Building Whole-Farm Designs and Market Infrastructure to Provide Premiums for Climate-Smart Farming among Mid-Sized Agricultural Enterprises in the Ohio River Valley

This project plans to model and develop whole-farm carbon sequestration systems geared towards mid-sized polyculture farms that produce crops and beef. Farmers would receive a sign-up incentive, free technical assistance, and cost-share to implement climate-smart practices.

Partners would include African-American food system organizers who would ensure engagement with minority, unrepresented, and socially disadvantaged growers. Partners would offer a Climate-Smart Beef product line to current retail and wholesale customers and provide avenues for grain producers to market and sell their products.

• Do you currently manage a farm of between 100 and 1000 acres OR do you qualify as “historically underserved by the USDA” (check here for definition of underserved) and operate a smaller acreage?

• Do you raise beef cattle, grow row crops, or do you produce a value-added product that could be sold through our web store?

• Are you interested in looking at your operation holistically in terms of ecology, products, markets and finance?

• Would you like to improve your use of (or get credit for you skill with) regenerative agricultural practices?

• Could you use technical assistance and cost share funds for these practices?

• Would you like to collaborate to build price-premium markets for products grown ecologically and “climate-smart”?

• Are you interested in planting trees in marginal areas, stream buffer strips, or to create light shade for your livestock on grazing lands?

Fill out the interest form to indicate your interest in participating in the program.

• Winter learning opportunities, including free webinars