Jacobs Farm del Cabo’s ClimateLab, now in its third year, is expanding its efforts from Baja California, Mexico to Northern California, where the company put down roots in 1980 and still farms today. In its new location, the mission of the ClimateLab remains the same: to preserve organic farmers’ livelihoods and the future of organic produce in the face of global climate change.
“The impact of climate change is felt in all of our rural farming communities, including where we farm along the coast of Northern California,” Aaron Brookes, Director of Sales and Marketing said. “As we transition our farming north, we are also transitioning the climate adaptation practices we are developing in the south and tailoring to each of our unique coastal microclimates.”
In 2020, Jacobs Farm del Cabo recognized the many smallholder farms within their del Cabo cooperative needed to adapt to the growing impacts of climate change and formed ClimateLab. More than 70 independent farming groups within the cooperative agreed to join the pilot phase and support the program launch. Today these farmers are implementing new practices to establish climate risk alerts for fire, flood, heat, and drought, restore organic soil, and decrease food and plastic waste.
The first step is on-the-ground data collection. Each farm is geographically mapped and surveyed to collect data on their existing infrastructure, natural resources, soil health, waste, and personnel. The data is then recorded in a data mapping application, enabling the team to visualize the collective growing system and understand trends across farms. These findings are translated into individual climate action plans to address each farm’s greatest needs. Many of the companies Baja farms are focused on improving their soil health, while others are taking action to eliminate plastic and food waste, preserve local biodiversity, or develop crisis communication plans for their personnel.
In addition to 2,000 acres in Mexico, Jacobs Farm Del Cabo farms on over 200 certified organic acres in Pescadero, Santa Cruz, Watsonville, and San Jose. In the coming years, the company hopes to have a climate action plan for all the ground they farm and the tools needed to help smallholder communities thrive.
“Since we started organic farming in 1980, we have been relentlessly focused on enhancing healthy ecosystems and improving the quality of life of our communities. Today, it’s clear the impacts of climate change are a threat to that mission and every year we face a lack of water, increased natural disasters, and slowly depleting soil ecosystems. Through ClimateLab, we are protecting our most precious resource—our farmers—and the future of organic farming,” said Brookes.
To learn more about ClimateLab and Jacobs Farm del Cabo’s long-standing commitment to doing right by our people and the planet, visit jacobsfarmdelcabo.com/climate-lab.
About Jacobs Farm del Cabo:
Jacobs Farm Del Cabo was founded in 1980 as a small organic family farm dedicated to growing fresh, high quality, delicious food without damaging the environment. Today, our unwavering pursuit of social change in sustainable farming and business practices remains at the core of our company. To learn more, visit www.jacobsfarmdelcabo.com.
