Hawaiʻi Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities
Producer Information
Incentive Program Details
The Hawaiʻi Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities has been able to provide incentive payments to 30+ producers to adopt conservation practices across over 4,000 enrolled acres to date as part of our Phase 1 pilot cohort. We anticipate to enroll at least 30 producers in our upcoming Phase 2, which is anticipated to launch by early summer 2025.
This data driven project includes workforce development training for staff of our statewide producer engagement team to acquire the technical skills to measure the soil health benefits, verify practice implementation according to NRCS specifications, and serve as liaison for participating producers to support the reporting of yield outcomes and market entry of the produced climate-smart commodities.
A Climate-Smart Commodity is an agricultural commodity that is produced using agricultural (farming, ranching, or forestry) practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon. Please refer to USDA’s list of recognized climate-smart commodities (Appendix B).
In order to be eligible, producers must enroll at a minimum one acre and meet the following criteria:
- Establish Farm Records with the FSA;
- Complete an AD-2047;
- Certify highly erodible land conservation (HEL) and wetland conservation (WC) compliance via Form AD-1026, Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification;
- Certify that they are not a foreign person or entity.
The Hawaiʻi Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities has a total of 22 approved NRCS conservation practices that farmers or ranchers may choose to implement under our incentives program (see table below). Practices must be implemented and verified according to Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Pacific Island Area (PIA) Conservation Practice Standards (CPS). The following practices are available for incentive payments though the Hawaiʻi Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities:
| CPS Code | Practice | FONSI/CPA-52 | CPS-PIA |
| 314 | Brush Management | CPA-52 | CPS 314 |
| 315 | Herbaceous Weed Treatment | CPA-52 | CPS 315 |
| 317 | Composting Facility | CPA-52 | CPS 317 |
| 327 | Conservation Cover | FONSI | CPS 327 |
| 328 | Conservation Crop Rotation | FONSI | CPS 328 |
| 329 | Residue and Tillage Management, No Till | FONSI | CPS 329 |
| 336 | Soil Carbon Amendment | FONSI | CPS 336 |
| 340 | Cover Crop | FONSI | CPS 340 |
| 345 | Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till | FONSI | CPS 345 |
| 379 | Forest Farming Practice Specifications Mixed Agroforest (CPS 379) | CPA-52 | CPS 379 |
| 380 | Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation | CPA-52 | CPS 380 |
| 381 | Silvopasture | CPA-52 | CPS 381 |
| 382 | Fence | CPA-52 | CPS 382 |
| 384 | Woody Residue Treatment | CPA-52 | CPS 384 |
| 484 | Mulching | FONSI | CPS 484 |
| 490 | Tree/Shrub Site Preparation | CPA-52 | CPS 490 |
| 512 | Pasture and Hay Planting | CPA-52 | CPS 512 |
| 528 | Prescribed Grazing | FONSI | CPS 528 |
| 548 | Grazing Land Mechanical Treatment | CPA-52 | CPS 548 |
| 590 | Nutrient Management | FONSI | CPS 590 |
| 612 | Tree/Shrub Establishment | CPA-52 | CPS 612 |
| 660 | Tree/Shrub Pruning | FONSI | CPS 660 |
1CPA-52 practices require site-specific review. Site-specific review includes completion of the environmental evaluation (CPA-52) for all practices under a beneficiary contract. Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) practices do not require site-specific review and can be contracted without undergoing the CPA-52 process.
2Fence is considered a supporting practice by NRCS that can not be contracted alone, but must be planned in combination with other climate-smart practices according to USDA PCSC regulations. Note: Practices 382 (Fence), 314 (Brush Management), and 315 (Herbaceous Weed Treatment) can not be incentivized as primary practices, but must be implemented in combination with allowable primary practices.
Technical assistance will be provided to producers through our producer engagement team, including project staff of the Hawaiʻi Cattlemen’s Council, ʻOahu Resource Conservation and Development Council, Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United, The Kohala Center, Forest Solutions Inc., University of Hawaiʻi, and Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative, to support with federal eligibility requirements, draft scopes of work and guide practice implementation, verification, and reporting requirements throughout the duration of the contract. Incentive rates are calculated based on the practice or suite of practices and the acreage that the producer wishes to enroll in the project. Incentive payments can be offered as reimbursement as well as partial advance payments. The Phase 2 enrollment cycle supports one to two year projects.
How to Participate in the Program:
We anticipate to enroll at least 30 producers in our upcoming phase 2, which is anticipated to launch by early summer 2025 with a call for applications that will be published on this website.
Requirements will include:
- Establish records with the Farm Service Agency (FSA)
- Enroll at least one acre and one commodity for market sale
- Implement contracted practices according to the specifications of the NRCS Pacific Island Area (PIA) Conservation Practice Standards (CPS)
- Allow site access for technical staff to conduct soil measurements and monitor and verify practice implementation
- Assist with reporting requirements (e.g. provide yield and market output data)
If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a Producer Interest Form and you will be notified when the call for applications is open.
Please see below detailed steps for prospective Phase 2 producers to participate in the Hawaiʻi Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities Program:
Establish Farm Records with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) (have farm, tract, and field numbers in place), by reaching out to your island’s service center;
Complete and submit an AD-2047 to FSA (Customer Data Worksheet to facilitate the collection of customer data for Business Partner Record);
Certify highly erodible land conservation (HEL) and wetland conservation (WC) compliance via submission of Form AD-1026, Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification;
Certify meeting USDA required citizenship / US-ownership requirements.
Any soil-disturbing practice listed in the table above will require site-specific review via the NRCS’s environmental evaluation process (CPA-52). Our staff will assist producers with drafting these documents. Once approved by NRCS, a contract with Lynker can be signed.
Once steps one and two have been completed, the incentive contract with Lynker can be signed and executed, which will include permission for the project team to conduct data collection and monitoring throughout the project.
Discussions on baseline data collection will take place concurrently with steps two and three to determine the areas on each participating operation where samples for soil health, carbon and greenhouse gas emissions will be collected. The initial sampling must occur before implementation begins and in most cases will be completed during 2 visits within a 1-2 week term. Baseline sampling will be followed with annual return sampling for the duration of the contract and data will be made available to producers via customized dashboards.
Work with the technical staff assigned to your site by the producer engagement team to implement the practice as stipulated in USDA NRCS-PIA Conservation Practice Standards. Collaborate with the Hawaiʻi Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities project team to allow ongoing monitoring throughout the incentive contract and assist with data collection (e.g. yields, market outputs, costs of production, etc.) for USDA reporting requirements.
Interest Form
Let us know your type and level of interest in receiving information on eligibility, markets, or other opportunities.
Eligibility Requirements
To receive financial incentives for participating in the Climate Smart Commodities (CSC) program.
Market Enrollment
Participate in the emerging Climate Smart Commodities (CSC) market to sell your products or services.