Initiative Summary
Texas A&M AgriLife was awarded a 5-year $65M project titled Texas Conservation and Sustainability Initiative (TCSI), which has the goal of financially incentivizing commodity producers to adopt conservation practices, determining the benefit of those practices, and developing markets for sustainably produced commodities. The project targets all agricultural commodities in Texas, including row crops, fruits, vegetables, livestock, and forest products. Incentives of $42M are allocated to commodity producers that adopt conservation practices at low to no cost.
The TCSI team includes key experts in agricultural commodity production, economics, technology, and market development. Our experts will partner with various non-governmental organizations, state agencies, and commodity groups to bring conservation and sustainability solutions to Texas farms, ranches, and forests. Outcomes of this initiative will identify economical and effective CSAF practices, improve efficiency in assessing benefits, and develop market-based solutions to promote conservation and sustainability commodities and add end-user value.
Project Team
Project Leads
Project Director
julie.howe@ag.tamu.edu
Co-Project Director
nithya.rajan@ag.tamu.edu
Project Manager
jason.vogel@ag.tamu.edu
Ambassadors
Lubbock
Co-Project Leads
Regional Teams
Vernon/Stephenville
Overton
El Paso/Sonora
Corpus/Beeville
Uvalde/Weslaco
Communication Team
Economics Team
MMRV Team
Animal Waste Team
Animal GHG Team
Partners
- Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board: John Foster
- Texas A&M Forest Service: Michelle Moore, Hughes Simpson & Eric Taylor
- Prairie View A&M University: Ram Ray, Ali Fares, Sunil Dhoubhadel & Elliot Washington
- Tarleton State University: Edward Osei, Catalin Dinulescu, Anne Egelston, Selin Guney, Ashley Lovell, Troy Thorne & Man Yu
- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley: Engil Pereira, Teresa Feria Arroyo & Alexis Racelis
- BCarbon: Miguel Gonzalez & Melanie Martin
TCSI News
Funding available for Texas row crop and vegetable producers
Texas row crop and vegetable producers looking to cut input costs, improve soil health and boost long‑term profitability have access to a new round of financial incentives through a statewide conservation effort.
The Texas Conservation and Sustainability Initiative, a Texas A&M AgriLife-led program, is open to farmers, ranchers and small forest landowners. It offers direct payments for implementing or continuing proven soil health and water management practices. Click here for more details.
Landowners can receive up to $100,000 in incentives for adopting soil‑building, cost‑saving practices
“This is about reducing risk for producers,” said Jason Vogel, Texas A&M AgriLife Research project manager,
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences. “If you want to try a new practice, there’s funding to help. If you’re already doing it, there’s funding to reward that too.” Click here for more detail
Texas producers invited to conservation incentive program webinar Jan. 29
The Texas Conservation and Sustainability Initiative, a Texas A&M AgriLife-led program, will host a free, informational webinar on Jan. 29 to help Texas farmers, ranchers and forest landowners learn about available conservation incentives, eligible practices for funding and market opportunities.
AgriLife Research kicks off climate-smart project
Aug. 4, 2023
Texas A&M AgriLife Research recently kicked off the Texas Climate-Smart Initiative, a five-year large-scale pilot project to work with Texas’ commodity producers to adopt climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices, assess benefits, and develop models for voluntary, market-based climate solutions.
From the ground up: Texas A&M leading the way with Climate Smart program
Nov. 8, 2022
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – Texas A&M University will be looking to help farmers produce in more environmentally friendly ways.
Texas A&M AgriLife to lead historic investment in Texas’ efforts to become ‘climate-smart’
Sept. 16, 2022
Texas A&M AgriLife Research is anticipating the largest competitive grant in the organization’s history, up to $65 million, to execute a five-year multi-commodity project to work with Texas’ large agricultural sector on expanding climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
