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Climate Beneficial Fiber Program

A USDA award the Basics and Key Details of the Project: This is a Collaborative Project That Includes a Total of 6 Organizations: National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), FiberShed, Seed2Shirt, Colorado State University, Carbon Cycle Institute, and New York Textile Lab, our NCAT partner is the lead organization. The Project Focuses on Farmers in the: Wool and Cotton Sector. Our Work Covers the Following Primary States: CA, GA, NC, TN, IN, MT, SD, WY, and NY, which will take place over a 5-year period. The Primary Objectives of our Project Work are to:

  • Implement Climate Beneficial ™ Agriculture Practices That Reduce Green House Gas Emissions (GHGE)
  • Provide Planners to Farmer Participants in the development of their Carbon Farm Plans and Understanding Implementation of the Practices
  • Provide Technical Assistance (TA) to Farmer Participants for Implementation of the Practices
  • Provide Stipend & Offset Support to Farmer Participants for Implementing the Practices
  • Provide a Peer-to-Peer Support Framework for all Farmer Participants
  • Make our TA Training Available in an Online & In-person Format
  • Develop a Comprehensive Carbon Farm Plan for All Farmer Participants
  • Track the Reduction of GHGE Throughout the Program & Full Cycle of Production
  • Support Develop Market Access for the Cotton & Wool Producing Participants

Seed2Shirt Specificity in Grant

Our role in this project will be to act as one of the lead collaborators in the execution of the project goal of increasing the participation of BIPOC underserved farmers in climate-smart/Climate Beneficial agriculture practices, increasing the number of BIPOC climate-smart cotton producers in and supporting the innovative methods of reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the entire value chain.  

  •  Via, carbon farm “Planners,” who support the farmers’ to implement Climate Beneficial ™ Climate Agriculture practices that reduce Green House Gas Emissions (GHGE) on farms and throughout the production value-chain.
  • We will offer Planning and technical assistance (TA) to farmers in the following regions: Southeast & Midwest. We can service: CA/NY/MT/SD/WY via our grant collaborators and robust coordination
  • The goal is to have BIPOC (Cotton/Specialty Crop) farmers participate in this program over the five-year life cycle of the grant. The total Cotton Farmer Participation (Cotton / Specialty) BIPOC Farmers:
    • Overall, 13-20 Carbon Farm Plans for BIPOC Cotton and Specialty Farmers. Below are our target numbers over the life of the project.  These numbers were developed based on avg. cost to implement “Climate Beneficial/Climate Smart Practices” per acre, and the funds the entire grant has set aside for Farmer Stipends for use to implement practices.
    • Those who cannot participate in the program due to, our team hitting our limit in the total amount to BIPOC farmers. Our operations & outreach team will link the producer with the following:
      • Seed2Shirts Regional Coordinator. Who will do a “Wrap-Around Service Options (after reviewing farmer intake need assessment). The farmer will receive a full wrap-around services support meeting where we will address their needs and address options on referrals to other programs and resources. Farmers will be connected, through the Regional Coordinator with, current, Project Collaborators for potential inclusion options. Farmers will be referred to and connected with, through the Reginal Coordinator, other Climate Smart grantee/programs, that best aligns with their farm needs 
      • The Regional Coordinator and National Director will meet with the farmer, and see how their needs align with other resources in our network and match them with services service support with wrap-around and refer to other Climate Smart Commodity Grant Programs.Farmer Participant Goals Over the Lifespan of the 5 year Project are outlined below along with a projection of “on farm” greenhouse gas emissions:

Overview of Goals and Schedule

  • Year Two:  1 Producer | States: AL: 12,000 acres | 1 Carbon Farm Plan | GHGE Reduction Acreage Over 5 YRS: 2714
  • Year Three:  3 Producers| States: IN: 30 acres /GA: 5 acres: /TN: 5acres | 3 Carbon Farm Plans | GHGE Reduction Acreage Over 5 YRS: 27.5
  • Year Four: 6 Producers | GA 60 acres: |GA: 400 acres | GA: 265 acres | TN:  8000 acres | VA 5,000 acres| LA: 450 acres | 6 Carbon Farm Plans | GHGE Reduction Acreage: 5948.5 acres
  • Year Five:  4 Producers (Recruited) in SE | Targeted Acres: 1,600 | 5 Carbon Farm Plans| GHGE Reduction Acreage 526

In order to provide long-term solutions for our Black Cotton farmers and longevity of implementation for our cotton farmer participants, elements of the program i.e.: Climate Beneficial™ cotton production, long-term equitable sustainable market access, rebuilding of the equitable cotton-textile-to-apparel ecosystem in the Black community Seed2Shirt™ has developed the Seed2Shirt B.L.A.C.Kollective™ for the farmers to participate in for continued Climate Smart practices, long-term equitable market access and much more, further details can be learned about our Kollective here, and eligibility and signup will be opening soon.