Land Core Newsletter - March 2022
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Spring is in the air, seeds are in the ground, and your March news is here!
Enjoy,
The Land Core team
Federal Soil Health Bill Tracker Updates
How is your rep supporting soil health? You can now find out using our new Legislators tab!
We’re thrilled to introduce the newest feature from our Federal Soil Health Bill Tracker! Using the new Legislators tab, you can now see your representative's support for soil health at a glance. This new feature displays how many and which bills each lawmaker is sponsoring and cosponsoring from our tracker. Click on your rep’s name to find their contact details, thank them for their support of soil health, and share your feedback with their office!
From the tracker:
New Bipartisan Bill: S.3892 - the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Improvement Act of 2022 was introduced on 3/22 by Senators Thune (R-SD) and Klobuchar (D-MN). The bill would amend the CRP, including by providing cost-share for the establishment of grazing infrastructure, and increasing the CRP annual payment limit, among other adjustments.
The bill is among the many proposals lawmakers will introduce in the lead up to the 2023 Farm Bill.
See more in the Bill Tracker! Sign up to get our federal soil health legislation updates directly in your inbox.
Risk Model News
Land Core Risk Model Lead Analyst Sarah Manski Awarded Neogen Land Grant Prize
Congratulations to our outstanding lead analyst Sarah Manski, PhD Candidate in Statistics at Michigan State University, for being awarded the inaugural Neogen Land Grant Prize! Administered through MSU’s Office of Research and Innovation—the prize will help Sarah and our team quantify the risk value of soil health practices. Our thanks to Neogen and MSU for supporting scientific research excellence and advancing soil health!
Land Core Receives Invoking the Pause Climate Challenge Grant
We're thrilled to announce that Land Core has been accepted into Invoking the Pause's (ITP) inaugural Climate Challenge cohort. Through this program, we will receive a three-year grant to support the expansion and implementation of the Land Core Risk Model, including the development of our Farmer Advisory Council. We’re so grateful for ITP’s ongoing support and thoughtful engagement with soil health issues.
Upcoming Webinar: Iowa Learning Farms Conversation on Land Core Risk Model
Aria & Harley will present a webinar on our Soil Health Risk Model work as part of the Iowa Learning Farms conservation series hosted by Iowa State University. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, April 27 at noon (CDT). Register for free to join us.
Policy News
Farm Bill Hearings Continue:
During “A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: The Role of USDA Programs in Addressing Climate Change,” held on March 16, the House Agriculture Committee heard from farm groups and research institutions on how USDA can help producers implement conservation practices. Groups called for more funding for conservation programs, technical assistance to allow for more ag involvement in climate efforts, adjustments to crop insurance, and more.
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Meet & Greet Webinar Series
This “Meet and Greet” Webinar Series hosted by USDA is meant to help support and encourage partnerships for proposal development for the upcoming USDA grant opportunity. The remaining sessions take place on March 31. Register and details →
What’s in Biden’s FY2023 Budget Request for Soil Health?
This week, the President sent his budget request to Congress for fiscal year 2023, which kicks off on October 1. The Budget requests $28.5 billion in discretionary funding for USDA, a $4.2 billion or 17.1% increase from the 2021 enacted level, including:
Nearly $1.8 billion to “address climate change across private, working agricultural land”
$4 billion for agricultural research programs (up from the $3.5 billion they are getting for FY22), including $315 million targeted to underserved populations. $62 million for agriculture research, education, and extension grants for tribal institutions
$1 billion for NRCS conservation technical assistance (CTA) to go with the $1.7 billion that is available for CTA through the various farm bill conservation programs
$4.9 billion for Forest Service Wildland Fire Management
$24 million in USDA’s climate hubs, a multi-agency undertaking to help producers combat climate change
In Case You Missed It
Panel: Land Core Executive Director, Aria McLauchlan, speaks at Expo West
We were thrilled to be at Natural Products Expo West this month, (re)connecting with colleagues and partners, and feeling the excitement and momentum behind soil health and regenerative ag, including among brands and consumers. Aria spoke on a panel about policy as a powerful tool for scaling up business solutions. Thanks to the Climate Collaborative for hosting.
Blog: Soil is our Common Ground
March 9, 2022 | By: Katie Fettes, Wolven Threads Blog
Check out this blog piece about the importance of soil health and regenerative agriculture, and some of the policy opportunities we are focused on this year. Wolven Threads donates a portion of sales from their Land Collection to Land Core through their 1% for the Planet Partnership.
What We're Reading & Watching
What Is Regenerative Agriculture?
This explainer video summarizes what regenerative agriculture is, as told by 113 farmers and ranchers.
March 17, 2022 | Natural Resources Defense Council
Climate-resilient farming has financial benefits for North Carolina farms
Watch the story of some small farms in NC who are benefiting economically from climate resilient practices. Watch Research led by N.C. A&T Cooperative Extension and Environmental Defense Fund has shown
March 23, 2022 | Environmental Defense Fund
Farms following soil-friendly practices grow healthier food, study suggests
A University of Washington study conducted on 10 farms across the US suggests that crops from farms following soil-friendly practices for at least five years have a healthier nutritional profile than the same crops grown on neighboring, conventional farms.
February 24, 2022 | Science Daily
Tracing Regenerative Farming to its Indigenous Roots
In her new book, Liz Carlisle shows that carbon can be stored in the soil if we adopt ancestral land management strategies, many of which are held by communities of color.
March 19, 2022 | By: Hannah Wallace, Civil Eats
Midwestern US has lost 57.6 billion metric tons of soil due to agricultural practices, study finds
New University of Massachusetts Amherst study in Earth's Future shows that, since Euro-American settlement 160 years ago, agricultural fields in the midwestern U.S. have lost, on average, two millimeters of soil per year -- well beyond the sustainable rate.
March 16, 2022 | By: University of Massachusetts Amherst
As regenerative agriculture takes root, let’s hold corporates accountable
A quick round up of agrifood corporations that have made regenerative agriculture commitments.
March 17, 2022 | By: Jennifer Marston, AgFunder News
These cattle ranchers are raising better beef, spending less — and reducing carbon emissions
Profiling the profitability and resilience benefits of regenerative ranching.
March 19, 2022 | By: Catherine Clifford, CNBC
Ag groups testify on needed farm bill changes
A March 1st House Ag Committee hearing heard from commodity groups on priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill.
March 2, 2022 | By: Jacqui Fatka, Farm Progress
7 Key Take-aways for Regenerative Food Systems from Expo West
March 16, 2022 | By: Regenerative Food Systems Investment
The Magic of Soil
A Google Arts & Culture compilation on soil by Soil Heroes.
Upcoming Events
🌾 Roots, Resistance, and Reclamation - March 31, 2022, 6pm EDT | Hosted by Food Tank
🌾 Women Leading Regeneration - May 3-5, 2022 | Hosted by Regeneration Rising
🌾 Regenerative Food Systems Investment Virtual Series - March 30 - June 3, 2022 | Hosted by RFSI Forum
Get Involved
🌾 Donate to Land Core! Support our programs to advance soil health in 2022.
🌾 Explore our federal soil health bill tracker & sign up for monthly soil health legislation updates delivered to your inbox.
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