Nov 30, 2023

NOP adds climate-smart practices to Organic Integrity Learning Center

The USDA Organic Integrity Learning Center recently added updates on Climate-Smart Agricultural practices and the services available through the center, including online training.

The USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) hosted a virtual town hall meeting in mid-November engaging the organic community about the design and development of the learning center.  Slides from the presentation are now available online.

The service will offer online training that supports the professional development and continuing education of organic certifiers, inspectors, reviewers and other professionals working to protect organic integrity.  The virtual town hall shared an overview of the new platform, provided an opportunity for the community to ask questions, and invited feedback on planned course topics.

Climate-Smart Agriculture

The NOP recently published information on Climate-Smart Agriculture on the learning center platform  for farmers and other operators who are interested in implementing organic practices that align with climate-smart outcomes. It describes funding and technical assistance to help implement climate-smart practices that align with the USDA organic regulations.

The microlearning presents an NOP Climate-Smart Agriculture Crosswalk, which highlights climate-smart outcomes from organic farming and ranching practices. Specifically, the crosswalk explains how organic farming practices sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions based on scientific research.

As part of USDA’s larger Climate Solutions portfolio, the National Organic Program developed the NOP Climate-Smart Agriculture Crosswalk to explain the environmental benefits of using organic farming practices.

To access the information, register for a learning center account, and access NOP-997: National Organic Program Microlearning to learn more.