(WSPA) – Clemson University and South Carolina State University were awarded a grant to implement conservation practices.
Kelly Flynn, with Clemson University, said the project will help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases farming puts into the air.
“For generations, the way farmers have been farming has been by using these conventional methods, mechanical intervention, chemicals, and application of fertilizer. And so what this project is doing is showing farmers a different way that they can farm with the same outcomes.”
Flynn said the project is designed to help the atmosphere, while still allowing farmers to produce basic goods in South Carolina.
The climate-smart production in South Carolina will focus on commodities including peanuts, leafy greens, beef cattle and forestry.
Some of the practices include rotating beef cattle from one area to another, reducing tillage, which is a way to improve soil health and covering crops, which helps prevent soil erosion.
All of which Flynn said can help be a more efficient way to farm, while still producing the same amount of crops.
To sweeten the deal, farmers can also get incentives to help them transition from conventional methods to a climate-smart method.
Flynn said the funding comes from USDA under their Climate-Smart Initiative, which is a nationally implemented program. Clemson received a 70 million dollar grant for this project.
That money is reserved for farmers here in South Carolina.
The amount is based on the acreage of land. However, Clemson has had to make some restrictions.
“We are only incentivizing up to a certain amount of acres. And in some cases we actually had to reduce the maximum acres so that we could include more farms.”
Flynn said so many farmers have applied to be a part of the project, that they are now on a waiting list.
“Whether you believe in climate change or not, the science is, the more greenhouse gases exist in our atmosphere, that’s more the temperature rises. So, if we can reduce those, then I’m on board.”
