Climate change is reshaping the landscape of agriculture and forestry, bringing challenges like extreme rainfall and flooding, increased pest pressure, and drought to farms and forests.
Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Fellowship (CAMF) programs aim to be a part of the solution. CAMF is designed to empower farmers and agricultural advisors in their journey to gain and share knowledge and tools needed to be resilient in the face of climate uncertainty. Beginning in January 2024, four new climate adaptation and mitigation fellowship programs will begin in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States. These will include a program for dairy farmers and advisors in New York, Vermont, and Maine, a program for row crop farmers and advisors in the Midwest (Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois), a program for diversified agriculture and agroforestry farmers and advisors in the Northeast (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Delaware, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia), and a program for women and non-binary vegetable and small fruit farmers and advisors in the Northeast and Midwest regions. The USDA Northeast Climate Hub is providing leadership and management support, and curriculum design and development assistance across all programs, and funding the implementation of the dairy program.
Background
The Climate Adaptation Fellowship (now Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Fellowship) was launched in 2019 in response to farmers’ need for information and technical assistance related to climate change. The first iteration of the program focused on the Northeast region of the United States. A team of collaborators including researchers from land grant universities, farmers, extension professionals, and personnel from USDA’s Northeast Climate Hub, Agricultural Research Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Forest Service worked together to create a set of peer-reviewed, climate-focused curricula for dairy, small fruit and vegetables, tree fruit, and forestry.
In 2021, the small fruit and vegetable program was piloted, supported by a Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NE-SARE) professional development grant. USDA Northeast Climate Hub personnel provided project leadership, and curriculum development support. Thirty-four fellows participated in the pilot. Over the course of a year, fellows met for two workshops and a series of informal meetings. They worked in pairs (one farmer and one agricultural advisor) to conduct risk assessments, generate adaptation plans, set up field demonstrations, and attend outreach event.
Outcomes from the Pilot Program
Out of 34 Fellows (17 farmer fellows, 13 agricultural advisor fellows, and 4 farmer/agricultural advisors):
- 12 Agricultural advisor fellows agreed or strongly agreed that their confidence in incorporating climate change issues into their programing has increased since the beginning of the program.
- 14 Agricultural advisors intend to use knowledge, attitudes, skills and/or awareness learned through this project in their educational activities and services for farmers.
- 14 Farmers reported changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills and/or awareness as a result of their participation.
- 13 Farmers reported that after the program, their confidence in addressing climate change on their farm increased.
- 15 Farmers reported making changes or adopting climate adaptation/mitigation practices after engaging in the program.
- 28 Fellows reported that hearing other fellows discussing their adaptation strategies made them think in a new way about climate adaptation strategies they could use on their farms or incorporate into their programs.
- 23 Fellows reported that the program helped them to identify resources to improve their ability to communicate about climate change.
Since the program ended in 2022, many fellows have continued to act as climate leaders within their communities. Farmers fellows have spoken at conferences and workshops, and service provider fellows have created their own climate-focused programming within their organizations.
Looking Ahead
In the upcoming CAMF programs, cohorts of farmers and agricultural advisors will learn about climate impacts, adaptation, and mitigation strategies. Other topics of importance will include how to finance adaptation and mitigation plans and climate communication. Working together and with support from an educator team, each farmer and advisor pair will create climate adaptation and mitigation plans for the farmer fellow’s farm. These fellowships also include a stipend for farmer fellows, drop-in support meetings during the planning process, and expert guest speakers covering requested topics.
Applications for farmers and advisors interested in participating in any of these programs are due November 11, 2023 (with the exception of applications for the row crops program due December 10, 2023). More information about all programs is available on the CAMF website.
Apply now