Although conversion to no-till soil management has been widely promoted as an approach to
enhance soil organic matter as well as to control erosion and conserve water, the main effect
appears to be a vertical re-distribution of organic matter, and an increase toward the surface
more or less matched by a corresponding depletion at depth (Bhogal et al., 2007; Blanco-
Canqui et al., 2008). Nonetheless, the Chicago Climate Exchange includes a specification for
‘conservation tillage’ amongst its Carbon Financial Instruments for carbon sequestration and
thus a precedent for the active engagement of farming in the carbon market