The future of America depends on building resilient farmlands today
Together, we can secure our farmlands to foster prosperity and build a resilient future.
River Hill Ranch Photo by Liz Thomas Photography
Building Soil, Building Equity (BSBE) Farmer Fund
Accelerating Appalachia has launched an innovative program to support underserved farmers and expand regenerative farming across Central/Southern Appalachia and the rural Southeast.
Building Soil, Building Equity(BSBE) provides financial support, technical training in regenerative agriculture, connections to business development support, and resources to increase market growth opportunities.
“For over 6 years I’ve advised SaraDay and her agriculture accelerator. This new farmer fund they are launching is the best I’ve seen for incentivizing long-term farm sustainability”
Providing the Resources to Secure the Future of Farming
Cash Incentives
We know farm changes require time, money, and effort. Our trusted team of experts will help you navigate these changes. Farmers will be incentivized to adopt Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF) practices through an $18 million Farmer Fund with $12 million in cash incentives and $6 million in training and marketing services, including specific incentives for BIPOC producers. We offer four types of cash incentives that support program participants, an Implementation Incentive, Drawdown Incentive, Participation Incentive and Travel Incentive.
Implementation Incentive. Helps with the cost of implementing a new practice, we’ve set aside a fund to help cover, or offset that cost. The amount available per acre depends on the practice(s) you implement. Early adopters can also benefit from this incentive. If you’ve already implemented one or more of our approved practices, you are eligible to apply for the program.
Drawdown Incentive. As you implement these practices, you’ll start to see an increase in organic matter and soil carbon. How well you manage your new practices will play a big role in this. Silvopasture and other agroforestry practices are often more expensive to implement, but sequester and retain significantly more carbon in the soil as well as enhancing additional soil benefits.
Participation Incentive. In order to measure long term soil health benefits, Farmers/Growers must sign up for the duration of the program incentives (3 to 5 years). Farmers must be able to show that they have control over the land tracts entered into the program, either as land owners or a 3 to 5 year lease. Growers must agree to take soil samples at least twice a year. The Participation Incentive will cover the cost of soil testing and reporting, and other costs associated with program compliance.
Travel Incentive. BSBE participants will receive reimbursements for travel, lodging, and food during attendance to BSBE-sponsored and other CSAF field days.
Networking Opportunities
Farmers enrolled in BSBE will access marketing assistance from industry experts and can benefit from Accelerating Appalachia’s connections to buyers, processors, and distributors. We foster farmer inclusivity across local and regional markets to create more resilient, robust supply chains in food, fiber and forest farming.
Additional Revenue
As you start to see measurable environmental benefits from implementing and continuing these practices, you’ll gain access to a growing network of lenders and investors. We’ve partnered with Carbon Harvest and Working Trees to help build on Accelerating Appalachia’s regional agriculture-based investment network.
Approved NRCS Practices
These NRCS practices are applicable to the following commodities: beef, livestock, cotton, fruits, pork, row crops, specialty crops and wool.
328: Conservation Crop Rotations – $75/acre
340: Cover Crops – $75/acre
345: Reduced Tillage – $75/acre
528: Prescribed Grazing – $300/acre
386: Field Borders – $400/acre
422: Hedgerow Plantings – $400/acre
379: Forest Farming – $400/acre
381: Silvopasture – $1000/acre
391: Riparian Buffers – $1000/acre
311: Alley Cropping – $1000/acre
612: Tree & Shrub est – $1000/acre
645: Habitat management – $1000/acre
*Incentives range depending on practices adopted/implemented, with increased incentives for agroforestry due not only to the additional expense, but the significant increase in drawdown and long term soil health benefits.
Required Acreage to Participate
The USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding primarily aims to sequester significant carbon over time and market the value of soil improvement CSAF practices. Therefore, projects involving 10 acres should be focused on agroforestry, while all other projects must commit to a minimum of 20 acres.
Applications
Due to overwhelming interest, Accelerating Appalachia has paused accepting new applications to process the volume of existing applicants. The Farmer Enrollment Application will reopen again in 2024.
