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 self identify as Historically Underserved and/or Socially Disadvantaged are encouraged to apply. Underserved producers include socially disadvantaged farmers (minorities), military 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