World leaders met at COP26, local leaders met on new low carbon solutions already being grown in Argentina
As the world focused on government and corporate leaders meeting at COP26 in Glasgow Scotland to work together to solve the climate crisis a group of local leaders met in Venado Tuerto, Argentina to support local farmers growing a new independently certified non-food cover crop, Nuseed Carinata, for a sustainable source for low carbon fuel.
The Argentinian Seed Association (ASA) and INASE (National Argentina Seed Institute) Argentina Agricultura Minister, Julián Dominguez; Santa Fe Province Governor, Omar Perotti; Santa Fe Production Minister, Daniel Costamagna, and Venado Tuerto Mayor, Leonel Chiarella, met at the Nuseed Innovation Center and discussed the importance of sustainable agriculture.
Officials toured the new facilities where the Nuseed Carinata R&D for South America is based. Currently Argentina and Uruguay are the first countries to commercially produce the crop, rewarding contract growers for adopting certified sustainable farming practices while growing the crop between main crop rotations on existing farmland.
Interest in using Nuseed Carinata for low carbon feedstock for hard to decarbonize sectors such as aviation and marine fuel is growing, with the first commercial shipments to Saipol, Europe’s largest biodiesel processor based in France. The non-GMO meal, or byproduct left after the oil is extracted, is also being utilized as a plant-based protein source.
While the importance of world events like COP26 to drive government policy and corporate commitment to reduce carbon is critical, and rapidly increasing the demand on low carbon feedstocks, the Nuseed Carinata team is working to make an impact specifically on hard to decarbonize sectors like aviation. The recent International Air Transport Association (IATA) Net Zero Carbon by 2050 resolution to increase use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from 2% in 2025 to 65% in 2050 demonstrates the sector’s commitment to being part of the climate change solution.
With current commercial production underway in South America, Nuseed also has global R&D and regulatory programs facilitated by its existing regional seeds businesses in Australia, Europe and North America to expand sustainable global production. The purpose of Nuseed Carinata’s certified sustainable program is threefold; reduce emissions, remove atmospheric carbon, and restore soil carbon for healthier soils.
