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September 20, 2022
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) News has arrived from Washington that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing up to $2.8 billion in 70 projects under the first pool of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding opportunity. It’s become the US Department of Action, as it turns out, the grand ol’ USDA.
Big wins for industrials include:
$5M for Scaling Up the Industrial Hemp Supply Chain as Carbon Negative Feedstock for Fuel and Fiber, $6M for Reducing GHG Emissions and Improving Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential through High- Carbon Soil Amendment, $15M for Industrial Hemp for Fiber and Grain, $25M for An Integrated Approach to Scaling-Up Climate-Smart Practices for Crop, Livestock, and Agroforestry Production, $30M for the The GEVO Climate-Smart Farm-to-Flight Program, $30M for Climate-Smart Camelina, $35M for Climate-Smart Specialty Grains and Oilseeds: Covering America from Coast to Coast, and $70M for The Climate-Smart Agriculture Innovative Finance Initiative.
Ultimately, USDA’s anticipated investment will triple to more than $3 billion in pilots that will create market opportunities for American commodities produced using climate-smart production practices. These initial projects will expand markets for climate-smart commodities, leverage the greenhouse gas benefits of climate-smart commodity production and provide direct benefits to production agriculture, including for small and underserved producers.
USDA is currently evaluating project proposals from the second funding pool, which includes funding requests from $250,000 to $4.9 million. These projects will emphasize the enrollment of small and/or underserved producers and/or monitoring, reporting and verification activities developed at minority-serving institutions. USDA said it expects to announce these selections later this fall.
The Background and funding mechanism
Applicants submitted more than 450 project proposals in the first funding pool, and the strength of the projects identified led USDA to increase its investment from the initial $1 billion Vilsack announced earlier this year, he said.
Funding for Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities will be delivered through USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation in two pools. The first funding pool included proposals seeking funds ranging from $5 million to $100 million. USDA received over 450 proposals from more than 350 entities, including nonprofit organizations; for-profits and government entities; farmer cooperatives; conservation, energy and environmental groups; state, tribal and local governments; universities (including minority serving institutions); small businesses; and large corporations.
Project Summaries
Projects with Approximate Funding Ceilings from $70M-$95M
Farmers for Soil Health Climate-Smart Commodities Partnership
This project proposes to accelerate long-term cover crop adoption by creating a platform to incentivize farmers. The platform will quantify, verify, and facilitate the sale of ecosystem benefits, creating a marketplace to generate demand for climate-smart commodities.
Lead Partner: National Fish & Wildlife Foundation
Other Major Partners: Farmers for Soil Health (National Corn Growers Association, the United Soybean Board, and the National Pork Board), National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Center for Appropriate Technology, National Association of Conservation Districts, Soil Health Institute, University of Missouri, Sustainability Consortium, Data Transmission Network, The Walton Family Foundation Primary States Expected: IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MN, MI, MO, NE, OH, SD, TN, ND, NC, MD, DE, NY, WI, PA, VA Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $95,000,000
Midwest Climate-Smart Commodity Program
This project will build markets and provide funding to farmers via outcome-based contracts for the reduction and removal of carbon dioxide through the adoption of new climate-smart practices. The remaining project funding will support farmer enrollment assistance, carbon quantification, technical assistance support, measurement, reporting and verification, and underserved farmer outreach and enrollment.
Lead Partner: Iowa Soybean Association
Other Major Partners: ReHarvest Partners, PepsiCo, Cargill, Renewable Energy Group, Ingredion, Target, JBS, Coca-Cola, Mano y Ola, FarmRaise, Rural Community Assistance Partnership
Primary States Expected: IL, IN, IA, KS, NE, ND, OH, WI, SD, MO, MI, MN
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Wheat
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $95,000,000
Strengthening Grassroots Leadership and Capacity to Scale Climate-Smart Production Systems and Facilitate Underserved Producers’ Access to Markets
This project will work through its network of 3,000 conservation districts throughout the nation to grow and advance grassroots efforts to ensure producers and local communities are prepared to meet the demand and have access to climate-smart commodity markets.
Lead Partner: National Association of Conservation Districts
Other Major Partners: Indian Nations Conservation Alliance (INCA), Rural Coalition, the Kansas Black Farmers Association, and the Rural Advancement Fund of the National Sharecroppers Fund. Additional partners include the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC), Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, HabiTerre, Cornell University Atkinson Center for Sustainability
Primary States Expected: Nationwide, Tribal, Territories,
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Sorghum, Rice, Livestock
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $90,000,000
Climate SMART (Scaling Mechanisms for Agriculture’s Regenerative Transformation)
This project, which will reach across 28 states, aims to catalyze a self-sustaining, market-based network to broaden farmer access, scale adoption of climate-smart practices, and sustainably produce grain and dairy commodities with verified and quantified climate benefits.
Lead Partner: Truterra, LLC.
Other Major Partners: Ag Gateway, Biofiltro, Continuum Ag, ESRI, Equilibrium Capital, Farmobile, FarmRaise, John Deere, La Crosse Seed, Macquarie, Microsoft, Northern Star Seed, Sound Ag, Strand Gard Stewardship, WinField United, American Farmland Trust, Black Family Land Trust, Farm Credit Council, Federation of Southern Cooperatives, Minorities in Ag, Natrl. Res. & Related Sciences, Soil Health Institute, Butcher Box, Campbell Soup, Green Plains, Hershey, Land O’Lakes Dairy Foods, Nestle Purina, Perdue, Primient, Tate & Lyle, Cloud Ag, Colorado State Univ., SustainCert & 50 ag retail coops. Primary States Expected: AL, AR, CA, CO, DE, FL, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NY, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Cotton, Dairy
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $90,000,000
ADM and Partners’ Climate-Smart Solutions
This project will utilize incentive payments to thousands of producers across 15 states to adopt and implement climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices and markets. Part of the project will include engagement of ADM’s 5,000 underserved producers to promote CSA opportunities, resulting in significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions and removals.
Leading Partner: Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
Other Major Partners: ARTCO (wholly owned ADM subsidiary), Costco, DKY, EarthOptics, Farmers Business Network, Field to Market, Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District, Food Works Group, Iowa State University, Purdue University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Keurig-Dr. Pepper, Mid- America Biofuels (ADM Joint Venture), National Black Growers Council, Practical Farmers of Iowa. Primary States Expected: AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MO, MI, MN, MS, ND, NE, OH, OK, SD, TN, TX, WI
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Peanuts, Sorghum, Flax, Hemp, Canola, Edible Beans, Pulse Crops
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $90,000,000
U.S. Climate-Smart Cotton Program
This project will build markets for climate-smart cotton and provide technical and financial assistance to over 1,000 U.S. cotton farmers, including underserved cotton producers, to advance adoption of climate-smart practices on more than 1 million acres, producing millions of bales of Climate-Smart Cotton over five years, and demonstrating major carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) reductions and millions of dollars of economic benefits to farmers.
Lead Partner: US Cotton Trust Protocol
Other Major Partners: US Cotton Trust Protocol, Soil Health Institute, Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, Cotton Council International, Cotton Incorporated, Agricenter Internations, North Carolina A&T State U, Alabama A&T U, Texas AgriLife.
Primary States Expected: AL, AZ, AR, CA, FL, GA, KS, LA, MO, MS, NC, NM, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA
Major Commodities: Cotton
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $90,000,000
California Dairy Research Foundation Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Project
This project will build climate-smart dairy markets and provide financial incentives for dairy producers to adopt climate-smart manure management practices to reduce methane emissions, leveraging matching funding from non-federal sources.
Lead Partner: California Dairy Research Foundation
Other Major Partners: California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Association of Resource Conservation Districts, California Milk Advisory Board, Dairy Cares, California Dairy Campaign, California Dairy Quality Assurance Program, Milk Producers Council, National Milk Producers Federation, Sustainable Conservation, Western United Dairies, California Farm Bureau Federation, University of California, Davis, University of California, Riverside, University of California Cooperative Extension, Truterra, California Dairies, Inc., Challenge Dairy Products, Nestlé
Primary States Expected: CA
Major Commodities: Dairy
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $85,000,000
Rural Investment to Protect our Environment (RIPE) Partnership: Supporting Agricultural Producers at All Scales to Deliver Productivity, Market Opportunities, and Enhanced Soil, Water, and Climate Benefits
This project will build climate-smart markets for a variety of agricultural commodities and help to make adopting climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices more economically viable for producers by compensating them at a rate that guarantees and reasonable return, with a price floor that surpasses costs.
Lead Partner: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Other Major Partners: Rural Investment to Protect Our Environment (RIPE), Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, North Dakota Farmers Union, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Arkansas Rice Federation, Agricultural Council of Arkansas,
Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, Minnesota Farmers Union, Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Assoc., Natl. Assoc. of Conservation Districts, National Black Growers Council, Sustainable Food Lab, Environmental Initiative, and Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR)
Primary States Expected: AR, MN, ND, VA
Major Commodities: Corn, Rice, Beef, Pork, Dairy Approximate Funding Ceiling: $80,000,000
Rice Stewardship Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities
This project will build climate-smart rice markets and work to reduce methane emissions in rice production through the adoption of alternate wetting and drying, furrow irrigation, and other climate- smart practices and support underserved producers by improving critical infrastructure necessary to implement climate-smart practices in the future.
Lead Partner: USA Rice Federation, Inc
Other Major Partners: National Black Growers Council; Warehouses4Good; Entergy Corporation; Ducks Unlimited, Inc.; USA Rice; California Rice Commission; Delta F.A.R.M.; Walmart Corporation; Walmart Foundation; Nestle’ Purina PetCare Company; The Mosaic Company; RiceTec, Inc.; Anheuser-Busch; Riceland Foods; Delta Plastics; Corteva Agriscience; Field to Market; Arva Intelligence; Regrow; University of Arkansas; Mars; Kellogg’s.
Primary States Expected: AR, CA, LA, MS, MO, TX
Major Commodities: Rice
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $80,000,000
Horizon II: A Climate-Smart Future for Corn, Soybean, Livestock, and Renewable Natural Gas Production
This project will enhance climate-smart markets, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve carbon sequestration in the production of corn, soybean, pork, and beef commodities, while creating opportunities for small and underserved producers and benefitting soil health, clean water, flood control, and habitats for native wildlife.
Lead Partner: Roeslein Alternative Energy, LLC
Other Major Partners: Biostar Renewables, Conservation Districts of Iowa, Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa State University, Missouri Prairie Foundation, Sievers Family Farms, Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, Smithfield Foods, The Nature Conservancy, University of Missouri, Verdesian, Veterans in Agriculture”
Primary States Expected: IA, MO
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Pork, Beef, Grass
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $80,000,000
The Grass is Greener on the Other Side: Developing Climate-Smart Beef and Bison Commodities
This project will create market opportunities for beef and bison producers who utilize climate-smart agriculture grazing and land management practices. The project will guide and educate producers on climate-smart practices most suited for their operations, manage large-scale climate-smart data that will be used by producers to improve decision-making, and directly impact market demand for climate- smart beef/bison commodity markets.
Lead Partner: South Dakota State University
Other Major Partners: South Dakota State extension, SDSU Center for Excellence for Bison Studies, National Bison Association, Agspire, Tanka fund, Buffalo Ridge Cattle Company, Cold Creek Buffalo Company, MIllborn Seeds, SmartScore.ai, Yard Stick, Texas A & M, C-Lock
Primary States Expected: CO, GA, IA, KS, MN, MO, MT, NE, NC, ND, SC, SD, WY, Tribal Lands
Major Commodities: Beef, Bison
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $80,000,000
The Climate-Smart Agriculture Innovative Finance Initiative
This project, covering more than 30 states, will use innovative finance mechanisms to accelerate climate-smart practice uptake by farmers, leveraging private sector demand to strengthen markets for climate-smart commodities. Partners will provide technical assistance and additional financial incentives to a diverse array of producers across a range of commodities, tying climate-smart practices to commodity purchases and creating a scalable model for private sector investment.
Lead Partner: Field to Market
Other Major Partners: Akiptan & Intertribal Agriculture Council, Federation of Southern Cooperatives/ Land Assistance Fund, PepsiCo, Farmers Business Network, EDF, Archer Daniels Midland, Illinois Corn Growers Association, PCM, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Growers Edge, Mondelēz, Michigan State University, Coop Elevator
Primary States Expected: AL, AR, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MI, MS, MO, MN, MT, NE, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY, Tribal
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Cotton, Peanuts, Wheat, Potatoes, Barley, Sorghum, Alfalfa, Peanuts, Rice, Sugarbeets, Livestock
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $70,000,000
Transforming the Farmer-to-Consumer Supply Chain with Climate-Smart Agriculture Partnerships
This project will focus on creating end-to-end supply chain partnerships to optimize the value of climate- smart commodities, focusing on dairy feedstock and including a manure management component.
Lead Partner: Carbon A List LLC
Other Major Partners: Danone North America, over 350 independent U.S. Farmers, Target, Sustainable Environmental Consultants (SEC), University of Wisconsin, Verra, Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc., Scoular, Swampy Hollow Farms, McCarty Oats, Lakeview Organic Grains
Primary States Expected: CA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MD, MI, MN, NE, ND, NM, NY, OH, PA, SD, TX, UT, WI
Major Commodities: Dairy, Soy, Oats
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $70,000,000
Building Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities in South Carolina
This project will utilize a coalition of 27 entities to execute a pilot project that provides incentives to farmers to implement climate-smart (CS) production practices. The project will examine and verify the benefits resulting from implementing CS practices and will support development of markets for the resulting CS commodities.
Lead Partner: Clemson University
Other Major Partners: SC State U., American Peanut Council, Aster Global Environmental Solutions, Barry Graden, CU Wood Utilization Institute, Forest Assoc. of SC, Help for Landowners, Mixon Seeds, Plametto Agribusiness Council, Petrichor Global, SC Cattleman’s Assoc., SC Peanut Board, SC Southern SARE, SC Timber Producers Assoc., SC Forage and Grazing Lands Coalition, SC Farmer;s Markets, SC Specialty Crop Assoc., The Long Leaf Alliance, Tidewater Lumber and Moulding, US Endowment for Forests and Communities, WP Rawl, Center for Heirs Property Preservation, Gullah Geechee Community, SC Black Farmer’s Assoc, SC New & Beginning Farmers Program, Fartmer Veteran Coalition of SC, Women in Agriculture, Women Owning Woodlands
Primary States Expected: SC
Major Commodities: Peanuts, Beef, Forage, Leafy Greens, Forest Products
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $70,000,000
9 Projects with Approximate Funding Ceilings from $50M-$65M
National Sorghum Producers Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Project
This project will implement climate-smart production practices across hundreds of thousands of acres of sorghum working lands, with the goal of reducing hundreds of millions of pounds of carbon emissions and developing markets for sorghum as a climate-smart commodity.
Lead Partner: National Sorghum Producers Association
Other Major Partners: KS Black Farmers Assoc.; Peoria Tribe of Indians of OK; KS AgriWomen; Women Managing the Farm; CO, KS, NM, OK & TX Sorghum Assocs; United Sorghum Checkoff, Prairie View A&M, CO State, TX Tech, TX A&M, KS State and OK State Univ.; NM & KS Depts of Agriculture; Field to Market; RIPE; Trust in FoodTM; Natl. Cotton Council; Amer. Coalit. for Ethanol; KS Water, Pheasants/Quail Forever; Salk Institute; Danforth Center; Galvanize Clim. Solut.; Arable; Argonne Natl Lab; K-Coe Isom; Sust Envir Consult; ServiTech, Danone; Kashi; Bayer Crop Sci; ADM; Conestoga Energy; KS Ethanol; Pratt, West. Plains & Energy; Nu Life Market; CoBank; & High Plains Farm Credit
Primary States Expected: CO, KS, NM, OK, TX, Tribal
Major Commodities: Sorghum
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $65,000,000
Texas Climate-Smart Initiative
This project, the Texas Climate-Smart Initiative (CSI), is a five-year multi-commodity pilot project to transition Texas’ large agricultural sector to climate-smart agriculture and forestry (CSAF) practices and develop new markets for climate-smart commodities.
Lead Partner: Texas A & M Agrilife Research
Other Major Partners: Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas Soil and Water Conservation Board, Prairie View A&M University, University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley, Tarleton State University, BCarbon, Nori, Plains Cotton Growers Association, Texas Wheat Producers Board, TX Corn Producers Board, TX Sorghum Producers Board, TX Rice Producers Board, U.S. Rice Producers Association, TX Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association, TX International Produce Association, TX Citrus Mutual, TX Pecan Growers Association, TX Small Farmers & Ranchers Organization, 100Ranchers, TX Cattle Feeders Association, TX Association of Dairymen, TX Poultry Federation, TX Forestry Association, TX Chapter of National Women in Agriculture, Global Revive, Small Producers Initiative, American Plant Food
Primary States Expected: TX
Major Commodities: Cotton, Wheat, Sorghum, Corn, Rice, Vegetables, Livestock, Dairy, Forest Products, Citrus, Pecan, Olive, Grapes, Hemp
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $65,000,000
Tyson Foods, Inc. Climate-Smart Commodities Project
This project will expand climate-smart markets and increase carbon sequestration and reduce emissions in the production of beef and row crops for livestock feed. Small and underserved producers will receive technical assistance and incentive payments to increase their capacity to reduce emissions and adopt climate-smart practices.
Lead Partner: Tyson Foods, Inc
Other Major Partners: Tyson, Bayer, USFRA, Griffith Foods, Scoular, Landus, ALCC, McDonald’s, Deloitte Consulting, Where Food Comes From, Iowa Select, WBCSD, Native American Tribal Communities. Primary States Expected: AL, AR, CO, GA, IN, KS, KY:MS, MO, MT, NE, ND, OK, SD, TN, TX, WA, WY Major Commodities: Beef, Poultry, Pork, Corn
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $60,000,000
Expanding Agroforestry Production and Markets
This project will build climate-smart markets and increase capital investments in tree planting that will increase the supply of agroforestry commodities utilizing a network of leaders in forestry. This will work directly with manufacturers and retailers to connect potential buyers with producers (including underserved producers).
Lead Partner: The Nature Conservancy
Other Major Partners: Propagate, Savanna Institute, Tuskegee University, University of MO Center for Agroforestry, VA Tech, Hawai’i ‘Ulu Cooperative, Appalachian Sustainable Development, Canopy Farm Management, Cargill, Handsome Brook Farm, NY Tree Crop Alliance, Practical Farmers of IA, Resource Environmental Solutions, Sustainable Farming Association, Trees Forever, Trees for Graziers, University of Illinois, Association For Temperate Agroforestry, Osage Nation, Agroforestry Partners, Live Oak Bank, Walnut Level Capital, Yard Stick, Propagate, Working Trees, University of Hawaii, Cargill, Danone, Applegate, Epic Institute, General Mills, Current Cassis, Hawaii Ulu Cooperative, Simple Mills, Hawaii Foodservice Alliance, 1890 Consortium, AgLaunch Early Adopter Network, Lincoln University, and Tuskegee University
Primary States Expected: AL, AR, CT, DE, GA, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WV, WI
Major Commodities: Nuts, Berries, Beef, Fruit Trees, Forest Products
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $60,000,000
NYS Connects: Climate-Smart Farms and Forests
Utilizing behavioral systems approach to break through social norms/barriers, this project will build on strong existing partnerships in the conservation and agricultural communities in NY state to expand climate-smart markets. This project will fund ag producers/forest landowners to implement multiple climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices, utilize modern tools to quantify results of climate-smart agriculture, and build connections between landowners and companies with a demand for climate- smart commodities.
Lead Partner: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Other Major Partners: NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Dept. of Agriculture and Markets, Energy Research & Development Authority & Soil and Water Conservation Committee, Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse University, County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Evidn, Michigan State University, Mercy Works, Cervantes Farm, Cornell Small Farms Equitable Farm Futures Initiative & Veterans FarmOps program, Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY urban ag team, International Refugee Committee NY, Rosario Brothers Farm, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanic Garden, Mercy Works, Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, West Haven Farms
Primary States Expected: NY
Major Commodities: Dairy, Forest Products
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $60,000,000
Climate-Smart Commodities for Idaho: A Public-Private-Tribal Partnership
This project will build climate-smart markets and increase adoption of climate-smart practices on more than 100 farms in Idaho through the provision of financial and technical assistance to producers, with a focus on barley, beef, chickpea, potatoes, sugar, wheat, and hops.
Lead Partner: Regents of the University of Idaho
Other Major Partners: Coeur d’Alene Tribe Natural Resources Department, Nez Perce Tribe Land Services Division, Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts, Salmon Safe, The Nature Conservancy Idaho Chapter Office, The Wave Foundation, Desert Mountain Grassfed Beef, Kooskooskie Fish, LLC, University of Idaho
Primary States Expected: ID, Tribal
Major Commodities: Barley, Beef, Chickpea, Potatoes, Sugar, Wheat, Hops
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $55,000,000
Climate-Smart Farming and Marketing: Engaging in Community-Science
This project brings together 20 farming and agroforestry organizations, serving over 20,000 small to mid- scale and underserved farmers who are uniquely impacted by climate change. The project will include soil health and financial benchmark community science; peer-to-peer learning and support; expanded implementation of climate-smart practices; carbon benefits calculation and verification; and income stream innovations that result in increased sales from farms and forest lands that use and promote climate-smart practices.
Lead Partner: Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture
Other Major Partners: Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, farmOS, Future Harvest, Maine Farmland Trust, ME Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Nation, Northeast Organic Farmers Association, OpenTEAM, Our- SCI/SurveyStack, Pennsylvania Certified Organic, Ramapough Lunaape Nation Turtle Clan, and Western PA Conservancy, Keystone Tree Crops Cooperative, Keystone Cooperative Development Center, Kimberton Whole Foods, Kitchen Table Consultants, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Food MarketMaker Program, Pa Flax, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PA Soil Health Coalition, Stroud Water Resource Center, and TeamAg
Primary States Expected: CT, DC, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, SC, VT, WV
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Flax, Livestock, Agroforestry, Specialty crops Approximate Funding Ceiling: $55,000,000
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative Farmer-Led Climate-Smart Commodities Initiative: Building Success from the Ground Up
This project will expand climate-smart markets and establish dairy and sugar as climate-smart commodities by implementing climate-smart production practices, improving business practices for climate-smart commodities, and making use of data and information collected to inform future standards.
Lead Partner: Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative
Other Major Partners: Farmers for Sustainable Food, The Nature Conservancy, WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Clean Wisconsin, Agropur, Headwaters Agriculture Sustainability Partnership, Center for Farm Financial Management, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, AgCentric – MN Farm Business Management, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, Houston Engineering, Inc., Farmobile, U.S. Beet Sugar Association, American Sugar Beet Growers Association, University of Wisconsin-Madison/Extension
Primary States Expected: CA, CO, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, OH, OR, SD, WI, WA, WY, Tribal Major Commodities: Dairy, Sugarbeets
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $50,000,000
Climate-Smart Potatoes from the Pacific Northwest: Managing Soil Health for Climate-Smart Outcomes
This project will build climate-smart markets and advance adoption of climate-smart management systems in the Pacific Northwest states of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon where more than 62% of U.S. potatoes are grown and 15% of the domestic supply of seed potatoes are produced.
Lead Partner: Oregon State University
Other Major Partners: Oregon State University, University of Idaho, Washington State University, Soil Health Institute, LoCo+, Seven Generations LLC, Industrial Hemp Association of Washington, Lamb Weston, Frito-Lay, Threemile Canyon Farms, Mart Produce, Simplot, Yakam Nation: Confederated Tribes and Bands, Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of Colville, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley Indian Reservation, Marc Staunton, Scotty Fenters, GMP Orchards LLC, Selkirk Ag LLC, Triangle Ranch
Primary States Expected: ID, OR, WA, Tribal
Major Commodities: Potatoes, Hemp, Wheat, Specialty Crops Approximate Funding Ceiling: $50,000,000
25 Projects with Approximate Funding Ceilings from $25M-$45M
Unlocking the Benefits of Regenerative Almonds: Partnerships to Develop and Expand Global Climate-Smart Market Opportunities through Grower Incentives
This project will promote the adoption of climate-smart and regenerative practices on California almond farms and expand market opportunities for climate-smart almonds through development of verified claims, business-to-business reporting, and supply-chain greenhouse gas quantification. This will support the development of a market-based mechanism for almond buyers and incentivize almond growers to adopt climate-smart practices.
Lead Partner: Blue Diamond Growers
Other Major Partners: Blue Diamond Growers, Cool Farm Alliance, Pollinator Partnership, Project Apis m, SureHarvest, Where Food Comes From, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Primary States Expected: CA
Major Commodities: Almonds
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $45,000,000
Supreme Rice, LLC’s Climate-Smart Initiative to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Water Use Through the Adoption of Alternate Wetting and Drying Irrigation Practices in Rice Production
This project will expand climate-smart markets and provide financial incentives for rice producers to reduce methane emissions through alternate wetting and drying irrigation and adopt other sustainable growing practices to reduce emissions and water consumption.
Lead Partner: Supreme Rice, LLC
Other Major Partners: Supreme Rice, LLC, Southern University and A&M College, Louisiana State University, Louisiana Rice Growers, Arkansas Rice Growers, Chicot Irrigation, Valley Irrigation Primary States Expected: AR, LA
Major Commodities: Rice
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $45,000,000
Scaling Methane Emissions Reductions and Soil Carbon Sequestration – A Value-Added Commodities Approach for United States Dairy
Through this project, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) climate-smart pilots will directly connect the on- farm greenhouse gas reductions with the low-carbon dairy market opportunity. DFA will use its cooperative business model to ensure that the collective financial benefits are captured at the farm, creating a compelling opportunity to establish a powerful self-sustaining circular economy model benefiting U.S. agriculture, including underserved producers.
Lead Partner: Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.
Other Major Partners: Dairy One Cooperative, Inc., MyFarm, LLC, Dairy Nutrition Management and Consulting, LLC, Nestlé, Mars, Unilever, Barry Callebaut, Dairy Management Inc., U.S. Dairy Export Council, National Milk Producers Federation, Global Dairy Platform, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, CoBank, AGPROfessionals
Primary States Expected: CT, KS, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NM, NY, PA, RI, TX, VT
Major Commodities: Dairy
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $45,000,000
Incentivizing Climate-Smart Growing Practices, Expanding Climate-Smart Markets and Developing Brand Awareness
This project will use selected climate-smart agricultural practices to educate, train, incentivize, and measure farming practices that reduce greenhouse gases, as well as brand and develop a market for climate-smart commodities.
Lead Partner: The DeLong Co., Inc.
Other Major Partners: Marquis Energy, Western New York Energy, Ingredion, Pioneer Pet, Granular Inc.(a Corteva Agriscience Company), Agris (Greenstone), Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture, Rock County Ag Business Council, Heartland Business Systems, Wisconsin and Southern Railroad, The Artisan Grain Collaborative
Primary States Expected: IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, NJ, NY, OH, PA, WI
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Dairy, Poultry, Beef, Pork, Specialty Crops
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $40,000,000
Connected Ag Climate-Smart Commodities Pilot Project
This project will expand climate-smart markets for many agricultural commodities and provide direct payments, technical assistance, and data management strategies to producers of row crops, beef, dairy, pork, and other commodities to adopt climate-smart practices and strategies.
Lead Partner: Farm Journal, Inc
Other Major Partners: Tuskegee University, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, AGI/Farmobile, AgriWebb, Certis Biologicals, Ducks Unlimited, Farm Journal Foundation, National Pork Board, SIMPAS, The Sustainability Consortium, Trimble
Primary States Expected: AL, AR, CA, CO, IL, IN, FL, GA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV, WY
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Cotton, Potatoes, Beef, Dairy, Pork, Small Ruminants, Specialty Crops
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $40,000,000
Portfolio of Partnerships for Hawaii Climate-Smart Commodities
This project will help overcome climate-smart implementation barriers through investment and incentives, improve technical assistance capacity through community-based organization networks, build decision support tools for modeling/verification, and generate internal momentum for a market- based climate-smart sustainable food system embedded within resilient and abundant landscapes across Hawaii.
Lead Partner: Lynker Corporation
Other Major Partners: Hawai’i Producer Engagement Team, Hawai’i Cattlemen’s Council, Oahu Resource Conservation and Development Council, Hawai’i Farmers Union United, Teh Kohala Centger, Pacific Gateway Center, Forest Solutions Incorporated, Hawai’i department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and wildlife, University of Hawai’i manoa, University of Florida, Colorado State University, NRDS, Lynker, Transforming Hawai’i’s Food Systems together, Hawai’i Department of Agriculture, Aloha+ Challenge, Hawai’i Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Taskforce, FarmLink..
Primary States Expected: HI
Major Commodities: Fruit and Vegetables, Agroforestry, Breadfruit, Avocado, Beef, Sugarcane, Taro, Specialty Crops
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $40,000,000
Alliance to Catalyze Transition Incentives through Open Networks for Climate-Smart Agriculture
This project will develop the systemic tools and approaches necessary to catalyze change by operating in three areas simultaneously: equipping and training Technical Service Providers for CSA implementation, creating transition finance incentives for producers, and developing a robust and self-sustaining marketplace for climate-smart commodities.
Lead Partner: The Wolfe’s Neck Farm Foundation, Inc.
Other Major Partners: CA Farm Demonst. Network, CARCD, CO Dept of Ag, Conservation Fund, General Mills, Grass Fed Alliance, Mad Ag, ME Soil Health Network, OpenTEAM, Organic Valley, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, Potlikker Capital, Quivira Coalition, Rodale Institute, Stonyfield, Understanding Ag, Black Farmers Rising, CCOF, CFDN/RC&D, Food Solutions New England, IFT, ME Farmland Trust, NH Conservation Commission, Organic Trade Association, PASA, Quivira Coalition, Regenerative Rising, SAGE, The Center for Good Food Purchasing, TSIP, VT NOFA, CCOF, LiteFarm, Lundberg Family Farms, OR Tilth, Our Sci, SustainCert, The Organic Center, Carbon A List, Field to Market, FORA, James Beard Foundation, SAGE, Zero Food Print,AFT,FarmStack,Field to Market,National Young Farmers Coal. Primary States Expected: CA, CO, PA
Major Commodities: Beef, Dairy, Wheat, Rice, Specialty Crops
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $35,000,000
The Growing GRASS & Climate-Smart Value-Added U.S. Commodity Markets Project (Growing GRASS
Project)
This multi-year project will pilot, test, and evaluate how the GRASS supply chain can be optimized for value and climate performance from farm and ranch to climate-smart markets, starting with the greenhouse gas benefits of grazing systems.
Lead Partner: American Sustainable Business Institute Inc.
Other Major Partners: Roots of Change, CA Catlemen’s Association, American Grassfed Association, Pure Strategies, UC Davis Food Systems Lab, IC-Foods, Autocase, Health Research Institute Labs, Other Half Processing SBC, Regenerative Rising, Lookin.to, Textile Exchange,
Primary States Expected: Nationwide
Major Commodities: Beef
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $35,000,000
Engaging Family Forests to Improve Climate-Smart Commodities (EFFICACI)
This project will address the relationship between family forest owners, the forest products industry, and broader climate goals across the eastern US. The goal is to build a region-wide climate-smart commodity (CSC) forest program that leverages the field-tested Family Forest Carbon Program, an engaged and trusted landowner network, and advanced digital forestry tools to engage traditional and underserved partners and advance the production and marketing of CSC forest products.
Lead Partner: American Forest Foundation
Other Major Partners: The Nature Conservancy, Purdue University, Center for Heirs Property Preservation, Women Owning Woodlands
Primary States Expected: AL, GA, IN, KY, MD, NY, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV
Major Commodities: Timber, Forest Products
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $35,000,000
Building a Climate-Smart Domestic Rubber Industry and a Solution for Growers to a Water Crisis
This project will expand natural rubber production in the Southwest with lowered greenhouse gas emissions, creating jobs in the region and for tribal stakeholders, and building a climate-smart rubber bioeconomy based on climate-smart and sustainable practices.
Lead Partner: University of Arizona
Other Major Partners: University of Arizona, Bridgestone Americas, Inc., Colorado State University, OpenET, Eight REgional growers, Tohono O’odham Nation, Colorado River Indian Tribes (Mohave, Chemeuvi, Hopi and Navajo peoples)
Primary States Expected: AZ, Tribal
Major Commodities: Natural Rubber
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $35,000,000
Climate-Smart Specialty Grains and Oilseeds: Covering America from Coast to Coast
This project increases on-farm crop rotations via a holistic management soil health protocol that results in identity preserved specialty grains and oilseeds, as well as a new category of climate-smart cover crop seed. The climate-smart specialty grains and oilseeds project will encourage farmers in the Northern Great Plains and Upper Midwest to raise climate-smart oats, rye, flax, buckwheat, and winter camelina and develop related climate-smart markets.
Lead Partner: Millborn Seeds, Inc.
Other Major Partners: AgSpire, EarthOptics, High Plains Biochar, Biochar Co-Op, Value Added Agriculture Development Center, Grain Millers Inc., Iowa Cover Crop
Primary States Expected: ND, SD, MN, IA, NE, MT, WY, WI
Major Commodities: Oats, Rye, Flax, Buckwheat, Camelina
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $35,000,000
New England Climate-Smart Forest Partnership Project
This project will implement forest management practices with large commercial producers and smaller woodlot owners to store more carbon in the forest, quantify the resulting carbon gains, and build markets for climate-smart forest products to store carbon in wood products and substitute wood products for fossil fuel-based materials.
Lead Partner: New England Forestry Foundation
Other Major Partners: Seven Islands, Weyerhauser, Wagner Woodlands, Baskahegan, Robbins Lumber, Pasamoquoddy Forestry Dept, UMaine, Nature Conservancy, Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership, Mass Tree Farm Program, Hull Forestlands, Heyes Family Forests, trust to Conserve Northeast forestlands, American Forest Foundation, Spatial informatic group, Innov. Natural Res. Solutions, Spritios Properties, Leers Weinzapfel Assoc, Quantified Ventures, Woodworks, Forest Stewards Guild, Mas Audobon, Our climate common, Highstead Foundation, Mass Forest Alliance, CT Forest & Park Assoc, Appalach. Mtn Club. Mass Woodlands Institute
Primary States Expected: ME, MA, NH, VT, CT, RI
Major Commodities: Timber, Forest Products
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $30,000,000
Climate Beneficial Fiber: Building New, Accessible, and Equitable Market Opportunities for Climate-Smart Cotton and Wool
This project will expand the existing Climate BeneficialTM fiber program: a system for sequestering carbon, regenerating soil health and resilience, improving social equity, and bolstering America’s ability to produce climate-smart fiber. A newly created, open-source, Carbon Farm Planning and Verification Platform will streamline climate-smart agriculture planning and verification for producers, verifiers, and supply chain stakeholders.
Lead Partner: National Center for Appropriate Technology, Inc.
Other Major Partners: National Center for Appropriate Technology, Carbon Cycle Institute, Colorado State University Dept of Soil and Crop Sciences, Fibershed, Seed 2 Shirt, New York Textile Lab
Primary States Expected: CA, GA, IN, NC, MT, SD, TN, WY, NY Major Commodities: Sheep, Cotton
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $30,000,000
Climate-Smart Grasslands: The Root of Agricultural Carbon Markets
A diverse partnership of 28 entities will develop climate-smart grasslands agriculture markets and practices for the eastern U.S. through a large-scale pilot project. The project collaborates with 245 working farms to install innovative, scientifically sound practices that improve soil carbon storage, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and maintain operational profitability and resiliency.
Lead Partner: The University of Tennessee
Other Major Partners: Univ. of AR, KY, MO AL Cooperative Extension, Clemson Univ., NC State University, Purdue Univ., TN State Univ., Univ. of TN, VA State University, and VA Tech, Tyson Foods Inc., JBS, Corteva, Farm Credit Mid-America, and Ecosystem Services Marketing Consortium, American Forage & Grassland Council, National Grazing Lands Coalition, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, multiple state cattle associations, American and Tennessee Farm Bureau Federations, The Nature Conservancy, American Bird Conservancy, Monarch JointVenture, National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative, TN Department of Agriculture, MO Department of Conservation, VA Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Primary States Expected: AL, AR, IN, KY, MO, NC, SC, TN, VA
Major Commodities: Beef, Small Ruminants, Dairy, Forage
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $30,000,000
Climate-Smart Cotton through a Sustainable and Innovative Supply Chain Approach
This project will expand climate-smart cotton markets and implement methods to restore soil and ecosystem health in cotton production through regenerative farming and best practices based on specific regions and needs.
Lead Partner: Ecom USA, LLC
Other Major Partners: ECOM USA, Earthworm. Quarterway Cotton Growers, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, University of Arkansas Coop Ext, CIBO Technologies, Control Union, 5 LOCCotton, Product DNA
Primary States Expected: AR, TX
Major Commodities: Cotton
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $30,000,000
Climate-Smart Camelina
This large-scale pilot project aims to measure and validate the climate-smart advantages of camelina sativa (L.) in both rotational and winter cover crop production systems and build associate climate-smart biofuels markets. The project will accelerate farmer adoption of camelina as a non-food crop grown on idle acres to produce more plant-based feedstock for renewable biofuels and chemicals with low carbon intensity and no land-use change while increasing carbon capture in the soil.
Lead Partner: Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc.
Other Major Partners: Sustainable Oils, Bakersfield Renewable Fuels, ExxonMobil, Farmobile/AGI, Davis Instruments, Pessl Instruments, EarthDaily Agro, Intelinair, Earth Optics, Yard Stick, ARVA Intelligence Primary States Expected: ID, CO, KS, MO, MT, OK, OR, TX, WA, WY, Tribal
Major Commodities: Camelina
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $30,000,000
Producer Led Collaborative Effort to Fundamentally Transition the U.S. Beef Supply Chain to Carbon Neutral
This eight-state project will amplify production of climate-smart beef by expanding market drivers, grassroots support networks, and early adopter mentors and providing technical assistance for the adoption of climate-smart grazing practices to substantially reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon sequestration.
Lead Partner: American Farmland Trust
Other Major Partners: The Integrity Beef Alliance, Indigo Ag, AgriWebb, Freedmen Heirs Foundation, Earth Optics, Regenified, OpenTEAM, U.S. Biochar Initiative, Virginia Forage and Grasslands Council, Maryland Grazers Network, Pennsylvania Grazing Lands Coalition, Mountains to Bay Grazing Alliance, Black Family Land Trust, Minority & Veteran Farmers of the Piedmont, and Farmer Veteran Coalition Primary States Expected: AL, GA, MD, MS, OK, PA, TX, VA
Major Commodities: Beef
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $30,000,000
The GEVO Climate-Smart Farm-to-Flight Program
The project aims to create critical structural climate-smart market incentives for low carbon-intensity corn as well as to accelerate the production of sustainable aviation fuel to reduce the sector’s dependency on fossil-based fuel. This project includes an immediate market opportunity to sell climate- smart, low-climate-impact corn.
Lead Partner: Gevo, Inc.
Other Major Partners: Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC, Google, Farmers Edge, EarthOptics, South Dakota State University, Regen Ag Labs, Yard Stick, Double H Ag Services, Farmers Edge, AgSpire, PrairieFood, Stine Seed Farm, Holganix, Trace Genomics, MidState Agronomy, Double H Ag Services, Colorado State University, Iowa State University, Standing Rock (SAGE) Renewable Energy Power Authority
Primary States Expected: MN, SD, NE, IA, Tribal
Major Commodities: Corn
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $30,000,000
Expanding the STAR Program Across Colorado and the West
This project offers a comprehensive approach that empowers conservation districts and other eligible entities to help build climate-smart markets and provide technical assistance to a diverse range of
producers; provides three years of financial and technical assistance to producers; quantifies and verifies climate benefits on behalf of producers; develops a rating as a market signal so participants earn more for products grown with healthy soil practices; and evaluates and validates carbon and soil-water research for the arid West.
Lead Partner: Colorado Department of Agriculture
Other Major Partners: Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District, Colorado Association of Conservation Districts & other Conservation Districts, Colorado Open Lands, Colorado State University, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Sangre de Cristo Association of Acequias, Univ. of Idaho, Montana State Univ., New Mexico State Univ., Utah State University, Univ. of Wyoming, Audubon Society, Colorado Corn Administrative Committee, Acres USA, Quivira Coalition, Yardstick, Zero Foodprint, Bob’s Red Mill, Quinn Snacks
Primary States Expected: CO, ID, IL, MT, NM, NV, UT, WA, WY
Major Commodities: Beef, Corn, Grains
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $25,000,000
Organic Valley Carbon Insetting Program: Building a Multi-stakeholder Path to Produce, Market and Promote Climate-Smart Commodities Across the U.S.
This project will expand climate-smart markets and help finance partnerships and incentivize farmers to advance the Organic Valley Carbon Insetting Program. Organic Valley will use two strategies to reduce supply chain emissions: mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and maximize opportunities for carbon sequestration, focusing specifically on dairy and eggs as the climate-smart commodities.
Lead Partner: Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools
Other Major Partners: Good Company, SustainCERT, PUR Project, Yardstick, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Planet Labs, American Farmland Trust, Organic Trade Association, The Organic Center, Agrilab Technologies, Inc., Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Amicus Solar Cooperative, Carissa Stein Consulting, GDS Engineering, Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District, Interlace Commons, Sarah Flack Consulting, Savanna Institute, Sonoma Resource Conservation District, Trees for Graziers, Stonyfield Organic, Nancy’s Organic/Springfield Creamery, General Mills/Annie’s
Primary States Expected: CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, UT, WA, IA, IL, MN, MO, SD, WI, IN, KY, MI, OH, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NY, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV
Major Commodities: Dairy, Eggs
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $25,000,000
An Integrated Approach to Scaling-Up Climate-Smart Practices for Crop, Livestock, and Agroforestry Production
This project will focus on a training program about climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices in conjunction with financial incentives for ag producers who implement the CSA practices. The goal is to expand climate-smart agriculture markets throughout Missouri and serve as a teaching model for other states.
Lead Partner: The Curators of the University of Missouri
Other Major Partners: Center for Regenerative Agriculture, Center for Agroforestry, Lincoln University,
MO Soybean Assoc./Merchandising Council, MO Corn Growers Assoc./Merchandising Council, MO Cattlemen’s Association, MO Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, The Nature Conservancy, Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture, EarthDance, STAR Program, ESMC, MO Departs. of Ag., Natural Resources & Conservation, U.S Geological Survey, MO Agribusiness Association, MFA Inc., MO Fertilizer Control Board, Kansas City Food Hub, FarmRaise, MARC-IV Consulting, Nestle-Purina, Show-Me Energy, Mid-America Biofuels, MO Prime Beef Packers
Primary States Expected: MO
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Oats, Sorghum, Cotton, Beef, Forage, Specialty Crops Approximate Funding Ceiling: $25,000,000
Quantifying the Potential to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Increase Carbon Sequestration by Growing and Marketing Climate-Smart Commodities in the Southern Piedmont
Aimed at the southern piedmont vegetable farming community, this proposal will utilize an interdisciplinary system approach including farmer adoption, understanding economic/social barriers, market/consumer buy-in, utilizing technology, and easing the burden on farmers. The results of the project will build climate-smart markets, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, increases carbon sequestration, and increase farmer economic opportunities and adoption of climate-smart agriculture.
Leading Partner: Rodale Institute
Other Major Partners: University of Georgia, Virginia Association for Biological Farming, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Georgia Organics, Emory University, University of Georgia, Soil Health Institute, University of Tennessee, Clemson University, North Carolina State University, University of Wisconsin – Madison, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
Primary States Expected: GA, NC, PA, SC, VA
Major Commodities: Vegetables
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $25,000,000
Climate-Smart Agriculture that is Profitable, Regenerative, Actionable, and Trustworthy (CARAT)
This project will enable partners to expand climate-smart markets and work with dairy producers in PA to implement climate-smart agriculture. An overarching goal is establishing successful and profitable partnerships between diverse producers, including underserved producers, and consumers, leading to a reduction of greenhouse gases, suppressing methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and storage of carbon.
Lead Partner: Pennsylvania State University- University Park
Other Major Partners: Center for Dairy Excellence, Proagrica, Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, Red Barn Consulting
Primary States Expected: PA
Major Commodities: Dairy
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $25,000,000
The Mid-Atlantic Conservation Innovation Fund Climate-Smart Commodities Project
This project will help expand climate-smart markets and address climate-smart plans and practices for hundreds of dairy producers and will provide an on-ramp and serve as a catalyst for additional state and private capital to bolster the implementation of whole farm plans.
Lead Partner: The Conservation Innovation Fund
Other Major Partners: Ecosystem Services Market Consortium, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, South Mountain Creamery, Stroud Water Research Center, Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation, TeamAg, RedBarn Consulting, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Primary States Expected: PA, VA, MD
Major Commodities: Dairy, Beef, Forage
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $25,000,000
Building the Climate-Smart Wood Economy
This project brings together Tribal, small family forest, and nonprofit wood producers with data scientists and the design and construction industry to manage and restore tens of thousands of acres in Oregon. The project will quantify the positive impacts of climate-smart management on carbon sequestration, wildfire intensity, and cultural values, and will also build resources for project teams to navigate climate-smart markets for wood procurement through pre-design, design, and construction phases and support sale.
Lead Partner: Sustainable Northwest
Other Major Partners: Sustainable Northwest, EcoTrust, Northwest Natural Resources Group, Trout Mountain Forestry, Vibrant Planet, Intertribal Timber Council, Coquille Indian Tribe, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Yakama Nation, Puyallup Tribe, Nisqually Tribe
Primary States Expected: OR, WA, Tribal
Major Commodities: Forest Products
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $25,000,000
22 Projects with Approximate Funding Ceilings from $5M-$20M
Growing the Supply and Market for Climate-Smart Grass-Fed Organic Dairy via Maple Hill Creamery
This project will expand climate-smart markets for dairy producers and enable a network of partners and producers to implement climate-smart practices by incentivizing implementation and providing training support. This will lead to greater environmental practices and enhanced viability for farms that implement them.
Lead Partner: Maple Hill Creamery LLC
Other Major Partners: Dharma Lea, LLC, Paul Harris Development, Stone Barns, Point Blue Conservation
Science, DGA Dairy Grazing, Open TEAM at Wolfe’s Neck Center, Shannon O’Sullivan, K&O Farm, James Young, Amber Waves, Spring Weather, Serenity Acres Farm, Evening Star Ranch, Reginelli and Aeschlimann, Adam Tafel, Periggo Farm, Whole Foods
Primary States Expected: NY
Major Commodities: Dairy
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $20,000,000
Growing Value for Producers
This project will create and pilot-test a farmer-friendly system that builds capacity with institutions interacting with a range of producers, including underserved producers, to support adoption of climate- smart practices and interact with commodity buyers in climate-smart markets.
Lead Partner: Winrock International Institute for Agriculture Development
Other Major Partners: Arva Intelligence, Blue Raster, Intertribal Agriculture Council, Riceland Foods Inc Primary States Expected: AR, MO, Tribal
Major Commodities: Rice, Beef
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $20,000,000
National Pork Board’s Advancing U.S. Pork Sustainability and Market Value Proposal
The goal of this project is to increase the sustainability of U.S. pork products by advancing climate-smart agriculture practices within the feed supply, thereby maintaining market demand and price premiums in a rapidly evolving consumer world. The geography of focus – Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri – encapsulates a concentration of pork facilities supported by local grain production, representing a key region of the overall supply chain.
Lead Partner: National Pork Board
Other Major Partners: National Pork Board, Nestle, Sustainable Environmental Consultants, Ducks Unlimited, Trust in Food (Farm Journal), Farm Credit Council, Millborn Seed
Primary States Expected: IA, MN, MO
Major Commodities: Pork, Rice, Soybeans, Corn
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $20,000,000
Building Soil, Building Equity: Accelerating a Regenerative Farming Movement in Appalachia and the Southeast
This project seeks to build climate-smart markets and sequester carbon over thousands of acres of Appalachian and rural southeastern land through strategic recruitment from networks of producers. The project will use education, outreach, technical assistance, and incentivizing producers to adopt climate- smart agriculture.
Lead Partner: Accelerating Appalachia
Other Major Partners: National Center for Appropriate Technologies, Kentucky State University, Working Trees from Stanford University’s TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy, Carbon Harvest
Primary States Expected: GA, KY, NC, OH, SC, TN, VA, WV Major Commodities: Fruit and Vegetables, Row Crops, Beef Approximate Funding Ceiling: $20,000,000
Forest to Home
This project seeks to convert industrial timber and traditional forest product manufacturing to a BIPOC- owned supply chain for residential/commercial construction. The project will educate early adopters in forestry, tribes, black, and rural communities on benefits of climate-smart forest practices to maximize carbon sequestration. Timber harvested will be used to build housing units for underserved communities.
Lead Partner: Forterra NW
Other Major Partners: Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, Yakama Nation, Abu Bakr Islamic Center, RJ Group, Aspect Structural Engineers, Gordian Knot Strategies, Sustainable Northwest, Zaugg and Whitehorse Timber, Snohomish County, Town of Darrington, Port of Portland, Roslyn Downtown Assoc, Town of Hamilton, City of Tacoma, X-Caliber Rural Capital
Primary States Expected: WA
Major Commodities: Timber, Forest Products
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $20,000,000
Elevated Foods Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities
This project will implement climate-smart production practices, activities, and systems on a large scale across cropland planted to fruits and vegetables, with a particular focus on fresh fruit and vegetable crops. Partners propose to implement practices on hundreds of thousands of acres planted to fruit and vegetables in key growing regions across the United States, and extend the producer reach to urban farmers in Orange County, California, and the Navajo Nation, to meet the needs of small and underserved producers.
Lead Partner: Elevated Foods Inc
Other Major Partners: California Department of Food & Agriculture, World Wildlife Fund, Solutions for Urban Agriculture, AgLaunch, Understanding Ag, Soil Health Academy, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Feeding the Northwest, CropTrak, Regenified, Synoptek
Primary States Expected: AR, AZ, CA, FL, GA, KY, MO, MS, SC, TN, Tribal
Major Commodities: Apples, Grapes, Fruits and Vegetables
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $20,000,000
The Partnership to Define Climate-Smart Commodities Impact and Unlock Consumer Demand (TSIP Partnership for Impact and Demand)
This project will build climate-smart markets and streamline field data collection and combine sample results with modeling to make impact quantifications accurate and locally specific but also scalable. Targeted farms produce value-added and direct-to-consumer specialty crops as well as the 19 most common row crops in the United States.
Lead Partner: The Meridian Institute
Other Major Partners: The Soil Inventory Project, Corteva Agriscience, Jackson Family Wines, Cakebread Cellars, A to Z Wineworks, Medlock Ames, Ridge Vineyards, Hunt Country Vineyards, Silver Oak & Twomey Cellars, Spottswoode Estate and Vineyard & Winery, Crimson Wine Group, The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, Nature4Justice, Vayda
Primary States Expected: CA, NY, NC, OR, WA, ND, SD,WI, IN, MI, MN, IA, MO, NE, OK
Major Commodities: Grapes, Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Row Crops, Specialty Crops
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $20,000,000
A Vibrant Future: Pilot Projects for Climate-Smart Fruit and Vegetable Production, Marketing, and Valuation of Ecosystem Services
This project will incentivize growers of specialty crops to adopt climate-smart production in order to establish consumer-driven climate-smart markets for fruits and vegetables grown using climate-smart practices.
Lead Partner: International Fresh Produce Association
Other Major Partners: University of Florida, CropTrak, Frehner-Jens Consulting, Clark McDowall Brand Architecture Company, Alcorn State University, Measure to Improve, LLC, MS Small Farm and Agribusiness Center at Alcorn State, Alamo Farms, Bayer, Bland Farms, Bolthouse Farms, Calavo, Campbell Soup Company, Del-Monte, Driscoll’s, Limoneira, Monterey Pacific, Noble Produce Holdings, Sun Pacific
Primary States Expected: AL, CA, FL, GA, LA
Major Commodities: Berries, Grapes, Fruits and Vegetables
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $15,000,000
NCBA CLUSA USDA NRCS CSC Proposal Narrative – Puerto Rico
This project will lead a consortium of cooperatives, farmer organizations, and minority serving institutions in Puerto Rico that will offer financial incentives to underserved farmers to adopt climate- smart agriculture and forestry practices for production of coffee and other commodities, building climate-smart markets.
Lead Partner: Cooperative League of the United States of America
Other Major Partners: Productores de Café de Puerto Rico, University of Puerto Rico, National Co+op Grocers, Fondo de Inversión y Desarrollo Cooperativo, La Liga de Cooperativas de Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Farmers Association, SustainCERT
Primary States Expected: PR
Major Commodities: Coffee, Citrus, Plantains, Bananas, Cacao, Lumber
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $15,000,000
SmartAgGro Pilot Program Provides Technical and Builds Partnership Markets to America’s Climate-Smart Farmers, Ranchers, & Forest Owners to Strengthen U.S. Rural and Agricultural Communities
This project will implement a scalable climate-smart marketing strategy to assist underserved farmers in Mississippi Congressional District 2 to adopt climate-smart practices and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in production of beef and other products.
Lead Partner: Vanguard (OTE) Consortium
Other Major Partners: Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, Rust College, Mississippi Valley State University, Cindy Ayers, Amerimac Chemical Corp
Primary States Expected: MS
Major Commodities: Beef, Soybeans, Corn, Forage, Pork
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $15,000,000
TRACT Program: Traceable Reforestation for America’s Carbon and Timber
This project builds climate-smart markets for timber and forest products and addresses the need to expand and recover the nation’s forest estate to balance the demand for wood products with the increasing need for forests to serve as carbon reservoirs. The project will deploy funding, planning, and implementation of reforestation and afforestation activities in lands deforested by wildfire in the Western U.S. and degraded agricultural lands in the Southern U.S. Every acre planted and the volume of forest products generated will have a quantified and verified climate benefit in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e).
Lead Partner: Oregon Climate Trust
Other Major Partners: Arbor Day Carbon, Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, Nez Perce Tribe, TerraCarbon
Primary States Expected: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, LA, MS, MT, NC, NM, OK, OR, SC, TN, TX, WA, WY, Tribal
Major Commodities: Timber, Forest Products
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $15,000,000
Industrial Hemp for Fiber and Grain
This project aims to expand climate-smart markets and remedy lack of available data on environmentally beneficial practices for hemp production by providing open-accessible data and training and enabling monetization of climate-smart practices through a pilot designation in a digital marketplace. Additionally, this project develops an inclusive workforce that specializes in implementation of climate-smart practices by engaging underserved producers and financially supporting them as they learn these practices.
Lead Partner: Iconoclast Industries, LLC
Other Major Partners: Cedar Meadow Farm LLC, University of Florida, University of Georgia, Stockton University, The Shaffer Group, Texas A&M University, Pecan Street Inc, CultivateAI, Florida Department of Agriculture, Green Ocean Sciences, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Ganjanesh Bioscience, INDHemp, Global Hemp Association, 357 Hemp Logistics, SB Friedman Development Advisors, M4MM, Canndigenous, EntreVation LLC, Stillman College, Legacy Farms Group Primary States Expected: FL, NY, TN, VA, WI
Major Commodities: Hemp
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $15,000,000
Fischer Farms Ultimate Beef Strategy
This project aims to generate knowledge of carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions for the Fischer Farms beef production system, to inform future business decisions, and to generate science- based marketing tools that will enable buyers to actively participate in climate-positive purchasing and eating decisions. The project will include livestock producers, and it will support Fischer Farms’ market expansion into other areas.
Lead Partner: Fischer Farms Natural Foods, LLC
Other Major Partners: Indiana University, Carbon Solutions Primary States Expected: IN, IL, KY, OH, TN
Major Commodities: Beef
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $15,000,000
Low Carbon Beef USDA Pilot Program: A Fully Integrated Lifecycle Approach to Reduce GHG Emissions from Beef Cattle at Commercial Scale
This project will help to implement climate-smart methods in beef production, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and expanding climate-smart markets and generating carbon credit revenue for producers.
Lead Partner: Low Carbon Beef LLC
Other Major Partners: Low Carbon Beef, ABS Global, Where Food Comes From Inc, AgSpire and Millborn Seeds Inc, Tiffany Cattle Co Inc, Missouri Prime Beef Packers, Alga Biosciences, Vytelle USA, Elanco Animal Health Inc, Helical Solar Solutions LLC
Primary States Expected: Nationwide
Major Commodities: Beef, Grass
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $10,000,000
Building a Regenerative Ranching Economy in the West
This project will expand climate-smart markets for beef and implement climate-smart grazing practices in beef production for 120 operations across 13 states, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing market returns for participants.
Lead Partner: Sustainable Northwest
Other Major Partners: Country Natural Beef, Beef Northwest, Northway Ranch Services, Syracuse University, Quantis International, Stockpot Collective, Washington State University, Colorado State University, RaboResearch & Food Agribusiness-North America
Primary States Expected: AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, WA, WY
Major Commodities: Beef, Corn, Wheat, Alfalfa
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $10,000,000
Developing Climate-Smart Grain Markets in the Mid-South through Diverse Partnerships and a Farming-Systems Approach to Practice Integration to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
This project seeks to demonstrate the viability of growing climate-smart (CS) grains that are sold to poultry feed operations. This project will develop a pilot program for grain producers to utilize multiple climate-smart practices to achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions. The pilot program includes a monitoring /verification system, local climate-smart market opportunity for direct sale, and tracking CS grain to broiler operations.
Lead Partner: Mississippi State University
Other Major Partners: Southern Ag Services, Inc., University of Arkansas, Conservation Solutions LLC, Alcorn State University
Primary States Expected: MS, AR, AL, LA
Major Commodities: Corn, Soybeans, Poultry
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $10,000,000
Sonoma Marin Ag and County Climate Coalition
This project will build on successful carbon farming and local/regional food systems partnerships across two counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. The purpose is to expand climate-smart markets, including a regional supply chain and innovative marketing campaign for climate-smart agricultural products. This will create a scalable, regional carbon finance program that is sustainable and scale implementation for the long term.
Lead Partner: County of Sonoma
Other Major Partners: Agricultural Institute of Marin, Marin Resource Conservation District, Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District, Sonoma Resource Conservation District, Carbon Cycle Institute, Sonoma County Department of Agriculture, Sonoma County Regional Climate, Protection Authority Marin Agricultural Land Trust, UC Cooperative Extension Marin, UC Cooperative Extension Sonoma, MarinCAN, Marin County Sustainability Team, Sonoma County Farm Bureau, Marin County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measure, Marin County Cooperation Team, Sanzuma, and LookInto
Primary States Expected: CA
Major Commodities: Grapes, Fruit Trees, Vegetables, Beef, Dairy, Fiber, Aquaculture, Nursery stock, Specialty Crops
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $10,000,000
AGriCapture Climate-Friendly Rice
This project will benefit climate-smart farmers in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Louisiana, Texas, and California while expanding climate-smart rice markets and guaranteeing a supply of climate-smart rice to customers. All farms will be certified under the ACFRS.
Lead Partner: AgriCapture, Inc.
Other Major Partners: Univ. of MO, Cedar Woods Consulting, Agri Process Innovation, Regrow, Deveron, Dainty Foods, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Blue Apron, McKaskle Family Farm, Arknsas River Rice Mill, Anheuser-Busch, Rerout Marketing
Primary States Expected: AR, CA, LA, MS, MO, TX Major Commodities: Rice
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $7,500,000
Sustainable Market Approaches for Regenerating Territories with Agricultural Goods in Puerto Rico
The project will support and empower smallholder coffee farmers in Puerto Rico to transition to climate- smart agriculture and forestry practices through identification of viable practices and support for their implementation on farms. The project will also account of greenhouse gas-related benefits and co- benefits throughout the supply chain and develop of a unique Puerto Rican branded climate-smart coffee label and voluntary program.
Lead Partner: Caribbean Regenerative Community Development, Inc.
Other Major Partners: Gnarly Tree Sustainability Institute, University of Wisconsin, Cafiesencia, DuPuis Group, University of Puerto Rico
Primary States Expected: PR
Major Commodities: Coffee
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $7,500,000
Demonstration, Expansion, and Quantification of the Benefits of a Climate-Smart Commodity: Verified Regenerative Bison Products
The project will develop a demonstration program on tribal lands, implementing and expanding multiple climate-smart markets and practices in production of American bison, and will showcase the benefits of regenerative bison production to rangeland, ranchers, and climate. It will also create a new entity to maintain standards of regenerative bison production, track climate benefits and payment for those benefits through the supply chain, and establish consumer trust.
Lead Partner: Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes
Other Major Partners: Frasier Bison LLC, the Earthshot Institute, Mad Agriculture, Eastern Shoshone Tribal Buffalo Program, Intertribal Buffalo Council
Primary States Expected: Tribal, Oklahoma,
Major Commodities: Bison
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $7,000,000
Reducing GHG Emissions and Improving Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential through High- Carbon Soil Amendment
This pilot project will support expansion of climate-smart markets and implementation of climate-smart practices to augment conservation Best Management Practices and generate reference data to support development of regionally optimized ecosystem services models. The geographic focus of this project (CO, NE, WY, MT) has naturally low basal soil organic carbon, which means greater sequestration potential.
Lead Partner: The Western Sugar Cooperative
Other Major Partners: Crow Tribe, University of Nebraska, Panhandle Research and Extension Center; Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion, University of Wyoming; Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center; Colorado State University
Primary States Expected: CO, MT, NE, WY, Tribal
Major Commodities: Sugarbeets Approximate Funding Ceiling: $6,000,000
Scaling Up the Industrial Hemp Supply Chain as Carbon Negative Feedstock for Fuel and Fiber
This project will help with commercializing and marketing climate-smart hemp crops while driving soil carbon sequestration and climate resilience. The project aims to provide effective valuation and monetization of environmental services, including carbon dioxide removal via implementation of new genetics and management practices to increase sustainability of hemp as an annual crop in the U.S.
Lead Partner: Lincoln University
Other Major Partners: National Hemp Association, Kansas Farmers Union, Missouri Farmers Union, Missouri Organic Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project, Oklahoma Farmers Union, ShowMe State Hemp Association, Missouri Department of Agriculture, Donald Danforth Plant Science Research Center, Oklahoma State University, Prairie View A&M Univ., St. Louis Univ., Southeast Missouri State Univ., Univ. of Missouri, Benchmark Design, Cquester Analytics, DTE Materials, HempWood, Midwest Natural Fiber, New West Genetics, REA Resource Recovery Systems, Rockwater, Renaissance Fiber
Primary States Expected: KS, MO, OK, TX
Major Commodities: Hemp
Approximate Funding Ceiling: $5,000,000 READ MORE
USDA invests up to $2.8B in 70 climate-smart projects (Biomass Magazine)
USDA Announces Climate Smart Commodities Project Funding (Energy.AgWired.com; includes AUDIO)
GCEH to get up to $30 million USDA grant to advance camelina as biobased diesel feedstock (Biobased Diesel Daily)
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Historic Investment in Partnerships for 70 Climate-Smart Commodities and Rural Projects (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Farm Journal’s Trust In Food Awarded USDA Partnerships For Climate-Smart Commodities Project (Trust in Food)
How USDA's $2.8 Billion Climate-Smart Investment Might Impact Your Operation (AgWeb)
Yard Stick lands $18m to equip agrifood with faster, cheaper soil carbon measurement tools (Ag Funder News)
Excerpt from Biomass Magazine: Applications for the the first funding pool, which covers proposals from $5 million to $100 million, were accepted through May 6. Applications for the second funding pool, which includes proposals from $250,000 to $4.99 million, were due June 10.
The 70 selected projects selected for funding under the first pool of the program include partners representing a wide range of bioenergy interests, including the Renewable Energy Group, Archer Daniels Midland Co., Mid-America Biofuels, Roeslein Alternative Energy LLC, Biostar Renewables, National Sorghum Producers Association, the American Coalition for Ethanol, K-Coe Isom, Conestoga Energy, Kansas Ethanol, CoBank, Marquis Energy, Western New York Energy, High Plains Biochar, Biochar Co-Op, Global Clean Energy Holdings Inc., Sustainable Oils, Bakersfield Renewable Fuels, U.S. Biochar Initiative, Gevo Inc., Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy LLC, Show-Me Energy, various state corn and soybean groups, and others.
One of the 70 projects, led by Roeslein Alternative Energy, focuses in part on renewable natural gas (RNG) production. Another project, led by Gevo, aims to create critical structural climate-smart market incentives for low-intensity corn, as well as accelerate the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Several projects also focus on crops that can be used as biofuel feedstocks, including those focused on sorghum, hemp, camelina, as well as more traditional crops like corn and soybeans.
A full list of funded projects is available on the USDA website. READ MORE
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