PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (August 16, 2024) — Clarence Bunch, Ph.D., has secured $3M in grant funding from the US Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Services.
Bunch is a Program Manager III for the College of Food and Natural Resources, Cooperative Agricultural Research Center (CARC), at Prairie View A&M University.
Ali Fares, Ph.D., and Ashley James, Ph.D. will serve as Co-Principal Investigators.
Prairie View A&M University is aiming to secure $3 million in funding through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program to launch a new initiative in Texas called the Climate Smart Farm Planning Program. This program will assist historically underserved farmers across more than 60 counties in adopting carbon-smart farm plans that include regenerative agriculture practices. Engaging these farmers, especially in Texas, is crucial for building a large-scale marketplace for climate-smart products.
Texas leads the nation with 248,416 farms and ranches spread over 127 million acres. The state also boasts the highest number of black farmers in the U.S., alongside a significant number of Hispanic, Asian, and Native American producers, as per the 2017 U.S. Census of Agriculture. In recent years, Texas has faced severe environmental challenges, including natural disasters and unpredictable weather and soil conditions. These factors have intensified the pressure on farmers to prioritize short-term gains over long-term soil and climate health, disproportionately affecting small, minority-owned farms with limited resources.
By Joe McGinty