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Farmers for Sustainable Food adjusting to Climate Smart grant cancelation

Farmers for Sustainable Food is continuing conservation efforts while adjusting to the Trump administration’s rebranding of a grant program.

Tim Trotter is the CEO of the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, which founded Farmers for Sustainable Food.  Trotter tells Brownfield, “We have never been busier than we are today.” He met with the administration about the Advancing Markets for Producers Program, which replaced the Climate Smart Commodities Program. “Some of the work that Climate Smart did was trying to align farmers with climate opportunities and advancing on some of the climate metrics, but really, it’s having the permission to be able to export broadly and have that market access for the great products that we’re producing.”

Trotter says Farmers for Sustainable Food started promoting good practices through processors and seven farmer-led watershed groups before getting USDA grant support, and their data collection continues, despite cancellation of the initial grant. “We’ve learned a lot through the last grant that we had. We’ve found ways to improve and make it more efficient for farmers so that when they look at data collection and data analysis, and we’re really trying to understand what the end game is because it’s just not carbon scores.”

Trotter says Farmers for Sustainable Food members continue to work on reducing sediment loss, nutrient management, innovation in the barn, and aligning with carbon markets when possible.  He says they’re awaiting more details from USDA on how to proceed under the new Advancing Markets for Producers Program.

AUDIO: Tim Trotter discusses the activities of Farmers for Sustainable Food, the loss of USDA Climate Smart Commodities grants, and the importance of farmers telling their story and staying on top of local government issues with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.