Bayer delivers Brazil’s first carbon footprint-measured grain shipment

Bayer announced on Friday, the 26th, that it has completed the first shipment of Brazilian soybeans with a measured carbon footprint, as well as being traceable and free from deforestation. According to the company, the shipment, produced by Bom Futuro Agrícola, was made to the trading company ADM.

This initiative is part of the PRO Carbono Commodities project, which involves soybean production from ten Brazilian farmers located in the Cerrado and the Amazon regions, covering a total of 159 thousand hectares.

The project measures the carbon footprint throughout the entire farming process, from pre-planting to harvest, including transportation, until the grain is delivered.

According to Bayer, the initiative ensures that the commodities originate from an area without deforestation, encompassing around 90 thousand hectares of natural vegetation, including legal reserves and their surplus. The company emphasizes that participating farmers must meet a prerequisite: they cannot have converted any natural vegetation into agricultural land within the past ten years, even if it was legally permitted. This requirement aligns with international carbon certification standards. Additionally, by joining the program, farmers commit to preserving the surplus of natural vegetation on their properties.

Bayer also comments that the program has recorded primary data from the areas corresponding to the 240 thousand tonnes of soybeans produced and has calculated an average carbon footprint of 861.55 tons of CO2 equivalent.

“It is a significant difference when compared to values available in internationally recognized databases, which indicate that the average carbon footprint of Brazilian soybeans is 2,600 kg CO2 eq/t. These comparative databases serve as a reference to assess the efficiency of the production process. However, it is important to emphasize that as scientific knowledge advances, these references must be constantly updated to provide more accurate information,” explains Fabio Passos, Bayer’s Carbon Business Director for Latin America.

Source: Money Times

To read the original news report, check: https://www.moneytimes.com.br/bayer-entrega-primeira-carga-de-graos-no-brasil-com-pegada-mensurada-de-carbono/

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