Become a HUMUS+Farmer and make your soil climate-fit!
The scope and duration of the HUMUS+Program is unique in Europe and underpins the leadership of HUMUS+ and the Kaindorf ecoregion in the field of regenerative agriculture and carbon farming.
At its core, the HUMUS+Program consists of an agreement between HUMUS+ and the individual farmer, who agrees to build up humus on an agricultural area of his or her choice over a period of five to seven years. Farmers are free to choose their means, but HUMUS+ recommends a number of management measures such as permanent revegetation, no-till tillage, catch crops, reduction of chemical sprays or the use of compost (see the 3 principles of humus build-up).
HUMUS+ supports participating farmers on the path to humus build-up by generating and distributing expert knowledge (see HUMUS+Education).
In detail
- Apart from the costs for the initial soil analysis, the farmers do not incur any obligations.
- In the course of the initial investigation, 25 GPS-measured soil samples are taken from each humus field (1-5 ha per field) by a certified civil engineering office and combined into a composite sample from which the humus content is determined (initial value). The soil sample is analysed by AGES in Vienna according to ÖNORM standards (organic carbon, total nitrogen, pHCaCl2, CAL-extractable phosphorus and potassium). In addition, exchangeable cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, H+), total sulphur, total and exchangeable phosphorus as well as trace elements (B, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cl, Si, Co, Mo and Se) can be determined according to the Albrecht/Kinsey method.
- Five to seven years after the initial investigation, a success investigation is carried out. The increase in humus content is related to the area using soil depth (0-25cm), coarse skeleton content and storage density to calculate the amount of additional CO2 stored (see also CO2 storage through humus build-up). If the humus build-up is successful (from an increase of 0,3%), the farmer receives a success fee per tonne of stored CO2. By 2023, a total of more than € 500.000 in success fees could be paid out to the participating humus farmers.
- After payment of the success fee, a five-year period begins within which the built-up humus must be verifiably maintained. This is verified at the end of this five-year period by a third soil test. If humus is degraded during this period, the success fee must be repaid proportionately.