Understanding Ecosystem Services and Carbon Markets | Session 2

In this second session, we will be providing more detail on carbon markets specifically tuned to ranching and pasture management.  We will also address a growing movement to construct consumer ‘carbon intensity’ seals that would identify food and other products as being produced with land management practices that sequester in soil significant amounts of atmospheric carbon. We will also dive into methods that are being developed to validate and track management practices that support this goal.  In addition, we will learn from organizations working to educate consumers on the positive benefits of these practices on their products.  

This webinar series is organized to clarify:

• How pasture and rangeland managers can participate in, and economically benefit from emerging carbon and environmental marketplaces.
• Why are organizations buying credits, and what do they want to see from the process that creates them?
• What impact do regenerative pasture and rangeland management practices have on consumer purchasing decisions, and how do we best communicate and build trust with consumers?

Meet our Panelists:

• Dr. Paul Zorner is Chief Agronomist and CEO Emeritus of Locus Agricultural Solutions® (Locus AG). Locus AG is an agricultural technology B Corporation® (B Corp™) with innovative microbial “probiotic” solutions that improve soil health to increase crop productivity, accelerate crops’ ability to sequester atmospheric carbon in soils, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Paul has held R&D, operating, and leadership positions with large agribusinesses and venture-backed startups including BASF, Dow Chemical, Mycogen Corp (acquired by Corteva), and Diversa Corp. He has dedicated his career to supporting the global food supply, improving the nutritional content of food, and advocating for agricultural systems that support the economic and environmental health of rural communities.
• Anthony Myint is a chef-turned climate crusader who co-founded Zero Foodprint a non-profit organizing public-private collaboration with state agencies in CA and regional governments in Boulder and Denver, CO, to scale regenerative agriculture. ZFP mobilizes businesses and citizens to directly reverse climate change by building healthy soil on local farms and ranches with a few cents per purchase.
• Sarah Baxendell is the designer and founder of Hilltop Urban Farm in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the largest urban agriculture site and the first at-scale urban farm incubator in the USA. She is currently the Director of Finance and Regen Registry at Regen Network, helping farmers create regenerative agriculture carbon credits projects.
• Elizabeth Fastiggi is the Worldwide Business Development Lead for Agriculture at AWS. She partners with customers on transformative initiatives that align digital innovation with their business vision and is motivated by the opportunity to create solutions that create a healthier, transparent, and more inclusive food system. Before AWS, Elizabeth led Market Development at Indigo Agriculture and Business Development at Farmers Business Network. Previously, Elizabeth was a private equity investor with GE Capital and Ziff Brothers Investments, structuring investments in the energy and agriculture sectors. Elizabeth began her career at the Environmental Defense Fund, developing partnerships with market-leading corporations to improve environmental and financial performance.