Regional Benchmarking

USDA Zones 7–9 vs. the BAU baseline

See how USDA hardiness zones 7, 8, and 9 stack up against the BAU baseline across yield, pricing, sustainability, and adoption metrics. Data blends USDA, NOAA, and BAU field records — updated as new sources land.

Zones 7 · 8 · 9 BAU baseline12 metrics tracked

Yield & productivity

Output per acre, growing season, harvest cycles

Avg yield per acre

Mixed-vegetable yield per cultivated acre

+28% vs Z8

Zone 7

18,500 lbs/acre

Zone 8

21,000 lbs/acre

Zone 9

23,500 lbs/acre

BAU

26,800 lbs/acre

Source: USDA NASS 2025 regional avg

Growing season length

Frost-free days available for outdoor production

+11% vs Z8

Zone 7

195 days

Zone 8

220 days

Zone 9

245 days

BAU

245 days

Source: NOAA climate normals 2024

Harvest cycles per year

Successional plantings completed per season

+33% vs Z8

Zone 7

2.5 cycles

Zone 8

3 cycles

Zone 9

3.5 cycles

BAU

4 cycles

Source: BAU field records

Pricing & revenue

Wholesale prices, revenue per acre, CSA pricing

Avg wholesale price

Weighted-avg wholesale price for mixed produce

+36% vs Z8

Zone 7

$2.10

Zone 8

$2.35

Zone 9

$2.55

BAU

$3.20

Source: Regional terminal markets 2025

Revenue per acre

Gross revenue per cultivated acre

+74% vs Z8

Zone 7

$38,850

Zone 8

$49,350

Zone 9

$59,925

BAU

$85,760

Source: BAU + USDA ERS 2025

Avg CSA share price

Full-season CSA share retail price

+24% vs Z8

Zone 7

$620.00

Zone 8

$685.00

Zone 9

$740.00

BAU

$850.00

Source: LocalHarvest 2025 survey

Sustainability

Carbon, water, and soil-health indicators

Carbon sequestered

Estimated soil carbon sequestration per acre per year

+109% vs Z8

Zone 7

0.8 tCO2e/acre/yr

Zone 8

1.1 tCO2e/acre/yr

Zone 9

1.4 tCO2e/acre/yr

BAU

2.3 tCO2e/acre/yr

Source: COMET-Farm modeled

Irrigation water use

Gallons of irrigation water per lb produce (lower is better)

-36% vs Z8

Zone 7

24 gal/lb

Zone 8

28 gal/lb

Zone 9

33 gal/lb

BAU

18 gal/lb

Source: BAU + USDA ARS

Soil organic matter

Average topsoil organic-matter percentage

+64% vs Z8

Zone 7

2.4%

Zone 8

2.8%

Zone 9

3.1%

BAU

4.6%

Source: Soil test aggregates 2025

Adoption & operations

Regen adoption, CSA members, wholesale contracts

Farms using regen practices

Share of regional farms using 3+ regenerative practices

+355% vs Z8

Zone 7

18%

Zone 8

22%

Zone 9

27%

BAU

100%

Source: USDA Census of Ag 2025

Avg CSA members / farm

Average active CSA members per participating farm

+91% vs Z8

Zone 7

85 members

Zone 8

110 members

Zone 9

135 members

BAU

210 members

Source: LocalHarvest 2025 survey

Wholesale contracts / farm

Avg number of signed wholesale contracts per farm

+108% vs Z8

Zone 7

2.1 contracts

Zone 8

2.6 contracts

Zone 9

3.2 contracts

BAU

5.4 contracts

Source: BAU + regional coop data

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