Partner Profile: Decode 6

Dr. Chris Boomsma

Madison, Wisconsin

Decode 6 is an education program of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) that drives innovation in the agricultural sector by bringing clarity to carbon and ecosystem service markets through transparent, unbiased and freely accessible educational content for all. Decode 6 accomplishes this mission by utilizing a hub and spoke model, wherein Decode 6 (the hub) utilizes a collaborative network of scientists, agronomists, industry members and nonprofit organizations (the spokes) to create, curate and disseminate content that is bite-sized, accessible and actionable. Utilizing short articles, podcast episodes, videos and explainers, Decode 6 provides timely education content to in-field farm advisers, conservationists, agricultural retailers, farmers and allied audiences working to advance climate-smart agricultural goals in North America and beyond.

From its inception and through intentional design, Decode 6 seeks to be an education platform through which scientists and practitioners can reach a diverse audience that includes individuals that have traditionally had limited access to quality educational materials focused on their specific needs and circumstances due to cost, language, and cultural barriers. With support from the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), Decode 6 aims to serve the needs of the underserved through three key routes. First, using key platform design features (e.g., closed captioning), Decode 6 is seeking to eliminate key learning barriers for individuals with disabilities. Second, through collaborations with groups such as the National Indian Carbon Coalition and 1890 Land-Grant Institutions, Decode 6 is working with these partners to co-create and disseminate education content that meets the specific needs of underserved minority communities. Lastly, Decode 6 is focused on developing education materials for non-English speaking audiences both within and beyond the United States, thereby breaking down the language barrier for a large audience seeking these education resources.

Decode 6 is actively looking for partners and collaborators that share a passion for transparent, unbiased, and freely accessible educational content for all in the burgeoning space of carbon and ecosystem services. Please reach out if you would like to become a content contributor or if you have questions for Decode 6 to address. You can also subscribe to the monthly Decode 6 Newsletter to get the latest content updates.

Dr. Chris Boomsma, Director of Science & Strategy

Chris Boomsma is the director of science and strategy at Decode 6. In this role, he leads the overall Decode 6 education initiative, principally focusing on the science discussed on the platform and the overall strategy employed by the Decode 6 team. Boomsma has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Plant Science from Dordt University and a doctoral degree in Crop Physiology and Agronomy from Purdue University.

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