Enrollment has closed for Fall 2024. We encourage you to still apply to join the project starting in Fall 2025! We will review applications and be in touch this winter.

woman gardener harvesting organic radishes

Join the Study

Now Recruiting:

Vegetable Farmers and Farmers Markets in the Southern Piedmont

We are looking for: a diverse mix of conventional and organic vegetable farmers in parts of Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama who are willing to commit to growing climate-smart commodities on 1–10 acres of land for four consecutive years. 

In exchange for participation, we’re offering cash incentives, as well as a variety of non-cash incentives such as equipment, technical support, and seed.

Farmer Incentives
FAQs

Project Requirements

Farmers, to participate in the study, you will:

large field of cover crops on a bright sunny day
  • Follow the planting and cover cropping rotation provided
  • Provide data via phone application
  • Participate in project training events
  • Allow the project team scheduled access to the enrolled acres for data collection

Note: The acreage may not be enrolled in other NRCS cost-share programs for similar practices.

Apply Now

Project Timeline

Apr 2023–June 2024

Farmer Enrollment

Spring-Summer 2024

Data Instruments Installed

Instruments will measure greenhouse gasses on four farms and will remain in place through spring 2028.

Spring-Summer 2024

Farmer Field Days

Educational field days held at partner locations and or on participating farms to demonstrate equipment use and farming practices.

Summer 2024

Focus Groups Begin

Farmer focus groups will be held annually through 2028.

Fall 2024

Soil Sampling Begins

Samples will be taken prior to cover crop plantings and will be taken annually until 2028.

We are looking for: farmers markets in parts of Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama who are willing to participate in the study’s Climate-Smart Commodity Marketing Program for four years. In exchange, we’re offering annual cash incentives.

Our research team will work with you to gather various metrics on your market. We’ll help you administer a marketing campaign to communicate the value of climate-smart commodities to consumers.

See Incentives

Project Requirements

Market managers, to participate in the study, you will:

Two market managers organizing a farm stand of fresh produce
  • Fill out an application that provides analytics and graphics related to market metrics
  • Assist our marketing team with farmer data collection, consumer surveys, and outreach at market
  • Allow our project team scheduled access to the farmers market for consumer surveys, data collection, and outreach
Apply Now

Project Timeline

Market managers will participate in one of two kick-off meetings at a regional conference in fall 2023 or spring 2024, as well as one of two wrap-up meetings in fall 2027 or spring 2028.

Apr 2023–June 2024

Market Enrollment

Fall 2023–Spring 2024

Project Training

Spring-Summer 2024

FARMER FIELD DAYS

Informational field days held at Partner locations and on farm to educate on equipment use and farming practices.

Spring 2024–Spring 2028

Project Underway

Summer 2024

Focus Groups Begin

Farmer focus groups will be held annually through 2028.