The Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture at Virginia Tech enrolled over 1,300 farms representing more than 202,000 acres. It’s the first year of a landmark project that incentivizes agricultural producers in four states to adopt climate-smart practices.
“This program not only provides farmers with the financial support they need to transition to climate-smart practices but also sets a powerful precedent for what’s possible on a national scale,” says Tom Thompson, principal investigator on the project.
The project is a three-year national pilot program that aims to enroll 4,500 producers representing over 470,000 acres of farmland in Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Virginia. At least 40 percent of the program’s participants are categorized by USDA as underserved farmers. Producers on farms of all sizes and commodities receive $100 an acre or animal unit to implement sustainable practices that can boost crop yields, build climate resistance, and protect soil, water, and air quality.
NAFB news service
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