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Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture

The Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture incentivizes farmers and ranchers to adopt conservation agricultural practices that can boost crop yields, support rural livelihoods, and build resilience against climate change.

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE

2026 Annual Report

A look at program implementation, producer participation and research across four states.

Read The Report ➡

Under the three-year, $80-million pilot program, the Alliance and its partners will help producers in Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota and Virginia prove the value of paying farmers and ranchers $100 per acre or animal unit for stewardship practices — delivering public value through carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas reduction, improved soil health, water quality, water conservation, and other vital ecosystem services.

Led by Virginia Tech, the Alliance is supported by USDA’s Advancing Markets for Producers initiative, with participation from more than 14 state and national partners.

About the Pilot

Over three years, the Alliance will enroll over 4,000 farms and ranches across an estimated 470,000 acres. If scaled up nationally, the program could help producers reduce agricultural emissions by 55% and total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by 8% after 10 years.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number NR233A750004G102. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this web 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to your questions about the pilot including eligibility for farmers and ranchers, approved conservation practices, and Virginia Tech’s research agenda.

Staff + Leadership

Find out more about our team, based at Virginia Tech.

Partner States

The pilot is open to producers eligible producers in Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Virginia. Our partners were selected based on their experience and expertise working with producers and landowners, as well as promoting climate-smart commodities.