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Feb. 25, 2025 Source: Field to Market news release WASHINGTON, DC -- Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture has released the results of the first year of its Innovative Finance Initiative (Initiative), which is part of the USDA's Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Grant Program. In 2023, the USDA awarded Field to Market $70 million to launch the Initiative which, when combined with $66 million of matching funds from agricultural lenders, investors, and value chain partners and $40 million in leveraged funding, will have a total financial impact of $176 million. The Initiative uses innovative finance mechanisms, such as flexible operating loans and crop warranties, to accelerate conservation practice uptake by farmers, leveraging private sector demand to strengthen markets for commodities grown using resilient practices. As a result of the Initiative's first year of enrollment, an estimated $4.85 million will be paid out to farmers in early 2025. In the first year, 389 farmers enrolled in the Initiative across ten states, accounting for 178,230 acres. Conservation practices supported in the first year of the program include nutrient management, no-till, reduced-till, and cover crops. At the conclusion of the Initiative's five-year program, $81 million will be distributed to at least 9,700 farmers to impact the sustainability of 10.6 million acres of cropland in the United States. In each of the eight projects under the Initiative, partners collaborate to help farmers incorporate conservation practices into their cropping systems by providing financial and technical assistance and using well-established, user-friendly tools to document Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MMRV) activities. Each project also links farmers to downstream markets that seek sustainable commodities to meet responsible business goals. When it comes to making strides in improving sustainability and increasing uptake of sustainable and regenerative practices, Field to Market President Carrie Vollmer-Sanders says "cross-sector collaboration and risk-sharing opportunities like those launched in these eight projects are critical." "Identifying and promoting innovative finance and incentive strategies to support farmers in the adoption of conservation practices is key to scaling sustainable and regenerative agriculture and opening new market opportunities," Vollmer-Sanders adds. "We are proud to work alongside our valued partners to create lasting change across the value chain." Learn more about the Innovative Finance Initiative here. ABOUT FIELD TO MARKET Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture brings together a diverse group of grower organizations; agribusinesses; food, feed, beverage, restaurant and retail companies; conservation groups; universities and public sector partners to focus on defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, feed, fiber and fuel production. Field to Market is comprised of around 190 members representing all facets of the U.S. agricultural value chain. For more information, visit www.fieldtomarket.org. Tweet |
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