Southern Piedmont Climate-Smart Project

Notice: _On April 14, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the cancellation of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC). The USDA plans to reform the program into the Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) initiative. Contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) for more information on how to apply to the AMP initiative. _

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.

Acreage may not be enrolled in other NRCS cost-share programs for same practices. Producers must be diversified vegetable farmers in the Southern Piedmont region.

Participating farms will:

• Follow the planting and cover cropping rotation provided

• Commit to provide data via phone application

• Participate in project training events

• Allow project team scheduled access to enrolled acres for data collection

Farms participating in the program are eligible for cash incentives for participating, as outlined below:

• $1,500/acre/year for 1-10 acres dedicated to the project

• Up to $200/year for filling out data given to the project team

• $220/acre/year up to $1,100/year for input reimbursement

• $100/year for participation in focus groups in barriers to adopting climate-smart agricultural practices

Non-cash incentives include:

• Cash crop seed for up to 10 acres / year

• Cover crop seed for up to 5 acres/year

• Free technical assistance

• Free equipment usage

Fill out the application here.

• Webinar for farmer information