Fall 2022 ORGANIC REPORT 22 predictions from models), document increased efficiency of carbon sequestration in participating farms, and capture improved nitrogen cycling and other climate-resilience outcomes. Specifically, the soil tests will measure both short- and long-term metrics of climate-resiliency including: • Total carbon/organic carbon • Aggregate stability • Available water capacity • Bulk density • Reactive carbon • Particulate organic matter • Soil organic matter (SOM) • Soil Respiration • Soil Enzymes • Soil pH and buffer pH • Sum of cations (CEC) • Base saturation percent • Soluble salts • Nitrate-nitrogen • Phosphorus • Potassium • Calcium • Magnesium • Sodium • Sulfur • Zinc • Iron • Manganese • Copper Farmers will receive free tailored and culturally appropriate technical assistance to add and enhance practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon, and enable continuous improvement in their organic farming system. As part of the pilot, OTA reached out to partners to build a nationwide network of technical assistance providers and consulted with certifiers to imagine integrating their work into the program. The pilot will support the integration of voluntary climate-smart practices and outcomes into the existing USDA National Organic Program certification procedures and documentation. This will reduce costs and eliminate duplicative requirements in current and future programs centered around climate-smart agriculture. Finally, verified climate outcomes will inform a marketing and consumer education campaign on the climate benefits of USDAcertified organic products. The OTA pilot proposal will include a marketing campaign to benefit all organic and transitioning farmers and a process to recognize those who are enrolled in the pilot and therefore going above and beyond to improve practices and outcomes. Building a Coalition During the application period, OTA recruited a network of more than 20 partners, almost all of which are OTA members, to plug in at various points of the supply chain from direct farmer outreach to retail promotion to consumer education. The partners agreed to promote engagement in the pilot program to more than 12,000 farms and operations across six million+ acres producing a wide range of organic goods including vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts, dairy, eggs, corn, soy, cotton, hemp, and more. Each partner’s role in the project was mutually determined based on their knowledge and experience of the subject area, geographic reach within their target region, and capacity to deliver on ambitious goals. Partners included technical assistance providers, organic certifiers, marketing cooperatives, farmer organizations, and other companies. Next Steps According to USDA, more than 1,000 applications were submitted for the climate-smart commodities partnerships with funding requests totaling more than $18 billion, demonstrating the strong interest and need from the agriculture sector to find solutions to the climate crisis. Awards are expected to be announced in Fall 2022. OTA thanks members and other friends of organic who participated in the grant proposal process for their generous contributions of time, expertise, and feedback. The work to put together the application and pilot proposal strengthened the connections that OTA and TOC share with stakeholders and the larger organic community. The overarching goals and components of the pilot can be used for additional grant or funding opportunities, and created a framework for future collaborations to collect organic data and support organic farmers. Data & Insights
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