Montgomery County, MD (January 22, 2024) — The Montgomery County Food Council and Montgomery County Green Bank are thrilled to announce the launch of a groundbreaking pilot program designed to enhance sustainability, and build climate resilience capacity by promoting local food production, and strengthening the regional food system. Montgomery County Food Council is partnering with the Green Bank to promote climate smart agriculture through the MoCo Climate Smart Farms initiative. The initiative will offer local farmers a jump start into climate smart practices on their farm. The initiative helps farmers reduce their vulnerability and respond to the “new norms” of climate change and related weather events, while reducing the farm’s impacts, to prevent worsening climate change and pollution. This initiative underscores both organizations’ commitment to fostering a resilient and environmentally friendly food ecosystem in Montgomery County.

Climate smart agriculture addresses both sides of the issue for farming in an era of climate change, by finding ways to farm that address the realities of climate change, while promoting the most critical, effective solutions for how to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. By focusing on the entirety of how climate change disrupts the food system as a whole, this project seeks to promote local food system and guarantee a safe, secure, resilient food supply for all.

The project will offer workshops and other educational opportunities for farmers who wish to explore climate smart practices on their farm. For farmers who participate in educational opportunities, the initiative will offer funding to the farmers to implement new facilities, equipment, practices, and infrastructure projects on their farm, through a competitive mini-grant process. Farmers will have access to renowned farmer consultants that will aid them in implementing the project. In exchange, farmers will agree to provide the team with feedback on the successes and challenges experienced throughout the process of implementing the project on their farm. The idea is to learn the barriers that farmers have in implementing climate smart projects, so future financial and technical assistance opportunities may be made available to promote healthy environmental stewardship and ensure a viable, equitable, sustainable, healthy food system.

MCFC is currently convening a panel of industry experts and farmers in order to inform and guide this initiative, to ensure farm projects are impactful to combat the worst effects of climate change. The Montgomery County Food Council and the Montgomery County Green Bank invite members of the community, local businesses, and other stakeholders to learn more about this initiative and join the effort to build a vibrant, sustainable food ecosystem. Please contact Lorien MacAuley, lorien@mocofoodcouncil.org, with any questions about the MoCo Climate Smart Farm Initiative.

About the Montgomery County Food Council

The Montgomery County Food Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating a robust, sustainable, and equitable food system. By partnering with local stakeholders, the Council works to improve food security, support local farmers, reduce food waste, and promote environmental stewardship.

About the Montgomery County Green Bank

The Montgomery County Green Bank is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping businesses and residents affordably implement energy efficiency, clean energy, and climate-resilient solutions. The Montgomery County Green Bank supports Montgomery County, MD by driving investment into energy efficiency and clean energy through lending and investment partners in the region. These efforts include working with homeowners, renters, nonprofits, and commercial entities of all varieties.