From the Ground Up: A Collective Approach to Climate Solutions
Rural Investment to Protect our Environment (RIPE) is a nonprofit working to ensure America’s farmers and ranchers are central to climate and conservation solutions, and that the environmental benefits they deliver are fairly valued and rewarded. At a time when agricultural lands play a critical role in soil health, water quality, rural prosperity, and climate mitigation, RIPE champions an approach that pairs practical, voluntary stewardship with economic opportunity for producers, while prioritizing bipartisan and producer input.
More about RIPE
RIPE’s strategy — often described as “scaling regenerative agriculture the RIPE way” — focuses on building a diverse, bipartisan coalition of farmers, ranchers, producer groups, and conservation advocates to advance policies and practices that make regenerative agriculture and clean energy adoption more accessible, affordable, and beneficial for rural communities.
At the heart of RIPE’s work is removing barriers to voluntary conservation by promoting incentives that fully cover the costs of adopting regenerative practices, simplifying participation in conservation programs, and prioritizing investments that deliver the greatest return for both producers and the environment. These practices — such as reduced, or no tillage, cover cropping, improved grazing management, and other soil-building techniques — deliver stacked ecosystem benefits including carbon sequestration, enhanced water quality, biodiversity, and resilient farm systems.
RIPE also advocates for clean energy opportunities that benefit producers and rural communities, exploring ways to integrate renewable energy with working agricultural lands without compromising productivity or land stewardship.
By elevating farmer and rancher voices in climate policy, advancing research, and fostering cooperation across sectors, RIPE is helping shape a future where agricultural stewardship is both a driver of environmental progress and a source of empowerment and economic resilience for rural America.
