The Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP) doesn’t just create environmental benefits — it also helps strengthen the entire forest economy. Today, thanks to catalytic funding from key partners, FFCP has enrolled more than 200,000 acres, creating new educational and economic opportunities for landowners and foresters across the country.  

FFCP is now expanding its enrollment options with a new opportunity, the Premium Partnership, giving further financial support to landowners, thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Advancing Markets for Producers Grant Program. The goal of this grant program is straightforward: to help American forest owners access more markets, enhance forest value over time, and adopt longer-term management practices.   The Premium Partnership offers landowners a way to earn 25% over the standard offer, in exchange for completing a few additional compliance steps, like working with their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) to establish a Farm Record for their forested land.  By establishing this Farm Record, landowners can gain easier access to other USDA programs as well.  

The Premium Partnership provides landowners with more value on top of the already robust technical and financial benefits offered. Anthony Pappas, a FFCP consulting forester, has seen firsthand the many benefits FFCP offers rural landowners and businesses, including his own.  He shared his experiences working within the forestry industry for the past 10 years, starting his consulting business, and walking the woods with FFCP landowners.  

While FFCP is helping create forest industry jobs, we are also supporting the markets that heavily rely on forests. Timber markets need healthy and resilient forests in order to maintain a sustainable supply chain. By protecting US forests, we are protecting these supply chains long-term.  In fact, FFCP’s management practices will add a total of $36 million in timber value to our currently enrolled lands. Lucas Dillinger, Senior Director of Wood Procurement for Domtar Corporation, shared about his experience partnering with FFCP on a recent visit to a project location in West Virginia.   

“I work with eight mills and buy 15,000,000 tons a year of fiber, so supply is very important. We need to be able to source raw material, and our goal is to buy 100% of our fiber from well managed forests. We’re looking for tools to invest in our forest products base. How do we get to that? Through FFCP. FFCP and AFF are really good at the outreach,”  Luke added, “The growth of FFCP is by far more impressive than any other partner program we have right now.” 

While FFCP is benefiting the local economy and supply chains, we are also providing essential resources to family forest owners. A forest management plan can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, but FFCP provides them to enrolled landowners free of charge. FFCP foresters have provided advice and technical assistance to approximately 6,000 landowners, and over 75% of these landowners have never received previous professional advice or assistance. 

“From what we hear, our client's number one favorite thing about the program is that they were able to get a forester out on site that they didn't have to pay for, and they really enjoyed the tour with us.” Anthony Pappas, an FFCP consulting forester, shared some insights into how he partners with FFCP to educate landowners.  

FFCP foresters do not receive enrollment bonuses or any type of financial incentive if the families they visit choose to participate in the program or not, and instead, they share all the possible opportunities that would fit their needs. While walking with landowners, Anthony will explain NCRS programs like the EQIP Program and other projects that will help with stream quality, bank erosion, sedimentation, and pollinator habitats. If a landowner enrolls in FFCP, they receive a management plan to dive further into this information, and recommendations for their property. This ensures that the services paid for by federal grant money are coming full circle, helping with outreach to connect landowners to the agencies and programs these funds originate from. AFF’s mission is to deliver meaningful conservation impact through the empowerment of family forest owners, whether that be through us, or one of our public and private partners.  

“I'm a forester, I'm here to tell you that this is an option for you, and then how (if) this option fits with your goals in your land management.” He said. 

Ultimately, FFCP is proving that forest carbon programs can deliver far more than carbon benefits alone. By connecting family forest owners with professional forestry expertise, new revenue opportunities, and access to federal conservation programs, FFCP is strengthening the long-term health of America’s forests and the communities and industries that depend on them. By creating forestry jobs and supporting sustainable timber supply chains, FFCP is building a more resilient forest economy. 

Federal funding plays a critical role in making this work possible. Through the USDA’s Advancing Markets for Producers Grant Program and other public partnerships, FFCP is able to expand our reach to more family forest owners. By connecting federal resources with on-the-ground outreach and technical assistance, FFCP demonstrates how public funding can create lasting conservation and economic benefits that reach far beyond individual properties.