New program focuses on outcomes of soil and water conservation practices

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (August 26, 2022) — The enrollment period is now open for farmers interested in participating in the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund. Rather than provide farmers payment for practice implementation, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund provides payment to farmers for the multiple environmental outcomes of new conservation practices. These outcomes include water quality improvements and carbon sequestration.

The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and other partners received an award from the Regional Conservation Partnership Program Alternative Funding Arrangement (RCPP-AFA), courtesy of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The project is replicating and scaling up the ongoing Soil and Water Outcomes Fund approach to producing environmental outcomes. Applications for enrollment should be submitted before new practice implementation. The enrollment will be closed once the 10,000-acre limit is reached or by Sept. 7.

“The unique aspect of this program is that it focuses on the outcomes of the soil and water conservation practices,” said ISA board member Anngie Steinbarger, a farmer from Edinburgh, Ind. “This is another opportunity for farmers to receive a payment for taking care of their own land. I encourage farmers to look into this.”

The eligible region for enrollment includes 49 counties in central and southern Indiana. Farmers in the following Indiana counties are eligible to enroll: Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, Decatur, Dubois, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Gibson, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Orange, Owen, Perry, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Sullivan, Switzerland, Union, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Washington and Wayne.

For additional information regarding the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund or to enroll, visit www.theoutcomesfund.com/enroll or contact Conservation Agronomist Kevin Schabacker at 779-861-2979. Farmers may also contact ISA Sustainability and Value Creation Director Ben Forsythe at bforsythe@indianasoybean.com

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About Indiana Soybean Alliance: The Indiana Soybean Alliance works to enhance the viability of Indiana soybean farmers through the effective and efficient investment of soybean checkoff funds that protect and promote the interest of Indiana soybean farmers. The ISA works to assist soybean farmers through its strategic initiatives of market development; environmental, social and economic sustainability; value creation and producer engagement. ISA is led by an elected, farmer board that directs investments of the soybean checkoff funds on behalf of more than 20,000 Indiana soybean farmers. Learn more at www.indianasoybean.com

This communication was funded with Indiana soybean checkoff dollars.