boots in the dirt | Rural Investment to Protect our Environment (RIPE)

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A collage of pictures from RIPE's trip with the Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture for their summit. From left: RIPE Executive Director Trey Cooke in a rice field with RIPE Steering Committee representative, RIPE Board Member Eunie Biel in a cotton field, solar energy on a farm, and a banana spider in an Arkansas crop field.

Boots in the Dirt: Climate-Smart Agriculture in America’s Rice Capital

August 20, 2024/in Boots in the Dirt, Updates /by Melissa Willhouse

Chatting Up Arkansas Producers & The Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture

We’ve had quite a busy summer here at RIPE and are grateful for every minute of it. Kicking off our summer adventures in Wisconsin, our travels took us to Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, and most recently, Arkansas. We spent a few days in America’s Rice Capital to attend the Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture Summit, meet with members of RIPE’s Steering Committee, and tour Isbell Farms, which promotes regenerative and climate-smart agriculture in its operations.

One of the best parts about our summer travels is seeing just what “rural America” looks like in several different places. Rural Pennsylvania and Rural North Dakota seem starkly different, yet RIPE’s mission is relevant to producers in both places, and everywhere in-between. Our work is meant to be impactful for producers across the country, with operations of all shapes and sizes. Our summer of farm tours and conservation conversations in many places across the country has been as exciting as it has been productive, ending with our trip to The Natural State earlier this month.

RIPE Past President, Eunie Biel, Executive Director Trey Cooke, and Communications Manager Melissa Willhouse traveled to Little Rock, AR to attend the Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture first annual summit. While there, we met up with members of our Steering Committee, IDEA Committee and Board of Directors. This was an especially meaningful trip for us because RIPE wrote the proposal that laid the groundwork for this pilot project. Getting to see the proposal that we developed in action was rewarding and reinvigorating, giving us some fresh ideas and perspectives as to how we can best serve producers and rural communities across the United States.

This pilot project has three main goals:

- Promoting agricultural productivity
  - Achieve global climate and food security goals through sustainable agricultural productivity growth

- Creating strong markets
  - Invest in America’s farmers and build markets for climate-smart commodities to strengthen rural and agricultural communities

- Improving climate resilience
  - Measure, quantify, and promote the carbon and greenhouse gas benefits resulting from climate-smart practices

Read more about the framework that supports these goals on their website.

While in Arkansas, we enjoyed a night out with several representatives from our Steering Committee who were also in attendance at the summit. This group included persons from the Arkansas Rice Federation, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, Minnesota Farmers Union, North Dakota Farmers Union, National Black Growers Council, and the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association. While gathered with this group, we presented RIPE Past President and current Board Member Eunie Biel with an award to honor her for all of her hard work in helping RIPE grow.

We managed to squeeze in a trip to Isbell Farms as well. Isbell Farms, located in England, AR, is a multi-generational family rice farm located in Central Arkansas with a focus on the sustainable production of quality rice. Five generations have now farmed rice on Isbell Farms, and rice has been in cultivation here for over 70 years. Per their website, “at Isbell Farms, sustainability is part of our heritage and part of our future. Our initial goal was simply to do the right thing and do it well. It was only later that we learned that others had started using a word to refer to what we had long considered a core value: sustainability. We think of it in terms of stewardship.” Isbell Farms proudly holds a gold ranking in the SAI Sustainability Platform and was the recipient of 2016 Commitment to Quality Award from the American Carbon Registry. Read more about their Sustainability Practices straight from the source.

Our tour of Isbell Farms happened to fall on the day they began harvesting their rice crop. This allowed us to ride in the tractor with Mark Isbell as he chatted about the regenerative agriculture practices they implement, as well as the history of farming in his family. We even stopped by the rice mill where Isbell’s crops are refined into market-ready products. Getting to see the production process from start to finish was certainly an exciting experience.

Another interesting feature of Isbell Farms is their array of solar panels located conveniently on-site. The power produced by these solar panels goes directly back to the farm, allowing Isbell Farms to harness solar power within their operation and use it to fuel their production system and their houses located on the property as well. There is so much opportunity for renewables to be used to benefit farms across the country, and it was great to see an example of this in action. The solar panels on Isbell Farms are located on a part of the property that is not ideal for crops, so rather than having an empty space, the Isbell family is making the most of it.

RIPE supports expanding clean energy opportunities for farmers and mitigating the tension sometimes created by installing it on productive agricultural lands. Specifically, we support:

Ensuring renewable energy projects are designed in a way to benefit farmers, ranchers, and rural citizens
Incentivizing and increasing R&D for dual-use agri voltaics plan that allow for solar alongside farming, if placed on productive or unique farmland.
Expanding USDA REAP benefits to farmer-led cooperatives to allow for shared resource pooling and benefits.
Requiring developers who lease solar arrays on farmland to decommission them in a manner that protects the land for active agriculture future use.

We believe that renewable energy has the potential to directly benefit farmers and ranchers, as well as citizens in rural America, where utility-scale projects are being built. Furthermore, citing commercial-scale renewable energy, on the farm for farm use, can be extremely beneficial as demonstrated at Isbell Farms.

Scaling regenerative agriculture the RIPE Way includes direct compensation for clean energy, in part because of the high cost of installation and other policies, and market mechanisms are more appropriate for rewarding it fairly. Future iterations of our work could include consideration of direct compensation for clean energy, which delivers in the range of $5,000 to $18,000 per acre in public environmental benefits, after careful analysis of how to protect productive agricultural lands and farmers’ economic opportunities, as well as best use of various programs and market mechanisms. Check out our Research and Policy page for more information about the practices which we believe producers should be fairly compensated for, including clean energy.

It can be easy to disregard all of the people and processes involved in providing food for the masses. Especially if you don’t live in a rural community. Unless you are growing your own food or shopping at a farmer’s market every week, food can just be a product on a shelf at the grocery store. We trust that these stores are providing us with safe, ready-to-eat food at the most affordable price possible from producers who are reliable and ethical (if we even consider that part of the supply chain). In reality, these producers are arguably the most important part of the supply chain as the supply begins with them. As consumers, we want affordable food produced through sustainable and ethical means – the livelihood of the producer should be top of mind too. This is where RIPE’s work and the work of the Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture comes in, each with the goal of compensating producers for the public benefits of their conservation practices. This is the key in providing healthy, affordable food for our ever-growing population through sustainable and ethical means, WHILE promoting soil health and natural resource security.

A collage of pictures from RIPE's trip with No-till on the Plains for their Dakotas Soil Health Bus Tour. Image of a soil mound, a pasture with livestock, producers examining soil, a producer in an unmowed pasture, and producers conversing in a crop field.

Boots in the Dirt: RIPE On the Ground for No-till On the Plains Bus Tour

August 8, 2024/in Boots in the Dirt, Updates /by Melissa Willhouse

Three Days, Three States, No-till, No Problem

We wrapped up July by joining No-till on the Plains for their Dakotas Soil Health Bus Tour, of which RIPE was a sponsor. No-till on the Plains, RIPE’s newest Steering Committee member, organized this trip with ~40 producers from all over the country (and one from the United Kingdom!). The trip included visits to different farms and ranches across the Dakotas and plenty of conservation conversations along the way. Opportunities like this to meet with producers and conservation professionals around the country are highly valuable for us to ensure our mission is as timely, relevant, and impactful as possible.

No-till on the Plains is a 501c3 non-profit educational organization whose mission is to provide education and networking on agricultural production systems that model nature. This bus tour placed an emphasis on soil health and conservation through different regenerative agriculture methods, highlighting the no-till farming technique. This technique spotlights farming without disturbing the soil through tillage. No-till farming decreases the amount of soil erosion tillage causes in certain soils, especially in sandy and dry soils on sloping terrain. Since tillage fractures the soil, it disrupts soil structure, accelerating surface runoff and soil erosion. Tillage also reduces crop residue, which helps cushion the force of falling rain. Without crop residue, soil particles become more easily dislodged, being moved or ‘splashed’ away (read more from Iowa State University).

The programming took us from Nebraska to North Dakota to South Dakota and back, and in just 3 days we managed visits to four different farms and ranches across the mid-western plains of the United States, or “the Great Plains.” Scroll on for a quick recap of each operation we visited and the underlying theme(s) of the bus tour.

Agriculture is the dominant land use in the American Midwestern Plains, with more than 80% of the region dedicated to cropland, pastureland, and rangeland (Shafer et al. 2014). This sector generates a total market value of about $92 billion, approximately equally split between crop and livestock production (USDA ERS 2012). Life in the Great Plains has always been stacked against the backdrop of a challenging climate, and increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events is starting to have a greater impact on agriculture and communities within the region (read more from USDA). These factors made the Great Plains an ideal locale for such a trip, which allowed those of us in attendance from RIPE to meet with producers from the region and beyond.

Soil health and resilience is paramount in any ecosystem, with any commodity type, but life in the Great Plains presents some unique environmental challenges. Due to its positioning in the land-locked, north-central part of the United States, the Great Plains experiences a highly variable climate, prone to extreme events such as droughts, floods, heat waves, cold waves, blizzards, and severe weather. Changing precipitation patterns, together with higher temperatures, are intensifying wildfires, which can reduce forage in rangelands and forests. What’s more, warmer and generally wetter conditions coupled with elevated atmospheric CO2 can impact seasonal water availability, and plant phenology and physiological responses (U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit). Regenerative agriculture practices, like no-till and reduced tillage, can improve climate resilience in any ecosystem, though is especially cherished in an ecosystem already facing unpredictable, unprecedented weather extremes such as the Great Plains.

We are grateful for the chance to have met with producers and conservation professionals alike across the Dakotas, including a research farm, a ranch and homestead, and more. We saw evidence first hand of the benefits of regenerative agriculture on the cropland and pastureland in the Great Plains, and learned from the operators about economic benefits to their production systems as well. Let’s dig into who these people are, what they are doing for a living, and what they are doing for the local environment.

DAY ONE: Rick Bieber’s Farm | Trail City, SD
Rick Bieber is a no-till farmer from north central South Dakota. He farms in a 16-inch precipitation zone on 5000 acres of cropland and also has 5000 acres of rangeland for a 400 head cow/calf operation. He has been in a continuous no-till system for over two decades with main crops of hard red spring wheat, hard red winter wheat, corn, flax, peas, soybeans, safflower and alfalfa. From Rick, tour attendees learned about the benefits of the no-till system and lessons learned over the years.

Initially driven by the need to reduce costs and survive tough economic times, Rick adopted no-till practices without knowing the long-term benefits it would bring to his soils. What began as a necessity has now become a way of life and a successful, profitable operation. Today, Rick’s son, Benjamin, continues the family tradition of soil care at their South Dakota farm, while Rick travels globally, sharing his insights on the vital connection between soil health and human health worldwide.

DAY TWO: Menoken Farm | Menoken, ND
Menoken Farm is a combination of natural resource education and systems approach conservation. This 150-acre demonstration farm, located just east of Bismarck, ND was established in 2009 and draws people from all over the United States and beyond. The farm is owned and operated by Burleigh County Soil Conservation District, which has offices in Bismarck, ND.

After identifying a number of resource concerns across the Menoken Farm landscape, work focused on providing these basic building blocks to improve soil health: soil armor, minimal soil disturbance, plant diversity, continual live plant/root, and livestock integration. The systems approach management at Menoken Farms enhances erosion protection, sunlight harvest, plant diversity, carbon, pollinators, beneficial insects, wildlife, salinity control, livestock forage and more.

DAY TWO: Black Leg Ranch | McKenzie, ND
This 6th generation ranch homestead is home to rich grasslands, cattle, buffalo and more. Established in 1882 by George Doan of Canada, Black Leg Ranch is very engaged in regenerative agriculture, working to restore our natural resources including wildlife. Their grasslands are managed with planned rotational grazing, allowing for high animal impact, short duration grazing, and long recovery periods. This allows biodiversity to improve as well as water infiltration, and improves ground cover to limit water evaporation. These improvements increase the ability to sequester carbon in the soil, a benefit that can be impactful for the environment and for public health alike.

DAY THREE: Dakota Lakes Research Center | Pierre, SD
The Dakota Lakes Research Farm, located adjacent to the Missouri River, conducts irrigated and dryland research at their 480-acre main station. Additionally, work is done on 360 acres of Opal-Promise soils at the North Unit, and under various conditions at farmer-cooperator sites. The mission of this operation is to identify, research, and demonstrate methods of strengthening and stabilizing the agriculture economy. Per their mission statement, “(we) work with Mother Nature to ensure our land is protected, fertile and produces yields to feed the world for many generations to come.” This practice results in maintaining and encouraging living soils, clean water, healthy foods and ample wildlife.

A recurring theme throughout the field trip was improving soil health, and these different farmers and ranchers and researchers alike taught attendees about what they do to benefit soil, and why. Soil health is the foundation of productive, sustainable agriculture. By keeping soil health top of mind, producers work to reduce erosion, maximize water infiltration and storage, improve nutrient cycling, improve microbial diversity, increase soil carbon storage, save money on inputs, and ultimately improve the resiliency of their working land. Therefore, a healthy soil that is well managed can have major positive impacts on the livelihood of producers, the environment, and public health alike.

This trip was as informative as it was exciting. In addition to visiting various operations and learning about regenerative agriculture in the Midwestern Plains, we got to meet with producers representing a wide variety of backgrounds, learning as much from the attendees as we did from the presenters. Our summer of learning and networking isn’t over yet – stay tuned for our upcoming trip to Arkansas. In the meantime, check out our recent research “Green Fields, Healthy Yields: Regenerative Agriculture and Nutritious Food.”

We want to tell your story too. For details about getting involved with the RIPE Coalition, email us!

Boots in the Dirt: RIPE on the Ground in WI June 2024

June 14, 2024/in Boots in the Dirt, Updates /by Melissa Willhouse

Farm Trips & Field to Market June Plenary and General Assembly

Earlier this month, RIPE Executive Director Trey Cooke spent a few days in Wisconsin with Field to Market. This trip included a general assembly session with Field to Market, a farm tour of Frost Farms in Waterford, WI, discussions about sustainability in agriculture, and more. Opportunities like this – to meet with producers and experience firsthand the solutions to sustainability problems in agriculture – are vital in advancing RIPE’s mission.

As a member of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, RIPE had the pleasure of participating in the June Plenary & General Assembly Meeting in Milwaukee, WI recently. According to Field to Market, the organization brings together a diverse group of grower organizations, agribusinesses, food, beverage, apparel, restaurant and retail companies, conservation groups, universities, and public sector partners to define, measure and advance the sustainability of food, feed, fiber and fuel production in the United States. More specifically, and relevant to RIPE’s mission, Field to Market and its members are committed to supporting resilient ecosystems and farmer economic vitality as fundamental components of agricultural sustainability.

Field to Market has grown tremendously in recent years, becoming a primary center for collaboration in the sustainable ag space and boasting 146 member and affiliate projects. A vast majority of these projects are delivering innovative approaches to scale voluntary conservation adoption through incentives, emerging ecosystem service markets, and innovative financing opportunities for farmers and ranchers across the United States that would not exist otherwise.

RIPE’s work focuses on enabling producers to earn a fair return for implementing voluntary conservation practices in order to scale sustainable and regenerative agricultural production systems. Our work is informed by a coalition of farmers, ranchers, producer groups and commodity groups to ensure that our priorities are timely, relevant and impactful for producers across the country, producing all types of commodities at all levels. In fact, we just welcomed a new member to our Steering Committee… check out our recent Press Release for more details.

Field to Market Members, along with RIPE, represent all links in the agricultural supply chain, including a Grower Sector that is represented by producer and commodity groups from across the country. As a farmer and rancher first organization, this is a key point of interest to RIPE as strong grower leaders must be actively involved in Field to Market to best represent the interest of their peers across the country, especially in the context of Field to Market’s efforts to establish standards and metrics for sustainability and ecosystem benefits.

Fortunately, growers do have strong representation at Field to Market in the Grower Sector and include three RIPE Steering Committee Members: the National Black Growers Council, Illinois Corn Growers Association, and Minnesota Farmers Union. Additionally, producer interests are well represented on the Field to Market Board of Directors including Nebraska corn producer and RIPE Steering Committee Chairman Brandon Hunnicutt, Arkansas rice producer and leader of Arkansas Rice Federation (also a RIPE Steering Committee Member) Mark Isbell, and American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist, Roger Cryan.

Cooke recounts one of the highlights of the General Session to be hearing from a panel of producers. Key messages from the producer panel share similarities with some previous discussions held in RIPE coalition member meetings, and are critical for the upstream members of the agricultural supply chain to hear. Some of these messages included the need for the industry to be cautious in their data demands of producers. There was a clear recognition that data collection and reporting is critical to track and document sustainability behind the farm gate. However, the producer panel urged that the established and emerging processes be reasonable and appropriate in terms of the producer’s investment in time to document and report without compensation for their time or a premium on their commodities.

Another key takeaway from the producer panel was a message that RIPE has long embraced: the industry must better understand the producer. It was suggested that farmers are not the first link in the ag supply chain, but rather the central link. The farmer’s family, the families of workers on the farm, the community in which the farm families live and do business are all links in the ag supply chain too, giving emphasis to the point that rural economies and communities depend on the success of individual producers as much as the upstream value chain. This point is foundational to the very existence of RIPE as it is reflected in our name, the Rural Investment to Protect our Environment.

The Field to Market team, with support from Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Houston Engineering, and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, provided another significant opportunity for members attending to engage with producers at Frost Farms in Waterford, Wisconsin. Brothers Stewart and Spencer Frost walked the Field to Market group through their operation, originally founded in 1836, highlighting the efforts they have made to transition towards more sustainable approaches to milk and grain production. A continuous Q&A was held as the group walked throughout the dairy facility and in adjacent fields used for grain and silage production.

The brothers shared with the group their use of cover crops and manure from the dairy to improve fertility on their row crop farm. However, they did make the point to say that all conservation practices do not necessarily work on all farms. They discussed how they had worked diligently to move towards no-till in their row crop operation, but were unable to be successful as yields dropped enough to compromise their profitability. While they admitted that some of their friends in other parts of the state had made no-till work, they (and their consulting agronomist) believed their unique soils and micro-climate driven by Lake Michigan were creating some complicating conditions. Regardless, it was abundantly clear that the Frost brothers are outstanding environmental stewards, actively using key sustainable and climate smart agricultural practices, and thoroughly succeeding.

RIPE’s time at the Field to Market meeting and at Frost Farms helped to further validate our approach to scaling conservation. Producers and communities benefit in a system that aligns economic incentives with voluntary practices that enhances our soil, water and climate. In order to fully realize these benefits, producers must have adequate and fair assurances that their voluntary environmental stewardship efforts will provide a return on investment, which is where RIPE comes in.

This is the first of many trips we have planned for the summer – be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to stay informed! We’d love to hear your story too – contact us today to get started, and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on initiatives like this.

ICYMI: RIPE ON THE GROUND IN WASHINGTON, DC MAY 2024

A collage of Washington DC Tidal basin, line drawing of Capitol Hill, and postcard image of RIPE's Trey Cooke and Reece Langley. This is the cover image for RIPE's blog "Boots in the Dirt: RIPE On the Ground in DC."

Boots in the Dirt: RIPE On the Ground in DC Spring 2024

May 20, 2024/in Boots in the Dirt /by Melissa Willhouse

Bipartisan conversations to advance Farm Bill and RIPE’s mission

Welcome to RIPE’s new blog series “Boots in the Dirt” – a recurring collection of stories and details about our on-the-ground work engaging with producers, policymakers, and other people of interest in the regenerative agriculture space. As we look toward the summer, we have several in-person meetings and events planned. Simultaneously, policymakers are actively working to develop an updated Farm Bill as the upcoming presidential election draws ever nearer. Given this whirlwind of anticipation, progress, and opportunity, we figure there’s no better time or place to share updates with you about the work we are doing to improve agricultural policy that will benefit producers all over the country with operations of all sizes. For additional information and updates from RIPE conveniently delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our monthly email newsletter The Conservation Chronicle over on our Subscribe page.

For this installment of Boots in the Dirt, we’re recapping our recent trip to Washington, DC earlier this spring. In an effort to better engage with producers so we can translate their needs into priorities for policymakers, this is just the beginning of a year littered with similar events. Part of RIPE’s work includes advancing ag policy and part of it includes listening to the stories of producers to ensure said policy is truly comprehensive and beneficial – this trip allowed us to do both!

As April turned to May, our Executive Director Trey Cooke was on-the-ground in our nation’s capital for a week full of conversations with policymakers and with RIPE members alike. RIPE’s work is driven by the wants and needs of producers first and foremost, and these conversations are crucial to ensure our work is timely, relevant and equitable. Our priorities are informed by several working coalitions of farmers, ranchers, producer groups and commodity groups nationwide (read more about our IDEA Committee, Steering Committee and Farmer Advisory Network). During this visit to Washington DC, Cooke had the fortune of meeting with some members of the RIPE Steering Committee, members of the House and Senate representing both major political parties, and prospective members of the RIPE coalition.

The action-packed week started with a meeting with Rod Snyder, Senior Advisor for Agriculture at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and former President of Field to Market. RIPE discussed the interests of its producer-led coalition to receive fair compensation for voluntary conservation efforts. These conservation efforts are justified and supported by the stacked ecosystem service values that are provided to the public. This conversation between RIPE and Snyder included RIPE’s research on stacked environmental benefits, which Snyder felt is a significant piece of work that could further bolster the EPA’s interest in addressing water quality issues associated with agriculture and nonpoint source pollution. Additionally, RIPE’s research could help advance the EPA’s interest in voluntary climate-smart mitigation activities.

What is the stacked ecosystem service value? RIPE proposes paying farmers in alignment with the stacked ecosystem service value of stewardship practices whose minimum is $100 per acre or animal unit. Farmers would be paid not just for their carbon, but also for the water quality, air quality, biodiversity and other ecosystem services they provide. As illustrated in the chart below, the value to the environment and society from one acre that is sustainably farmed is significant.

Important preservation practices identified by RIPE, the USDA and additional researchers can address a number of environmental challenges including climate, water quality and supply, air quality and more. While the EPA indeed has significant regulatory authority, it is also interested in facilitating efforts to address environmental challenges through a voluntary approach, especially in the agricultural sector.

Additionally in the policy space, RIPE met with the Democrat and Republican House Ag Committee Staff and received a briefing on the status of the Farm Bill. Committee staff from both parties indicated that Chairman G.T. Thompson and Ranking Member David Scott were working hard to finalize a bill this summer, and have made significant strides to achieve alignment on some of the key issues. Both parties also detailed notable progress made on the Conservation Title which include several key RIPE Coalition priorities. RIPE’s approach includes bipartisan support for policy that benefits producers of all products with operations of all sizes – read our Principles & Practices to scale voluntary agricultural conservation to learn more.

That same day, the House and Senate majorities released their framework for the Farm Bill. Over the coming weeks, the Committees will be working toward to advance a bill through their respective Committee, with the House Agriculture Committee scheduled to hold a markup on May 23. RIPE rounded out the policy portion of the week with a number of meetings with member offices working on conservation issues in alignment with RIPE Coalition priorities, including:

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)
Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL)
Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR)
Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN)

Another noteworthy meeting included conferring with former RIPE Executive Director Aliza Wasserman. Wasserman contributed significantly to building RIPE’s foundations and currently serves as USDA Senior Advisor on Energy for Rural Utilities Service. During this meeting, Wasserman provided a briefing on the current movement to advance renewable energy strategies across rural America within key agricultural regions. This is supported in RIPE’s proposal. Moreover, Cooke met with National Farmers Union staff to discuss conservation priority alignment and provide a briefing on joint efforts of RIPE Steering Committee members Minnesota and North Dakota Farmers Union. Our producer-led steering committee advises on producer engagement, contributes to policy design and makes recommendations on other opportunities that support RIPE’s mission. It is made up of a diverse group of state, regional, and national trade associations and producer groups; the MN Farmers Union and ND Farmers Union represent 2/10 of the committee.

Speaking of RIPE’s Steering Committee, Cooke had the opportunity to meet with Steering Committee member Dr. Loston Rowe, Interim Executive Director of the National Black Growers Council (NBGC). The NBGC is a collective of multigenerational producers who advocate for the best interests of Black farmers locally, statewide and nationally, and whose mission is to improve the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of Black row crop farmers. Discussions were had about the partnership between the organizations, as well as implementation of the several USDA Climate-Smart Commodity Grants of keen interest to both parties.

Finally, Cooke attended the Ducks Unlimited Capitol Hill banquet and was afforded the chance to connect with many NGO and agricultural industry partners working on conservation initiatives that benefit producers across the country. Throughout the evening, Cooke conversed with Government Affairs staff of Corteva Agriscience, Agricultural Retailers Association, USA Rice Federation, Pheasants Forever, the Nature Conservancy, and Ducks Unlimited about Farm Bill priority alignment. Cooke also participated in a Congressional Reception hosted by the USA Rice Federation. As mentioned above, conversations like these are critical in informing RIPE’s priorities and ensuring our mission is comprehensive and suitable for all producers.

RIPE’s Spring 2024 visit to Washington DC was full of purpose and powerful conversations. As the summer draws near, we look forward to visiting several locations around the country and connecting with current and prospective coalition members with operations of varying size. During these trips, we look forward to hearing the stories of these operations and the hardworking people and history behind them.

RIPE’s mission reflects our desire to unify both sides of the political aisle and pass legislation that is relevant and equitable for operations of all sizes. We believe that farmers and ranchers who voluntarily implement conservation practices in their operations should be fairly compensated based on the public benefit of the services provided by such practices. The RIPE Proposal clearly identifies the environmental benefits and carbon value provided by various conservation practices. By outlining these various practices, we can justify equitable payments, particularly when a producer implements several of them simultaneously. By having conversations with producers and policymakers akin to those had on this DC visit, we can justify the RIPE proposal and its economical benefits for producers as well as its environmental benefits for the planet.

We’d love to connect with you and hear your story too. Contact us via email or by engaging with us on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter/X). Be sure to subscribe to The Conservation Chronicle to stay up-to-speed on RIPE’s work, current affairs, regenerative agriculture developments and more.