The carbon market — something likely to be a big growth area in agriculture in the coming years — must be attentive to farmers’ knowledge and experience in things like soil and water conservation in how it presents new economic incentives for widespread adoption of such practices in the future. That’s the contention of a farm-state lawmaker this week, who urges caution at USDA and the private sector in developing the carbon marketplace. Conservation practices to shrink the industry’s carbon footprint are common considerations on most farms and should be adequately weighted — along with potential disruption to the existing commodity markets — in developing the market. Recently, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said he’d consider using Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds to begin a “carbon bank” that could begin paying farmers for carbon-friendly practices. In this way, both Vilsack and industry leaders say the carbon market is similar to other market segments that offer revenue potential for farmers. Carbon farming is shaping up to be a major story in agriculture through 2021 and beyond. See the latest.