Dr. Bruno Basso's roadmap for smarter farming

January 24, 2025

Michigan State University researcher Bruno Basso emphasizes that farmers can maximize benefits from the 45Z tax credit by implementing conservation practices tailored to land productivity. He advises growing high-yield crops with lower inputs on productive land while using alternative practices or crops in less productive areas to reduce costs and improve carbon intensity scores. Basso highlights the combined use of no-till and cover crops for reducing fertilizer needs over time and improving returns on investment. His modeling research, which supports the USDA's Carbon Intensity Calculator, helps farmers quantify the carbon benefits of these practices. Basso underscores the importance of financial incentives to ease conservation adoption and protect farmers during challenging economic times.

This article was originally published by Brownfield AG News