
About
An Exploration of Climate-Smart Practices
Official project title:
Quantifying the Potential to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Increase Carbon Sequestration by Growing and Marketing Climate-Smart Commodities in the Southern Piedmont
Led by Rodale Institute, we’re partnering with universities, NGOs, farmers, and farmers markets in the Southeastern U.S. to understand and promote climate-smart farming practices.

We will be:
- Partnering with 500 small-scale farms to better quantify the benefits of climate-smart methods (primarily the use of cover crops) and studying their effect on soil health, greenhouse gas emissions, and other environmental factors
- Educating farmers markets on how to communicate the value of the climate-smart goods grown through the study—and helping expand the market for these commodities
- Developing recommendations for helping farmers transition to climate-smart agriculture
In the Field
500 Active Farms Across the Southern Piedmont
We’re conducting research on real farms. The farmers of 50 conventional and 50 organic farms will enroll a portion of their land (1–10 acres each) and manage it according to the program for four years. They’ll follow a planting protocol and introduce cover crops on half the enrolled land.
Along the way, farmers will work with our research team to gather data on a variety of environmental factors: soil health, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and others. In exchange, they’ll receive technical and financial support.

Project Partners A Cross-Industry Collaboration
Select a partner below to learn more about the organization and their contributors.
Project Partner
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association is a farmer-driven, membership-based non-profit that helps people in North and South Carolina grow, eat, and enjoy local, organic food, flowers, and fibers. Since 1979, CFSA has worked to unite farmers, consumers, and businesses to build a healthy and sustainable food and farming system. CFSA’s network has fueled this transformation through training, targeted food system investments, one-on-one farm consulting (direct technical assistance), advocacy at all levels of government, and nurturing community leadership.
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Karen McSwain
Soil Conservationist
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Kim Butz
Soil Conservationist
Project Partner
Achieving Thomas Green Clemson’s vision of “a high seminary of learning” to develop “the material resources of the State” for the people of South Carolina is the mission that binds together researchers, teachers and faculty members at Clemson every day. United in the pursuit of this vision, Clemson employees and strategic partners collaborate to move South Carolina’s people and industries forward.
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Dr. Rongzhong Ye
Associate Professor, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University
Project Partner
Emory University is a leading research university, recognized internationally for its outstanding liberal arts colleges, graduate and professional schools, and one of the nation’s most comprehensive academic health care systems.
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Dr. Eri Saikawa
Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory College of Arts and Sciences
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Dr. Emily Burchfield
Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University
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Dr. Debjani Sihi
Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University
Project Partner
Georgia Organics is a member-supported, non-profit organization with the mission of investing in organic farmers for the health of our communities and the land. Georgia Organics champions organic agriculture and healthy families by prioritizing farmer prosperity, engaging children with good food in their cafeterias and classrooms, and convening local leaders to address food access issues by making organic and local food accessible to all.
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Suzanne Girdner
Director of Programs
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Paul Sorah
Climate-Smart Agriculture Specialist
Project Partner
NC State University is based in Raleigh, North Carolina, about halfway down the East Coast of the United States. Since 1887, we’ve strived to offer world-class teaching and research. Today, we’re ranked in the top 1% of universities on the planet.
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Dr. Roderick M. Rejesus
Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
Project Partner
Cooperative Extension at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T) as a part of the largest College of Agriculture and Natural Resources among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) serves as the educational outreach arm of the nation’s land-grant universities. N.C. A&T State was established as a land-grant university under the Second Morrill Act of 1890, which expanded the land grant system to serve small-scale, underserved, and minority communities better. Cooperative Extension was established more than 100 years ago. Our program works as an integrated, nationwide educational and outreach network that improves lives – particularly in rural areas – by working with farmers, families, youth, and communities. N.C. A&T’s Cooperative Extension division includes subject-matter specialists, county-based agents, and paraprofessionals who deliver programs through centers across the state, including Guilford County, the City of Burlington, and areas from the North Carolina coast to the edges of the Cherokee reservation in the mountains. We are changing the world, one community at a time, right here in the Triad and beyond. Our students and statewide staff provide research-based information to North Carolinians who have social, cultural, and economic barriers to upward mobility, enabling them to make decisions that improve their communities and lives.
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Dr. Biswanath Dari
Assistant Professor & Natural Resources Specialist | S-SARE State Coordinator
Project Partner
Poket is a customizable field data collection and surveying software. The solution empowers users in the field to self-report data in exchange for custom rewards and incentives. Poket enables self-reported and community-based data collection with real-time feedback loops, dashboards, maps and resources – even in offline and low-resource settings. For more information, please visit https://www.poketapp.com/.
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Kamil Shafiq
Co-Founder
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Naba Siddiqui
Co-Founder
Project Partner
Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing the regenerative organic agriculture movement through rigorous research, farmer training, and education. Our groundbreaking science and direct farmer-support programs serve as a catalyst for change in farming and food production worldwide. Over our 75-year history, we have proven that organic farming is not only viable, but essential to humanity’s survival.
The Southern Piedmont Climate-Smart Project, led by Rodale Institute, is a $25 million research project funded through the USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program and the largest organic/conventional comparative research study in Rodale’s 75 year history.
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Dr. Kristie Wendelberger
Climate Smart Project Director/ Lead PI
Project Partner
The Soil Health Institute is a global non-profit with a mission of safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils through scientific research and advancement. The Institute brings together leaders in soil health science and the industry to conduct research and empower farmers and other landowners with the knowledge to successfully adopt regenerative soil health systems that contribute economic and environmental benefits to agriculture and society.
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Dr. Jenny Bower
Research Soil Scientist
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Dr. Daniel Liptzin
Research Soil Scientist
Project Partner
We are an independent agricultural consultant company founded in 2013 by CEO Patrick Brown. We specialize in providing farmers and rural farm businesses with professional advice and support. We accelerate sustainability in Regenerative Agriculture and deliver transformational impact for food deserts, agriculture companies and organizations by driving efficiencies, fueling growth, shaping industries, and increasing organizational effectiveness. Our proprietary tools and digital advanced analytics capabilities, combined with extensive experience are the cornerstones of the value we bring to our clients.
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Patrick Brown
Owner/Farmer
Project Partner
The University of Tennessee System is comprised of campuses at Knoxville, Chattanooga, Pulaski and Martin; the Health Science Center at Memphis; and the statewide Institute of Agriculture and Institute for Public Service.
Through the combined force of education, research and outreach, The University serves students, business and industry, schools, governmnets, organizations and residents statewide.
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Dr. Sindhu Jagadamma
Associate Professor Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science
Project Partner
As the birthplace of public higher education in America, the University of Georgia is inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs, researchers, and informed citizens who will change the world. For over 235 years, UGA has been engaged in a mission of leadership and service to our state.
A land-grant and sea-grant university, the University of Georgia is the state’s oldest and most comprehensive institution of higher education. Its motto, “to teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things,” reflects the University’s integral role in the state and nation’s intellectual, cultural, and environmental heritage.
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Dr. Jennifer Thompson
Associate Research Scientist, Crop & Soil Sciences University of Georgia
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Dr. Jessica Holt
Associate Professor, Agricultural Communication
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Dr. Sudhagar Mani
Professor, School of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering
Project Partner
Since its founding in 1848, University of Wisconsin-Madison has been a catalyst for the extraordinary. As a public land-grant university and major research institution, our students, staff, and faculty engage in a world-class education while solving real-world problems. With public service — or as we call it, the Wisconsin Idea — as our guiding principle, Badgers are creating a better future for everyone.
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Dr. Alfonso Morales
Chair, Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture and State Food Systems/Marketplaces Specialist, UW-Extension
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Dr. Edna Ledesma
Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Nathan Kennard Larson
Outreach Programs Manager, Kaufman Lab for Food Systems and Marketplaces, University of Wisconsin Madison
Project Partner
The Virginia Association for Biological Farming (VABF) has been the advocate for biological and organic growing in Virginia for over 40 years. Our leadership is comprised of a majority of farmers and growers from a broad spectrum across the Commonwealth and continues to build capacity in order to further engage and support the membership and partner organizations. With a focus on soil health, food systems infrastructure and local and regional markets, VABF is working to strengthen the network of biological growers and connect them to the consumers that value high quality products and the added ecological benefits that biological farming provides to the greater community.
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Brent Wills
Program Coordinator

Dig Deeper Frequently Asked Questions
Learn what “climate-smart” means, how this project is funded, how farmers benefit, and more.
Project Overview
Climate-Smart agriculture is defined as agriculture that sustainably increases productivity, resilience (adaptation), reduces/removes Green House Gasses (GHG) (mitigation), and enhances achievement of national food security and development goals (FAO 2010).
Check it out here!
This project is being funded by the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant, a historic multibillion-dollar investment by the USDA to expand markets for America’s climate-smart commodities, leverage the greenhouse gas benefits of climate-smart commodity production, and provide direct, meaningful benefits to production agriculture. Rodale Institute was honored to receive $25 million for this critical 5-year project that provides over $6 million to southeastern farmers, including small and underserved farmers.
Yes! There are various other USDA-funded climate-smart projects spanning across different fields of agriculture; check them out here!
The Southern Piedmont is a 64,395 square mile, USDA designated Major Land Resource Area (MRLA 136) that extends through Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. It lies as a plateau between the Appalachian Mountains and the Coastal Plain.
Counties include:
Alabama – Calhoun, Chambers, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Lee, Macon, Randolph, Shelby, Talladega, Tallpoosa
Georgia – Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Dawson, Dekalb, Douglas, Elbert, Fayette, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Glascock, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Heard, Henry, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison, McDuffie, Meriwether, Monnroe, Morgan, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Poke, Putnam, Richmond, Rockdale, Spalding, Stephens, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Troupe, Upson, Walton, Warren, White, Wilkes
North Carolina – Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Burke, Caharrus, Caldwell, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cleveland, Davidson, Durham, Franklin, Gaston, Granville, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Iredell, Johnston, Lee, Lincoln, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, Northampton, Orange, Person, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Wilson
South Carolina – Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, York
Virginia – Albemarle, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Brunswick, Buckingham, Caroline, Carroll, Charlotte, Culpeper, Cumberland, Danville, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Goochland, Greensville, Hanover, Henrico, Louisa, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Orange, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Richmond City, Roanoke County, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Sussex
Please see the territory outlined in the map below:
This is a five year project. We will perform research on farms for 4 years.
Rodale Institute is partnering with Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Clemson University, Emory University, Georgia Organics, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina State University, Soil Health Institute, The Connect Group, University of Georgia, University of Tennessee, University of Wisconsin, and Virginia Association of Biological Farming.
Climate change and reduced soil health is a large-scale, global problem. To make meaningful change, we need to work with a variety of partner organizations with a wide range of expertise to the table to generate actionable plans that can be implemented across a large scale. Each of the partners on this project have specialized expertise that connects the dots between greenhouse gas emissions, soil health, farming, economics, social barriers to change, technical assistance, and marketing.
Eddy Covariance towers are structures of scaffolding that hold research instrumentation which collect data on greenhouse gas emissions coming from the soil. Our towers will take data on carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ammonia, and weather data such as: precipitation, air temperature, wind speed, soil temperature, etc. This is the first time that all four greenhouse gasses will be monitored continuously at the same time in the field, so we are excited to see what this work will show us about farming’s impact on the climate.
Qualifications & Benefits
Any vegetable farmer (organic or conventional) and farmers markets located in the Southern Piedmont.
Yes, we are performing consumer messaging campaigns at markets.
Yes, diverse vegetable farmers will fill out Farm2Facts Ecosystems Services Tool, and post their results at the market. Market farmers can also enroll in our soil health study if they are located in the Piedmont.
We will be enrolling a total of up to 500 farmers: 50 naturally grown/organic and 50 conventional farms will be part of the greenhouse gas and soil health study, and up to 400 farmers will be part of the marketing campaign.
Check out our Farmers Information Sheet here!
Yes, we have over $6 million dollars in cash and non-cash incentives that will go to farmers and farmers markets who participate in the project.
Yes
2 years
Yes
No problem! You’ll learn about cover cropping and how to manage and terminate the crop.
Farming Requirements
You have to plant cover crops (a mix of winter pea, daikon radish, and oats) on the enrolled acreage, using a roller crimper on 1/2 of the enrolled acreage and using plastic on the other half. If you are organic/naturally grown, you will be terminating your cover crops with a roller crimper, and conventional farmers will be terminating with herbicide. Everything that you plant on the enrolled acreage (both cash crop and cover crop) will come from a predetermined rotation.
Yes!
$1500/acre of rolled cover crop/year
Up to $1100/year for input reimbursement on enrolled acreage
$150/year to complete survey questions
$100/year to participate in farmer focus groups
$50/year to complete Farm2Facts
$500 to host a Farmer Field Day at your farm
$50 (20 miles or less) or $100 (21+ miles) to assist moving project equipment to your farm as needed $500/year/tower for farms housing two Eddy Covariance Towers on their property
Crops will be decided by a farmer focus group. You’ll split your enrolled acreage in two, and those two sections will mirror each other with a multi-species crop rotation. Your cover crop mix will be winter pea, daikon radish, and oats, and your cash crop rotation will be a slicer tomato, leek, cabbage, and winter squash.
Yes, you’ll be planting a mix of winter pea, daikon radish, and oats.
Yes
No
Within 1 year. Fallow or new land cannot be used.
Landscape fabric use is allowed for weed control in paths, not as a replacement for plastic mulch.
No
Yes
No
We will provide a plastic mulch layer.
Yes. The data will be based upon the two enrolled fields. You’ll receive weekly questions in survey form that will take no longer than 10 minutes to complete. The majority, if not all, will be data you already collect for your farm.
Through an app that is being specifically designed for this project; survey-style data input.
Yes
Yes

Grant Details Learn more about the Project
Get more details about participating in the project, and our goals for the next 4 years.