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May 3, 2023
 
 
 
 
 
Beyond Practice Change: New Technologies Can Arm Producers With Climate-Smart Innovation
 

Last week, USDA officially launched the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) program. As one of the tentative grantees, we’ve been tracking progress here closely.

One of the most compelling reasons for the private sector interest in the programs is that they’re poised to harness new innovation to advance the suite of options available to producers to curb GHG emissions.

We’re watching closely to see how innovation is being built into these grant programs as theory turns to reality. I touched on this theme two weeks ago at the NIAA conference. Together with ABS Global’s Ellen Lai and Field to Market’s Paul Hishmeh, we focused on some key themes, including the importance of allowing data to drive solutions that we plan to scale. We also addressed the challenge of bringing new climate-smart practices into the mainstream.

“While we look for as many solutions as possible to address the climate crisis, it’s important we don’t forget about better breeding and genetics as part of that equation,” Ellen Lai shared.

Animal genetic technologies are just one example of an array of technologies and practices that could have a meaningful impact on mitigating greenhouse gases from outside the realm of traditional conservation agriculture. Despite some of the challenges associated with trialing new practices, I hope that we’ll see grantees lean into experimentation and innovation.

As the conservation playbook expands, however, it’s critical for verifiable data to drive adoption strategies. Those strategies must include all stakeholders so emerging solutions can be tailored to each producer and each production system. Additionally, accessibility will be crucial so producers understand their options in implementing new technologies into their evolving operations.

If you’re part of a project trialing a new climate-smart approach, I’d love to hear from you, and I’ll do a roundup of what I hear in a future newsletter!

Yours in regenerative ag,
Amy Skoczlas Cole
President, Trust In Food™

 
 
 
 
How Can Dairy Producers Utilize Carbon Credits To Benefit Climate And Their Bottom Lines? Innovation Center For U.S. Dairy Has Answers
 
By Jamie Sears-Rawlings, manager of climate-smart content, Trust In Food: Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, an America’s Conservation Ag Movement partner, has unveiled some big moves in the private sector that may make it easier for dairy producers to capitalize on carbon credits to benefit both climate and their bottom lines. In a recent webinar, Newtrient COO Chris Kopman discussed a partnership made public in February that aligns Newtrient and its mission to reduce the environmental footprint of dairy with Athian and its carbon credit marketplace designed to fund livestock sustainability. Here's how the partnership aims to give dairy farmers a "seat at the table," as Kopman describes it.
 
 
 
 
When Farmers Think Differently About Fertilizer (via Farm Journal’s The Scoop)
 
By Margy Eckelkamp, editor, Farm Journal's The Scoop: Certified crop advisors can help farmers navigate today’s key inflection point of getting more nutrients to crops without losing inputs to the environment. That’s according to Karl Wyant, director of agronomy at Nutrien. Learn what he’s working on and why he’s been named to The Scoop’s 40 Under 40 list of standout ag retail leaders.
 
 
 
 

News We’re Following

 

Shared by David Frabotta, director of climate-smart content, Trust In Food: Farmers can demonstrate their nitrogen management skills as part of a new pilot within the longstanding National Corn Yield Contest administered by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). The contest kicks off May 1. The pilot happens in partnership with Verdesian Life Sciences and is limited to the first 100 growers. “Nitrogen efficiency is critical for both near-term yield gains and long-term sustainability at both the grower and industry level,” says Brady Eilers, vice president of global marketing, Verdesian. NCGA and Verdesian are America’s Conservation Ag Movement (ACAM) partners.

 
 

By Jennifer Shike, editor and brand leader, Farm Journal’s PORK: Iowa hog and row-crop farmers Nate Huntley and Josh Nelson have forged a friendship focused on sustainable production. “Nelson saves $100-plus an acre by cutting back on nitrogen applications, using cover crops, no-till, smart application methods, and partnering with animal manures and more to improve his soil health,” Shike explains.

 
 

Shared by David Frabotta, director of climate-smart content Trust In Food: Learn how Arkansas rice farmers are integrating climate-smart practices into their operations to reduce methane emissions and conserve water in a new six-part ACAM video series. “Rice is a relatively needy crop when it comes to water, so we have to manage that well and make sure we only use as much as we need,” says Mark Isbell, Isbell Farms in central Arkansas.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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