Climate-Smart Commodities
Market Program
About Climate-Smart Commodities Market Program
Conservation Innovation Fund’s Climate-Smart Commodities Market Program addresses environmental market failures through upfront financing of long-term contracts for climate assets. Conservation Innovation Fund works with farms enrolled in the Program to facilitate the integration of climate-smart practices into dairy, beef and grain supply chains, with a focus on generating greenhouse gas reductions that are available for purchase.
Farmers in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia, as well as Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association (MDVA) members in Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey and New York, are eligible. The Program pays upfront for five years of anticipated outcomes from newly implemented practices, along with technical support to adopt regenerative agriculture practices.
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Have a Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm number, tract and field maps for all participating acres
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Field has not been deforested or converted from grassland to cropland in the last 10 years
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Practices must be new to the enrolled acres
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Field is not currently enrolled in another carbon market
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Producer is not already receiving federal funds for any portion of the same practice on the same land
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Proof of lease agreement or land ownership
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Sign a five-year contract, with optional renewal periods up to 20 years total
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Provide three years of historical crop/field management data
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Provide field management data for each of the five years in the Program
Conservation Innovation Fund’s Climate-Smart Commodities Market Program is a collaborative effort in partnership with Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley, Ecosystem Services Market Consortium, Lancaster Clean Water Partners, Maola Local Dairies and Stroud Water Research Center.
Farms must meet the following requirements to participate:
FAQs
Have questions pertaining to our Climate-Smart Commodities Market Program? Please review below.
Can I also enroll in local programs in addition to this program?
Possibly. In some cases, you may “stack” this funding on top of other cost-share programs for delivery of multiple environmental benefits. A Partnership Specialist can assist you in determining the best use of cost-share dollars.
What do you do with the environmental benefits that my land generates?
This program may sell the environmental benefits from Best Management Practices (BMPs) installed or implemented on your land in order to recoup the investment. The environmental benefits remain tied to the geographic region and industry from which they are generated.
How much funding will I receive and where is the funding coming from?
Funds are provided in the form of a Payment Package that incorporates the value of environmental benefits from BMPs over 5 years. These upfront start-up funds help you cover the cost of practice implementation. Conservation Innovation Fund combines funding for this program from a mix of private and public sources.
How are the funds disbursed?
If you implement the BMP yourself, CIF disburses the Payment Package directly to you. If a Program Contractor is completing the work, the Payment Package will be used to pay the Program Contractor. If project costs exceed the Payment Package, you are responsible for paying the Program Contractor for the remaining costs required to complete the project. If the Payment Package exceeds project costs, CIF disburses the remainder directly to you.
How long is this commitment?
You would sign a 5-year contract with the Conservation Innovation Fund. After 5 years, you may enter into contract extensions at 5 year intervals for up to an additional 15 years and receive credit payments annually.
For additional FAQs, please download the document here, or reach out directly at climatesmart@conservationinnovationfund.org.