Scaling Mechanisms for Agriculture’s Regenerative Transformation (Climate SMART)

This project, which will reach across 43 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. Truterra plans to work with food and ag companies to acquire project grown climate-smart commodities.

Truterra’s quantification methodology would include a modeled-plus-measured approach to quantify GHG removals, using a field-level calibrated version of the DayCent model for both the baseline (producer’s actual prior practices) and the current state with new practice. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines would be used to determine emissions from all sources that cannot be effectively modeled using DAYCENT and WEPP (used to determine energy demand of field passes based on crop operations); model runs would be supported by soil sampling stratified by soil (physiochemical class, soil textural class, and soil drainage class), management (Generalized Tillage Intensity Rating (gTIR) for each of the past six years, grouped into low- or medium-tillage), and climate (temperature and effective precipitation).

Truterra plans to work with Food and Ag companies to 1) better understand the commodity production practices in their supply chain, 2) identify geographies where working with producers on CSC will have the most impact, 3) deploy resources through the Network to create a “supply” of practice change, and 4) procure the resulting GHG or other ecosystem service assets. This system would enable food companies to acquire CSCs, rewards producers for producing them, and offers Network members an incentive payment for helping make it happen.

The project plans to equip 11 underserved producer organizations with access to the Truterra sustainability tool, services and programs, and provide targeted support on approximately hundreds of thousands of acres as welll as train Black Climate-Smart Agronomists through internships/fellowships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) throughout the Southeast.  The project also plans to provide priority access to all project technical and financial assistance opportunities and train and incentivize 10 or more underserved producers to host Farmer Peer Networks.