Climate Smart Commodities

Farm Journal’s Trust In Food Awarded USDA Partnerships For Climate Smart Commodities Project

The Climate-Smart Connected Ag Project will test and evaluate a producer-centric model for closing the digitized farm data gap to reduce GHG emissions and accelerate the adoption of data management practices.

Lenexa, Kan., (Sept. 15, 2022) – Trust In Food™, the sustainability division of Farm Journal, has been awarded a USDA Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities project for its coalition-driven Connected Ag Project. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement today at Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa., one of the country’s first land-grant institutions.

The up to $40-million partnership will support different approaches to testing and evaluating climate smart data and information in all segments of agriculture in ways that add increased value and support to producers. Program participation will equip farmers and ranchers with the information they need to be competitive in a climate-smart marketplace, including access to personalized support services, coaching and direct payments for eligible participants.

Trust In Food will lead planning and execution of the Connected Ag Project, a turnkey program to learn how to close the digitized farm data gap and share those learnings across row crop, livestock, specialty crop and integrated farms and ranches. Organizations collaborating to deliver the project will provide producers with products, services and other benefits, including on-farm data management tools, data coaches, technical support to implement climate-smart practices and a virtual help desk. 

“Production and management data is key to unlocking the potential of climate-smart agriculture for producers,” says Amy Skoczlas Cole, executive vice president of Trust In Food. “Yet we know there are many real and perceived obstacles to the transition to digitally connected operations. We’re honored to put the nearly 150-year history of Farm Journal’s service to agriculture to work by helping producers through this next big revolution in agriculture.” 

Project partners are AGI/Farmobile, AgriWebb, AMVAC/SIMPAS, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Certis Biologicals, Ducks Unlimited, Farm Journal Foundation, National Pork Board, The Sustainability Consortium, Trimble and Tuskegee University. 

Secretary Vilsack’s announcement took place roughly three hours west of Bucks County, Pa., the birthplace of Farm Journal founder Wilmer Atkinson, a Quaker farmer. The Connected Ag project will build on Atkinson’s legacy, leveraging Farm Journal’s expertise, reach and first-hand knowledge and insights of farmers to help them in their climate-smart agriculture journey.

About Farm Journal

Farm Journal is the nation’s leading business information and media company serving the agricultural market. Started 146 years ago with the preeminent Farm Journal magazine, the company serves the row crop, livestock, produce and retail sectors through branded websites, eNewsletters and phone apps; business magazines; live events including conferences, seminars, and tradeshows; nationally broadcasted television and radio programs; a robust mobile-text-marketing business; and an array of data-driven, paid information products. Farm Journal also is the majority shareholder of the online equipment marketplace, Machinery Pete LLC. In 2010, the company established the non-profit, public charity, Farm Journal Foundation, dedicated to sustaining agriculture’s ability to meet the vital needs of a growing population through education and empowerment.

About Trust in Food

Trust In Food is a purpose-driven division of Farm Journal dedicated to mainstreaming and accelerating the transition to more sustainable and regenerative ag practices, making every dollar invested in conservation agriculture more impactful. We bring business intelligence to agricultural production behavior change: helping farmers understand, want and feel capable of undertaking practice change through data science, social research and strategic communications deployed through the omnichannel Farm Journal platform in collaboration with our partners.

Visit www.trustinfood.com to learn more.