USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities

Sonoma-Marin Agriculture County
Climate Coalition

Action for Climate-Smart Agriculture

This project will develop systems, tools, and expertise to create a sustainable marketplace in Sonoma and Marin Counties for climate-smart commodities long term.

Through USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, AIM will collaboratively lead an investment of $10 million to pilot the implementation of climate-smart agricultural practices and marketing.

Through this Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, the USDA is investing a historic $3.1 billion in 141 selected projects that will lead pilots to create market opportunities for commodities produced using climate-smart production practices.

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) uses an integrated approach to managing landscapes—cropland, livestock, forests and fisheries—that addresses the interlinked challenges of food security and accelerating climate change.

Over the course of five years, project partners will provide carbon farming support to numerous farms and ranches, which will lead to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Anchored in historic local conservation partnerships, the adaptive co-management approach of the project is designed to serve as a regional model for coordinated climate-smart agriculture implementation and to be scalable to any region in the state or country.

Enhance Climate-Smart Agricultural Production

  • Support producers and landowners, including early adopters, in implementing voluntary climate-smart agricultural practices, activities, and systems on working lands to promote the production of climate-smart commodities.

Project Goals

Measure and Verify Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Benefits

  • Implement mechanisms to measure, monitor, and verify the carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits associated with the adopted climate-smart agricultural practices, ensuring accurate and reliable data on environmental impact.

Develop Markets & Promote Climate-Smart Commodity Markets

  • Establish and promote markets for climate-smart commodities, facilitating the marketing and distribution of products produced through climate-smart practices, thereby supporting the economic viability of participating producers and landowners.

Project Partners

  • Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT)

  • Sonoma County

  • Marin CAN

  • Sonoma County Farm Bureau

  • Sonoma County Farm Trails

  • UCCE Marin

  • Marin Resource Conservation District

  • Sonoma Resource Conservation District

  • Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District

  • Carbon Cycle Institute

This work is supported by a subaward from a federal grant, led by the County of Sonoma.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number NR233A750004G065.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In addition, any reference to specific brands or types of products or services does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for those products or services.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.