Central State University, Ohio has launched efforts to recruit and enroll 20 Ohio and southeastern Michigan farmers to participate in the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities Program over the next five years.
The agricultural project will be funded with a $5 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture-National Resource Conservation Services announced last November.
“The goal of this partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Resource Conservation
Services is to build markets for climate-smart commodities and to invest in America’s climate-smart
producers to strengthen U.S. rural and agricultural communities,” said Project Director Ibrahim Katampe,
Ph.D., and assistant director of Innovation and Technology Incubation.
“It will expand markets for climate-smart beef, fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops in Ohio and Southern Michigan and support farmers with implementing and monitoring climate-smart practices.”
Central State University is seeking farmers that will utilize manure as a natural fertilizer and integrate
climate-smart agricultural practices for the production of vegetables starting in fall, 2024 through
2028.
The grant focuses on recruiting “socially disadvantaged” farmers to become involved in the
project.
“Urban, as well as rural, farmers are encouraged to be part of the project. The objective is to measure, quantify, and verify the carbon and greenhouse (GHG) benefits associated with these practices and to determine the marketing and economic viability of produce labeled as raised with climate-smart technologies,” said Project co-director Cindy Folck, Ph.D., interim associate CSU Extension administrator.
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