| | | | | | | The Moment For Climate-Smart Practices Is Now | | | With record temperatures, drought, and fire in headlines daily, our thoughts turn to the farmers, ranchers and growers in the western U.S. We’re hearing devastating effects of this summer’s weather across agriculture, from fires destroying cropland to ranchers selling off a larger than planned portion of their herd because of lack of grazing land. USDA Secretary Vilsack, in a Farm Journal Farm Country Update town hall, connected the dots between these disasters and climate change. Speaking with AgDay’s Clinton Griffiths last week, Vilsack noted that American agriculture, which has historically been concerned with climate programs, is now seeing new opportunities. The Secretary explained USDA’s vision for producers, which is to see value-added market opportunities in both growing food in ways that meet consumer expectations and potentially reap financial rewards from carbon markets for the climate benefits of those same practices. The moment for that vision is now. This week, America’s Conservation Ag Movement partner The Nature Conservancy shares their perspective on the challenges and opportunities in the Colorado River Basin that stem from a changing climate. TNC Western water experts Taylor Hawes and Aaron Derwingson note that there’s a distinct shift in how people are talking about the situation out west, away from the label “drought” toward the more permanent term “aridification”. Both will speak at our upcoming Sustainable Produce Summit – happening virtually Sept 13-17, 2021 – with fresh perspective to help produce growers navigate these challenging times. On the heels of Labor Day, I remember with gratitude the extraordinary conditions that American men and women face daily to provide us with the food, fiber, and fuel that sustain us. And on behalf of the entire Trust In Food™ team, I want to reiterate our commitment to ensuring that producers can continue to do so by helping accelerate the adoption of climate-smart, regenerative programs and practices. Have an idea for how to help this happen? I’d love to hear it, send me a note at acole@farmjournal.com.
Yours in regenerative ag, Amy Skoczlas Cole
Executive Vice President
Trust In Food™, a Farm Journal initiative
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| | | | | | | How Sustainable Agriculture Benefits From A Swiss Army Knife Approach | | | Shared by Rebecca Bartels, director of business development, Trust In Food: Each week, Trust In Food™ has the great privilege of listening to, learning from and advising a wide range of the nation’s leading sustainable food and ag innovators. We download on and support the strategies of organizations across the value chain—including crop protection companies, agtech firms, regenerative ag nonprofits and financial institutions—all working to provide producers with the products, services and resources required to meet production needs. Although there might be philosophical differences in how to get where we all want to be, the final destination is fairly singular across all stakeholders: Creating a stable, environmentally sound, economically viable food, fiber and fuel supply. Read how using an array of tools to design a future for sustainable agriculture benefits the entire agri-food value chain.
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| | | | | | | Colorado River Drought: What Sustainable Ag Executives Should Know | | | Shared by Nate Birt, vice president, Trust In Food: Western water expert Aaron Derwingson of The Nature Conservancy will speak at Farm Journal’s upcoming Sustainable Produce Summit happening Sept. 13-17, 2021, on the challenges and opportunities for water conservation and innovation.
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| | Shared by Drew Slattery, human dimensions of change lead, Trust In Food: Not only is keeping animals cool essential for their comfort and safety, but it’s also important for their productivity. In Illinois, farmers are experimenting with silvopasture and other technologies to cool and protect their animals in rising temperatures.
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| | Shared by Emily Smith, community engagement coordinator, Trust In Food: Arkansas' Keeping in in the Family (KIITF) Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention program recognizes not only a tree farm that invests in conservation but the African-American family that has owned the land for over 120 years.
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| | Shared by Nate Birt, vice president, Trust In Food: The role of farmers and ranchers in addressing climate change -- and the importance of ensuring producers' increased economic well-being -- featured prominently in remarks from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack during a Town Hall hosted this month by Farm Journal. “What we want is the ability for more farmers to meet that threshold of value added and capture that additional value from the marketplace," Vilsack said.
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