Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership
National Center for Appropriate Technology
Introduction
The Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership is working with wool, alpaca and cotton growers in nine primary states to accelerate adoption of conservation agriculture practices that benefit the climate, strengthen on-farm resilience, and build regional fiber systems. The partnership team will provide enrolled producers with technical assistance and $18 million in direct incentive payments to write and implement whole-farm Resilient Ranch Plans on fiber producing landscapes. Producers are then eligible to enroll in Fibershed’s Climate BeneficialTM Verified Fiber program network and connected with designers and markets that value ecosystem services.
How to Apply:
To apply, go to Climate Beneficial Fiber (ncat.org) and click “For Producers.”
Links & Resources:
Contact Information:
Alisha Horak, SD Senior Conservation Planner
406-533-6653
Project Coordinator
US
Back To All ResourcesThe Details
What We Are Investing
More than $18 million will be invested directly with wool producers in California, Montana, New York, South Dakota, and Wyoming and cotton producers in California, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, and Tennessee to adopt practices with quantifiable greenhouse gas benefits. The project aims to meet the equity goals of the Justice40 Initiative and will prioritize engagement with historically underserved producers. This project is currently funded for 5 years: April 2023 – March 2028.
Funding for this partnership comes from USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program.
Why Fiber?
Growing concerns about textile-derived microplastics, land-use impacts, and human rights have prompted an industry-wide shift to seek natural fiber sources with verified benefits to land and climate. This program aims to promote healthy soils and benefit the climate while simultaneously driving greater market investment in wool and cotton products that are grown using sustainable agriculture practices.
How We Help Farmers and Ranchers
Through a process known as Resilient Ranch Planning, participating farms and ranches will work with Planners in the field to create a tailored conservation plan that identifies opportunities to achieve farm and ranch goals while simultaneously boosting the carbon cycle as the principal energy pathway driving agricultural productivity. Participants will then receive technical assistance and fixed cost-share incentive payments to support adoption of select conservation practices in their Plan. The Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership will make payments generally following the standard EQIP 75% cost share state rate and the enhanced 90% cost share state rate for eligible producers/practices.
Who’s Eligible?
To participate in this USDA-funded Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities project and receive federal program benefits, a producer must:
- Certify that you are not a foreign entity.
- Demonstrate that you are in control of the land, whether through ownership or a lease agreement.
- Have an FSA-issued Farm ID. If you do not have a Farm ID, we will work with you to establish FSA farm records within 3 months of preliminary acceptance into the program.
- Annually certify compliance with USDA’s requirements for Highly Erodible Land Conservation / Wetland Conservation.
- Producer must be willing to work collaboratively with our technical assistance providers to write a Resilient Ranch Plan and implement climate-smart conservation practices from that Plan.
