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Advancing DEI in Sharing Carbon & Ecosystems Services Information

Generating Soil Health Solutions
Generating Soil Health Solutions

Program Contact

Lakisha Odom, Ph.D..
lodom@foundationfar.org

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $100,000

Total award amount   $200,000

Location   Madison, WI

Matching Funders   American Society of Agronomy (ASA), the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) and the Soil Science Society of America

Carbon Markets Are Growing, But Trusted, Unbiased Information About Them Is Limited

Carbon credits, also known as carbon offsets, are permits that represent the equivalent of one ton of carbon dioxide removed and sequestered from the atmosphere. In the U.S., credits can be purchased or traded through carbon markets. Trusted, unbiased information about these markets and supporting programs are limited. In 2021, the Tri-Societies began building a source for science-based information to assist all populations working in agronomy, crops, soils and agriculture at large to understand and adopt carbon programs that curb climate change emissions and evaluate the science behind practices and markets. The Decode 6 website, launched Nov. 2022, is the result of this effort. FFAR has invested $100,000, with an equivalent match from Tri-Societies, to develop inclusivity and accessibility tools into the website so the information is understandable and accessible to everyone, especially within underserved communities.

This partnership between FFAR and Tri-Societies allows Decode 6 to reach underserved communities that are looking to better understand and leverage opportunities in carbon and ecosystem services markets. But it’s not just a one-way push of educational materials to these communities. Through this partnership, Decode 6 will work directly with individuals in underserved communities to co-create actionable education materials related to carbon, markets and economics, water, nutrients, biodiversity and habitat and climate. Chris Boomsma
Director of science & strategy for Decode 6

About the Decode 6 Website

The Decode 6 website provides free educational resources in carbon and ecosystem services and their respective markets for the agricultural and environmental sectors. It is named for carbon, the sixth element on the periodic table.

The website covers six key topic areas, including:

  1. Carbon
  2. Markets and economics,
  3. Water
  4. Nutrients
  5. Biodiversity and habitat
  6. Climate

The information is provided in bite-sized, science-based information question-and-answer format. Podcasts, videos and short articles seek to answer the key questions farmers, in-field advisers, agricultural retailers, conservationists, market providers and policymakers need to evaluate today’s opportunities in carbon and ecosystem services practices and markets.

Decode 6 website screenshot

Accessing science-based, unbiased information on emerging carbon markets and programs can often be challenging. FFAR is excited to support Decode 6 in providing equitable access to practical agricultural information and enabling more informed decision-making. LaKisha Odom, Ph.D.
Scientific Program Director Soil Health

Why Website Accessibility Is Important?

Website accessibility is the inclusive practice of ensuring there are no barriers that prevent interaction with, or access to, websites by people with physical disabilities, situational disabilities or other impairments or limitations. It ensures the information on a website is accessible to all.

The Latest

Insights

As an inclusive organization, we host Insights from thought leaders across for food and agriculture community on DEI. Learn more about their unique experiences and perspectives.

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Building Team Chemistry: The Bigger Picture Behind Cows & Climate

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Conor McCabe

Animal Biology Graduate Student, UC Davis

Insight on Livestock Methane Mitigation

Dr. Rod Mackie, Professor, Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Champaign, IL

Finding a New Way to Control Weeds in Cotton.

Sarah Chu

Sarah Chu

FFAR Fellow, Texas A&M University

Indigenous Farmers are Leading a “New Green Revolution” Focused on Hemp

James DeDecker, Director, Michigan State University – Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center Mary Donner, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians – Ziibimijwang Farm Executive Director and Tribal Citizen

The Algae-rithm of Sustainable Agriculture: Can Algae Replace Harmful Pesticides and Fertilizers?

Mira Conyers

Meeting Producers Where They Are: A Farmer-Centered Approach to Understanding the Needs of Historically Underserved

Amy Cole

Amy Skoczlas Cole

President of Trust In Food

Protecting the Vidalia Onion

Sujan Paudel

FFAR Fellow

Sustainable Agriculture & Supply Chain Equity

Philippa Lockwood

Clif Bar Program Manager

Irrigation’s Role in Ensuring Global Food Security

Luke Reynolds

Irrigation Association

A Biomass Carol: Bioenergy for The Future

Ekramul Ehite

FFAR Fellow, University of Tennessee-Knoxville

The “Good Soil Discount” — A Game Changer for U.S. Agriculture

Harley Cross

Harley Cross

Land Core Co-founder & Director of Strategy

Illuminating Pest Management with the Help of the Washington State Wine Commission

Alexa McDaniel

FFAR Fellow, Washington State University

Partner Profile: FMC

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Julie DiNatale

FMC vice president and chief sustainability officer

Global Agriculture Leaders See How Maryland Farmers Use Land-based Tools to Benefit Waterways

Ernie Shea

President, Solutions from the Land

FFAR Vet Student Fellow Research Spotlight

Anna Schaubeck

2021 FFAR Veterinary Student Research Fellow

Celebrating Innovation on National Egg Day

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Paul Montgomery

Director of Communications, United Egg Producers

Partner Profile: Regrow

Dr. Bill Salas

Organic Ag Podcast Features Innovative Industry Topics

Kathleen Delate

Professor, Organic Agriculture Program, Iowa State University 

Going Nuts: Nut Crops as Climate Resilient Protein Alternatives for the Future

Matt Davis

University of California, Davis

News

The latest news and updates from FFAR.

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$16 Million Grant Increases Crop Yields, Improves Sustainability & Profitability

ICASA Awards Grants to Address Antimicrobial Resistance in Cattle & Swine

FFAR Applauds President Biden & Congressional Leadership on Passing a Farm Bill Extension

Scientists Unite to Combat Fusarium Wilt in Cotton

Increasing Drought Tolerance in Rice

FFAR Grant Protects Wheat Yields from Wheat Stem Sawfly

GroundBreaker Prize to Fund Critical Water Research

Improving Yields & Traits in US Hemp Crops

Researchers Investigate the Promise of Food Procurement

Working with Farmers to Increase Adoption of Water Conservation Practices

AgMission Grant to Optimize OpTIS, Remote Sensing Tool to Improve Soil Health

Cattle Industry Consortium Funds Research Aimed at Reducing Enteric Methane Emissions

SHIC Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program Funds Additional Research

FFAR Renews ESMC Partnership to Grow Ecosystem Services Market Program 

Improving Layer Hen Welfare with Better Bone Health

FFAR and North Carolina State University Announce 2023 FFAR Fellows

FFAR Grant Combats Disease in Lettuce Crops

Cattle Industry Consortium Awards First Grant to Curb Enteric Methane Emissions

New Falling Number Test Prevents Wheat Contamination, Saves Farmers Millions

Pairing Regenerative Farming and Solar Energy Production to Improve Urban Resilience

Breakthroughs

Tools, technologies and strategies from the research we fund.

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Documenting Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing’s Benefits

Breakthrough for Quantifying the Advantages of Multi-Paddock (AMP) Grazing Compared to Conventional Continuous Grazing in the U.S. Southeast & Northern Great Plains

Research Pinpoints Why Dairy Cows Produce Less Milk in Warm Weather and Develops Nutrition-Based Solution

Breakthrough for FFAR Grant Helps Heat-Stressed Dairy Cows Weather Increasing Temperatures

Accelerating Crop Development with Improved Haploid Fertility

Breakthrough for Accelerated Development of Crops of the Future

Emergency Food Provision for Children & Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Breakthrough for Integrating Community and Modeling Efforts to Evaluate Impacts and Tradeoffs of Food System Interventions

National Academies Report on Interventions to Reduce Consumer Food Waste

Breakthrough for Understanding & Reducing Consumer Food Waste

Pipestone Researchers Find Feed Additives Stop Viral Disease Spread

Breakthrough for FFAR-Funded Research Finds Feed Additives Stop the Spread of Viral Diseases

Launch of Eco-Harvest, a program rewarding producers for regenerative agriculture practices

Breakthrough for Ecosystem Services Market Research Consortium

Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030

Breakthrough for Breakthroughs 2030 Report Identifies New Scientific Strategy to Transform US Agriculture

Radiography could transform poultry breeding

Breakthrough for FFAR Awards $1.4 Million to Purdue University, University of California, Davis and University of Edinburgh Researchers to Improve Health and Productivity of Egg-Laying Hens

The Irrigation Innovation Consortium & Parallel 41 Network: Building a path to data-driven management

Initial Success Achieved in Ending Surgical Castration of Swine

Breakthrough for FFAR Awards $500,000 Grant to Improve Swine Health and Well-Being

Combatting Fastidious Pathogens: Getting to the Root of the Problem

RIPE Researchers Prove Bioengineering Better Photosynthesis Increases Yields in Food Crops for the First Time

Breakthrough for Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) Reinvestment

Groundwater Fluctuations Impact Grain Yields

Breakthrough for FFAR Awards $2.4 Million to Eight Early-Career Research Faculty Members for Innovative Research Projects

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