This program made possible by Oregon State University and the USDA Advancing Markets for Producers initiative.

Farmer Forward, USA Made

Turning Verified Practicesinto Market Value for Farmers

See how it worksMeet the Farmers ›
Scroll

40

enrolled small and mid-sized farms

170,000+

verified acres

1,954

practice verifications + records on blockchain

3

crop years of verified data (2023–2025)

Farmer Forward is a farmer-led, field-level verification program, establishing consumer trust in U.S. farmers using conservation practices to preserve their land and livelihoods for future generations.

Supported by the USDA Advancing Markets for Producers initiative and administered by Oregon State University.

How the program works

Farmer-Led Program Elements

Six steps, farmer-led, from the annual management plan to the sale. Each one is documented, approved by Oregon State University, and written to the record.

↓ The technology behind these steps

  1. Wheat field at sunrise
    01

    Management Plan

    AgBiz Logic

    Farmers input annual farm management plan data into AgBiz Logic to access decision-making tools that turn conservation practice input data into measurable economic and environmental outcomes.

  2. A grower walking a field of standing crop
    02

    Practice Implementation

    Farmers implement conservation practices; they monitor the results, change inputs as needed, and work with OSU Technical Specialist to maximize program benefits.

  3. A handful of field soil
    03

    Practice Verification

    Farmer Forward Verify

    Utilizing farm management plan data, Farmer Forward Verify allows farmers to self-verify actual practice data, field-by-field, receiving OSU approvals for incentive payments.

    Farmer Forward Verify · field recordIllustrative
    Field 07 · Cover Crop (340)Self-verified ✓
    GPS-tagged photos, dates, acreageAttached ✓
    OSU approvalApproved · written to ledger
  4. Aerial view of planted rows
    04

    Blockchain Record

    Stability blockchain

    Verifications are written to the blockchain, which is a secure, anonymous digital ledger. Buyers, processors, and consumers can verify claims directly from the farmer. Each verified crop year adds to the chain, building a permanent, farmer-controlled history of stewardship.

  5. A just-harvested potato held in one hand
    05

    Program Certificate

    Certificate + QR code

    Farmers receive certificate and a practice page confirming program participation, verification of NRCS-endorsed practices, and blockchain records. These credentials can be used in sales, pitch materials, and building new business relationships, proving the value of the farmer's stewardship directly.

  6. Bottled product on a shelf
    06

    Marketing and Sales

    Marketing execution is designed to be farmer-led. The Farmer Forward toolkit provides a marketing framework and several resources for farmers to market their Farmer Forward commodities.

Technology behind Farmer Forward

The technology behind Farmer Forward.

Four connected tools carry a conservation practice from the farm plan to the shelf. Each one is farmer-led, and each one leaves a record that lasts beyond the crop year.

  • 01 · Planning

    AgBizLogic

    Farmers input planned conservation practice implementation data into AgBiz Logic, documenting their data through GPS-tagged photos, dates, acreage, receipts, etc.

  • 02 · Verification platform

    Farmer Forward Verify

    Farmer Forward Verify is an independent, third-party verification platform that documents farmer-led conservation practices down to the geolocated field.

  • 03 · Immutable record

    Blockchain Records

    Each approved verification is written to the blockchain, a secure, anonymous digital ledger. Buyers, processors and consumers can verify claims.

  • 04 · Proof at the shelf

    Certificate & QR Code

    Each farmer receives a yearly certificate, practice page, and QR code that links to the program website, confirming program participation and practice benefits.

Enrolled farmers

Every farm. Every field. On the record.

Meet the Farmers ›
FarmCommodities enrolled · 2023–2025Verified practices · all yearsRecord
Benson FarmsTaber, IdahoCommodities enrolled · 2023–2025Potatoes, Wheat, BarleyVerified practices · all years328 Conservation Crop Rotation340 Cover Crop590 Nutrient ManagementView record ↗
Diamond K FarmsAmerican Falls, IdahoCommodities enrolled · 2023–2025Potatoes, WheatVerified practices · all years328 Conservation Crop Rotation345 Reduced Till590 Nutrient Management484 MulchingView record ↗
Shasta SeedKlamath Basin, OregonCommodities enrolled · 2023–2025Seed potatoes, GrainVerified practices · all years328 Conservation Crop Rotation340 Cover CropView record ↗
Wray FarmsBlackfoot, IdahoCommodities enrolled · 2023–2025Potatoes, GrainVerified practices · all years329 No-Till340 Cover Crop590 Nutrient ManagementView record ↗

+ 36 more enrolled small and mid-sized farms

Sample data · records in progress

  • 328 Conservation Crop Rotation
  • 329 No-Till
  • 340 Cover Crop
  • 345 Reduced Till
  • 484 Mulching
  • 590 Nutrient Management

Program partners

The Farmer Forward program is a result of federal funding, land-grant research, and private technology working together.

The USDA provides funding and policy support through its Advancing Markets for Producers initiative, while Oregon State University leads the research, administers the grant, and delivers technical assistance to enrolled growers. AgBiz Logic supplies the decision-making tools that transform farm practice data into quantified outcomes. The Soil Health Institute brings peer-reviewed measurement standards that give practice claims scientific credibility, and the Global Hemp Innovation Center extends reach into tribal and underserved rural communities. LoCo Lab brings it all to market, operating the program, managing practice verifications, issuing certificates, and telling each farmer's story in a way that connects documented stewardship to the buyers, processors and consumers who value it.

Contact

Get in touch.

Questions about the program, enrollment, or partnering with Farmer Forward? Send us a note and the right person will get back to you.

Submissions go to contact@locolabco.com