Washington agriculture can lead the fight against climate change — and make a profit | Opinion

It’s easy to forget the essential role that agriculture producers play in providing the food for our dining tables. If you know a farmer, give thanks to them for persevering in the face of huge risks associated with weather and competition. If you are an ag producer, thank you!

On top of those challenges, as noted in a previous column, ag producers are facing the prospects of diminished irrigation water in summer as global warming reduces mountain snowpack and consequently the snowmelt that supplies irrigation water.

I know and talk to farmers. From my conversations, it’s clear that they’re proud of their stewardship of the land that has been in the care of their families for generations. They’ve made great progress in increasing the efficiency of their use of water, fertilizers, pesticides and fuel. Many of them have adopted practices that conserve soil and improve soil health. They frankly resent being characterized as environment demons because of the actions of a few bad actors.

In fact, ag producers can be climate heroes.

Many own land that can host many solar panels and wind turbines, which produce carbon-free electricity and provide income to keep farms competitive with other ag producers. Wind turbines have minimal impact on food production, and solar panels can coexist with grazing and crops. Wind turbines on farms in the Great Plains, where winds are strong and steady, generate one-third of the total wind energy in the United States.

While the productivity of most crops decreases when grown in the shade of solar panels, the addition of solar panels can increase the total farm income by up to 70% because of the income from electricity production. See the Farmer’s Guide to Going Solar, from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Farms already produce much bioethanol from corn, but it’s far from carbon-free because it relies on fossil fuels for farm operations, fertilizer and converting the corn to bioethanol. If bioethanol is produced from food waste, sugarcane, or switchgrass, the carbon emissions are less than 40% of fossil fuel. But if it’s produced from corn, the carbon emissions from production are more than half that of fossil fuels. However, if corn feedstock is converted to fuel without fossil fuel, and if the corn is produced with sustainable and precision farming practices, the production of biofuel can actually remove carbon from the atmosphere.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Emissions from cattle and sheep are 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Ranches and dairy farms can reduce their methane emissions in several ways. Direct emissions from livestock can be reduced by up to 80% by adding a small amount of Asparagopsis seaweed to their diet. Austin Allred’s Royal Dairy in Royal City is reducing its methane emissions from manure by adding methane digesting worms to the manure. Those emissions can also be captured and sold as renewable methane that, when burned, emits carbon dioxide, a much less potent greenhouse gas.

Finally, ag producers can practice regenerative agriculture to store carbon in soil. Organic farmer Brad Baillie of Connell plants cover crops in his rotation to build soil carbon, which improves water retention and adds nutrients as well. Ty Meyer of Colton, who is Production Ag Manager for the Spokane Conservation District, directly injects wheat seed into the soil rather than tilling it, thus leaving vital fungal communities undisturbed, improving water retention, and reducing loss of soil and soil carbon.

Shifting grazing to different pastures prevents soil degradation. Adding biochar, a very stable form of carbon produced from burning waste wood under low oxygen, improves soil health and water retention.

Also, carbon storage in forests can be improved through selective harvesting; the harvested wood stores carbon in homes, and the remaining trees have less competition for sunlight and water, and consequently are healthier and less prone to burning.

This story was originally published December 20, 2023 at 5:00 AM.