gieseke, vice president carbon commercial for Indigo. "One thing that was really mission critical for Indigo was ensuring that farmers have the optionality to participate in whatever programs make the most sense for them for each field from one year to the next. It gives farmers the choice to do what makes sense for their farm and have maximum benefit from one year to the next for all of the sustainable programs at their disposal."

Carbon by Indigo is the company's traditional carbon program, offering farmers payments based on carbon sequestration through practice changes like reduced tillage, cover crops, and nitrogen management. Market+ Source is different in that it allows farmers to be paid premiums for grains grown with certain sustainable practices (where it is available), and typically does not require the adoption of new practices.

"These programs are driven by consumer packaged goods companies that are looking to eliminate or minimize their scope three emissions and their supply chains, or wanting to make claims on the labels of these products."

FieldFlex participants are able to maintain their traditional crop rotations, while working with the program that aligns with each crop. While the carbon program has stricter requirements for additionality and permanence, Indigo will work with farmers to maintain and monitor practice change requirements.

"It's really critical that we continue to support farmers through ongoing years of practice changes as well as the monitoring and measurement of the outcomes on that field," Gieseke says. "When they choose to produce carbon credits again at the next part of their rotation where that makes sense, they can continue to capture the revenue from the carbon sequestration that year."

Participating in FieldFlex can also alleviate the pressure farmers may feel to choose the "right" program, allowing them to maximize profitability for field-level sustainability practices. Gieseke says scope three programs are highly regional, leaving carbon programs the only option for farmers across the country. With FieldFlex, a farmer can enroll in the carbon program now and seamlessly participate in Market+ Source if it becomes available in their market.

"It really gives everybody the confidence to jump in now, start participating and generate this new revenue stream now, with a peace of mind of flexibility in the future," Gieseke says.

Context Network

This article is part of the SF Carbon Connection, a joint carbon market project between Successful Farming magazine and The Context Network, West Des Moines, Iowa. We are developing editorial content regarding existing carbon markets and carbon programs available to farmers. Each month, Successful Farming magazine and Agriculture.com will contain stories that enable farmers to dig deeper into carbon markets. Future carbon market coverage may also convey information through other media platforms.