DATE: September 5, 2025
SECTOR: Agriculture
SOURCE: North Carolina (NC) State University (Agronomy Journal)
TOPIC: The climate effects of conservation practices in agriculture
SUMMARY: A new study explores how climate-smart practices affect emissions and soil carbon using a model-based approach across two U.S. sites.
DESCRIPTION: A new study from NC State University offers a 25-year outlook on how climate-smart agricultural practices could affect greenhouse gas emissions and soil carbon levels. Using a model ensemble approach to improve confidence in the results, researchers analysed more than three decades of data on conservation strategies – including no-till and cover crops – at two long-term research sites in the U.S. The study highlights the potential for these practices to contribute meaningfully to climate goals while emphasising that effectiveness varies by region and scenario.
Access the study: Management alternatives for climate-smart agriculture at two long-term agricultural research sites in the U.S.
