OACD CLIMATE SMART PROJECT

Welcome! OACD is honored to have received a $4.9 Climate Smart Commodities grant and eager to begin work here in Oklahoma to advance the adoption of regenerative farming practices, ensure the fiscal sustainability of our farmers, and protect our most valuable natural resources including our people.

The project is entitled, “Expanding markets for pecans and livestock in OK, the Muscogee Nation, and the Choctaw Nation. To support socially disadvantaged farmers and tribes’ implementation and monitoring of climate-smart practices.” 

 

Mission

To support the production and marketing of climate-smart commodities by providing voluntary incentives to producers and landowners, including early adopters, to implement climate-smart agricultural  production practices, activities, and systems on working lands; measure/quantify, monitor and verify the carbon and  greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits associated with those practices; and develop markets and promote the resulting  climate-smart commodities.  

pRODUCER ELIGIBILITY

Establish Farm Records with the USDA Farm Service Agency

  • Complete an AD-2047 (Customer Data Worksheet to facilitate the collection of customer data for Business Partner Record)

  • Certify highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation via Form AD-1026

  • Certify that they are not a foreign person

  • Certify that they are not receiving funds for the same practices on the same acreage from other government programs such as EQIP

  • Agree to share farm data to calculate emissions, and to calculate carbon sequestration associated with implemented climate-smart management practices

  • Equity: Applicants that qualify as Historically Underserved and/or Socially Disadvantaged will be given priority. Underserved producers include socially disadvantaged farmers (minorities), veteran farmers, and limited resource farmers.

PRACTICES 

The climate smart agriculture practices that will be used in Oklahoma include:

  • Cover cropping

  • No-till

  • Buffers

  • Grassland management

  • Prescribed grazing

  • Native grass plantings for high carbon sequestration

  • Agroforestry on working lands

    *The project is open to additional CSC practices based on recommendations by the producer advisory committee.

GOALS

  • Enroll minimum of 125 producers

  • Enroll minimum of 10,000 acres, maximum an individual may enroll is 80 acres

  • 75% of funds are prioritized for SDA producer payments

  • Building markets and reduced GHG emission market facilitation 

  • Creation of eastern OK beef cooperative and a value added pecan production network. Harness the power of cooperative marketing and the development a system of support to empower producers to make marketing decisions with confidence

  • Silvopasture- work closely with Oklahoma Department of Forestry and OCC to incorporate prescribed livestock grazing in pecan orchard to improve soil health and increase carbon sequestration 

  • Soil health- build organic matter and resilience against extreme climate events 

MONITORING

  • Soil sampling to monitor program participant and non-program participant progress in building soil health resiliency

  • WORMS and COMET to track all baseline and progress data including; carbon sequestration, nitrogen fixation to reduce runoff, phosphorus and sediment runoff reduction, estimated reductions in GHG emissions, and increased infiltration rates

  • Oversight of technical assistance will be provided by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission including but not limited to; conservation plans, soil testing, WORMS, and generalized education

resources for project participants

  •  Networking: Scholarships to annual state meeting for continuing conservation education and training

  • Assistance: Farm number attainment assistance through OBHRPI

INQUIRY FORM

Project Partners