Wolfe’s Neck Center will lead over 60 partner organizations to help farms adopt climate-smart practices.
(October 10, 2022) Santa Cruz, CA – CCOF is one of over 60 partner organizations led by Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment on a climate-smart agriculture initiative awarded up to $35 million by the USDA. This initiative will develop Open Technology Ecosystem for Agricultural Management (OpenTEAM), an open-source digital platform for sharing climate-smart agricultural knowledge and tools with farmers across the globe.
CCOF will contribute to the project by providing a bridge between the organic certification process and the quantification of climate-smart agriculture.
“Organic agriculture is a proven solution to climate change, which makes it a critical tool in the climate-smart agriculture toolbox. As a member-driven, community-oriented organization, sharing knowledge and resources is at the heart of what we do. The OpenTEAM alliance is focused on creating an open-source digital ag-wallet that will streamline paperwork for farmers looking to quantify the benefits their farms bring to people and the planet. We’re passionate about this project because it both uplifts organic as a solution while also seeking to make farmers’ lives easier,” said Jessy Beckett Parr, CCOF Chief Programs Officer.
Along with CCOF, the alliance includes over 60 national and regional buyers, funders, and organizations that will launch and support climate-smart agricultural pilot projects on farms and ranches in the Northeast, Mountain West, and California. Land stewards, farmers, and ranchers will have access to direct soil health planning, technical assistance, and financing for implementing practices such as cover cropping, managed grazing, or no-till planting.
As part of the USDA’s $2.8 billion investment in 70 projects, the alliance bridges local, regional, and national efforts to make climate-smart agricultural knowledge accessible at all scales across diverse production systems. The alliance will train agricultural service providers, provide open-source technology, and develop a robust, accessible marketplace for climate-smart products.
“This project and the many others funded through this program are a positive step forward on making agriculture a solution to climate change,” said David Herring, Executive Director at Wolfe’s Neck Center. “The transition to and implementation of climate-smart agricultural practices is one that we are deeply committed to supporting—here in Maine, New England, and across the United States.”
About CCOF
CCOF advances organic agriculture for a healthy world. We advocate on behalf of our members for organic policies, support the growth of organic through education and grants, and provide organic certification that is personal and accessible.
CCOF is a nonprofit organization governed by the people who grow and make our food. Founded in California nearly 50 years ago, today CCOF has roots that span the breadth of North America, and our presence is internationally recognized. We are supported by an organic family of farmers, ranchers, processors, retailers, consumers, and policymakers. Together, we work to realize a future where organic is the norm.
For more information about CCOF, visit www.ccof.org.