climate smart farmer PROGRAM (2025 - 2026)

Farmers are at the frontlines of climate change. Their work to steward the land and feed communities is already extremely challenging.

As we witness the impact of climate change, farmers are becoming increasingly vulnerable as they face an increased number of severe weather events and patterns, high heat, degradation of natural resources, and rising pests and disease pressure.

To equip farmers with adaptation and mitigation tools that build resilience and maintain productivity in the face of climate change, Georgia Organics has partnered with McIntosh SEED to expand the Climate Smart Farmer Program.

The new iteration of the Climate Smart Farmer Program will provide technical assistance to help farmers access USDA programs like NRCS EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) and USDA REAP (Rural Energy for America Program), which fund conservation agriculture and solar energy projects. In 2025, the program will focus on in-person and virtual workshops to guide farmers through the application process and provide hands-on support. In 2026, grant funding opportunities will open to help farmers implement conservation practices and solar projects.

Funding for this program is made possible by the Climate Solutions & Equity Grant from Drawdown GA. 

  • Technical Assistance:

    • Farm ID & UEI # application assistance

    • EQIP application assistance

    • REAP application assistance

    Education & Outreach:

    • Virtual and in-person workshops covering conservation agriculture, solar energy, and USDA funding opportunities.

    • Informational resources to help farmers make informed decisions about conservation and renewable energy investments.

    Funding Opportunities:

    In 2026, farmers will be able to apply for mini-grants to support conservation agriculture and solar projects.

    • Applicants will submit a short application and a project proposal outlining their budget and expected impact.

    • The application window will be January 15 – February 15, 2026.

    • Awardees will be notified by March 31, 2026.

3 Porch Farm. photo credit: M.F. Espinoza

The Climate Smart Farmer Program (CSFP) works with Georgia farmers to incorporate or expand their conservation agriculture practices and renewable energy projects.  

Georgia Organics and McIntosh SEED will assist farmers in accessing NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) resources through technical assistance on the EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) application process. EQIP boasts several climate-smart practices, including cover cropping, residue and tillage management, and conservation crop rotation.  

Our goal is to assist farmers in better leveraging these underutilized funds by walking them through an overly complex application process.   

Through partnership with Ag Solar Solutions, the Climate Smart Farmer Program helps farmers access information detailing how adopting solar energy on their farm can reduce their carbon footprint and improve their bottom line. Ag Solar Solutions also provides technical assistance for the REAP (Renewable Energy for America Program) application process.

Are you a farmer looking to implement conservation practices or solar energy? Fill out this short form so we can better assess your technical assistance needs and to stay updated on upcoming workshops and funding opportunities!

Applications for funding through the Climate Smart Farmer Program are not available until Jan. 2026

To receive monthly updates on Educational Opportunities and Resources for Farmers, subscribe to our e-newsletter, Grower News here!

For questions, contact us at farmerservices@georgiaorganics.org