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.

Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification are planned to be conducted at multiple scales to: (i) verify that conservation practices are implemented, (ii) establish Soil Health and C Targets, (iii) estimate GHG emission reductions at the county/Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) level, (iv) verify GHG emission reductions at the farm field level, (v) verify soil C-sequestration estimates, changes in soil C, and changes in soil health at the farm field level, and (vi) report on the practices and their impacts on GHG emissions, C-sequestration, and soil health over the five-year project period. As a part of developing pilot markets, the project identified two companies (Threemile Canyon and Mart Produce) that are interested in investigating development of pilot markets and promotions for Climate-Smart labelled potato products.

Additionally, a pilot marketplace for buyers and sellers using chain-of-custody ownership tracking via the block chain through supply chains is planned to be investigated for the potential exchange of C-credits among project participants such as contracts between producers and processors/handlers, and between processors/handlers and product purchasers. The project plans to engage independent grower networks to reach small and underserved producers and plans to work through tribal liasons and partner networks to reach tribal producers.

The three partnering tribes plan to enroll approximately 50,000 acres in the program. The project will continue engaging and enrolling additional tribes throughout the life of the project.

The project will provide financial assistance as well as technical assistance.

Growers implementing any climate-smart practices are eligible, as long as they are not already receiving payments from another USDA program. To receive compensation, growers must show evidence of implementing the climate-smart practices on their fields. Records of before-and-after implementation and production input usage must be provided.

Any fields with potatoes as part of the rotation are eligible.

The goal is to reward participating growers $375 on average per acre enrolled over a five-year enrollment period.