The agriculture sector generates approximately 10% of Canadian GHG emissions (Environment Canada, 2003) and 6% of total US GHG emissions (EPA, 2005) from sources such as enteric fermentation (animal digestion by-product), manure management, and soil processes. By signing the Kyoto Protocol, Canada has committed to reducing its GHG emissions to 6% below 1990 levels. While the US is not a part of the Kyoto agreement, similar GHG reduction programs exist on a regional basis, such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in the Northeast states. GHG registry and trading programs are being developed to provide a market-based, results-oriented mechanism to encourage GHG emission reduction initiatives. This economic incentive for implementing practices that reduce GHG will allow proponents to sell or trade ‘carbon credits’ based on management practices that they have adopted. Canada’s GHG emissions trading program is due to come online in the near future, while the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative program is to be implemented by 2009.
 
The ability to trace each ton of stored carbon to a specific set of actions ensures that landowners are positioned to trade or rent their GHG sequestration capabilities. Current default methodologies for quantifying GHG emissions use pre-defined emission factors for a given management practice. However, due to the complexity of agricultural systems, these emission factors can over-generalize the situation and produce GHG emission estimates that are much higher or lower that the actual amount. Enviro-Geo develops tools based on the DNDC model to assist in reporting GHG emissions that are produced from soil processes in agricultural and forest systems. Enviro-Geo expertise and modeling tools can help landowners to quantify current baseline emission conditions that would be beneficial from a public relations perspective and be a strategic position for future economic rewards in a GHG trading system.