FAST-GHG is a fertilizer and soil tool designed to help quantify greenhouse gas emissions in crop production. Developed by Cornell faculty in partnership with researchers at Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy, FAST-GHG quantifies how soil management practices can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, the FAST-GHG methodology and online calculator provide valuable support to companies that aim to reduce GHG emissions in their agricultural supply chains but who may have limited information about the emissions generated in the production of commodities they sell. The methodology has been carefully and transparently documented to allow any individual to implement the accounting method.
In September 2020, FAST-GHG was included in Walmart’s Project Gigaton to allow Walmart suppliers to calculate their avoided emissions from adopting soil health practices.
FAST-GHG
- Focuses on corn, soybean and wheat cropping systems of the Continental US
- Includes improved tillage and cover cropping and nitrogen fertilizer management
- Quantifies results as avoided GHG emissions
Tools & Documentation
- Overview
- FAST-GHG calculator
- Project Gigaton calculator
(Choose “Agriculture” and expand #10) - Detailed Documentation
Research Team and Advisors
Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability managed the collaboration and funded the research
- Cornell Research Team:
- Peter Woodbury, Soil & Crop Sciences
- Dominic Woolf, Soil & Crop Sciences
- Christina Tonitto
Cornell served as an independent research body, undertaking a scientific inquiry on behalf of the public good. Advisors aided with scientific peer review, providing guidance and critique, and sharing resources and data.