ANKENY, Iowa (March 7, 2024) — The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, a leading agricultural ecosystem services program, is excited to announce that farmer enrollment for 2024 is now open across 28 states, with new areas of cropland eligibility in 23 states. The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund provides payment to farmers for environmental outcomes that result from implementing conservation practices.
As an inset program, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF) continues to grow its opportunities for farmers and environmental impact through supply chain partnerships. The program enrolled over 300,000 acres and paid more than $10.5 million to farmers in 2023. Farmers enrolled in the program implemented conservation practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops, extended crop rotations, and fertilization management to improve soil health, reduce erosion, and more.
“I’m always trying to figure out how I can better utilize my acres and how I can be more efficient,” said Riley Schnell, an Iowa farmer that has been enrolled in the program since 2021. “We’ve utilized planes for years, but now we’ve invested in some better equipment by using drones and I’ve got a drill now. The added funding and support from SWOF have really helped in making these changes. But above all, my grandfather passed this farm on to me. Building the resilience of this farm and improving my soil health—these are all very important to me. And SWOF is helping me with that.”
"We are proud to kick off our fifth year of enrollment for the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund and expand opportunities for farmers yet again,” said Adam Kiel co-managing director of the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund. “SWOF started with a pilot of 10,000 acres in 2020. Last year we enrolled over 300,000 acres and our farmer re-enrollment rate was over 92% from 2022 to 2023. These metrics underscore the value of our program provides and the confidence placed in us by U.S. farmers.”
The USDA and several companies, including PepsiCo, Cargill, Ingredion, Target, Bartlett Grain, Kent Corporation, Lifeline Foods, The Anderson’s, Coca-Cola, and others, have partnered with the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund to catalyze farmer adoption of conservation practices that generate verifiable carbon reductions and water quality improvements.
“At Cargill, we believe in taking a portfolio approach to regenerative agriculture, allowing us to support farmers at different points in their regenerative agriculture journey,” said Ryan Sirolli, Global Row Crop Sustainability Director at Cargill. “The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund is a great partner in helping us connect farmers to the growing environmental markets in ways that make the most sense for their unique operations.”
“We are proud to continue work with our partners to deliver greenhouse gas and water quality improvements on farms,” said Dan Yeoman, co-managing director of the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund. “Through farmer support, flexible contract terms, and a competitive payment structure, SWOF continues to empower farmers to make meaningful contributions to sustainability while decreasing their economic risk.”
Farmers or landowners interested in enrolling in the program can do so by visiting the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund website, www.theoutcomesfund.com. A map of cropland areas eligible for 2024 enrollment is available on their website. You can also contact their field team with enrollment questions by sending an email to contactus@theoutcomesfund.com.
About the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund
The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund provides financial incentives to farmers for implementing on-farm conservation practices that yield positive environmental outcomes such as carbon sequestration and water quality improvement. They provide new market opportunities and revenue streams for farmers by selling these environmental outcomes to the public and private beneficiaries. The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund is managed by AgOutcomes, a subsidiary of the Iowa Soybean Association.
