A new research project called Money for Peat was launched in the Dutch province of Friesland last week that will incentivise farmers to rewet peat soils in order to reduce carbon emissions. Farmers in the programme will be given carbon credits priced at €70/t for rewetting their peat soil, which they can then sell to companies in the market for carbon credits.

One of the pilot farms in the project is a 32ha organic dairy farm.

Rewetting the peat soils will prevent further oxidisation of the soils

The researchers expect to cut carbon emissions from the peat soil on this farm by as much as 4,370t over a 10-year period by raising the water table on the farm and slowly rewetting the land over time.

Rewetting the peat soils will prevent further oxidisation of the soils and lock carbon in the ground. Based on the price of carbon at €70/t, the farm could earn over €305,000 in carbon credits over the next decade from rewetting the soils, or just under €30,600 per annum. The new Government has said it will develop an incentive programme for rewetting peat soils over the coming years.