Land Core Newsletter - November 2023
Image Credit: Benjamin Lehman (Unsplash)
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
As the holiday season kicks off, we are reminded of how thankful we are to be able to do this work and to do it alongside such a remarkable community of friends, farmers and colleagues. As a relatively small organization, your presence here is incredibly meaningful to us and your support has been critical in advancing our mission and goals.
We can’t do this work without you, and we know there are many others asking, but we do hope you will consider making a donation to support Land Core this Giving Tuesday. Support Land Core here.
In this month’s newsletter you can also find recent policy updates surrounding the Farm Bill extension, new conservation and carbon market reports from the USDA, and a look at some upcoming agriculture and soil health gatherings including agriculture and food-focused events at COP28.
Warmly,
The Land Core Team
Support Soil Health this Giving Tuesday
We invite you to be part of our work in 2024 by supporting Land Core this Giving Tuesday!
Your gift this Giving Tuesday will help us continue to advance soil health and push for practical infrastructure and economic incentives that can create a more resilient agricultural system.
In 2024, your support will:
Encourage bipartisan support for soil health in the Farm Bill and beyond
Expand and share the Risk Model with new lenders, insurers, investors and policymakers, including through regional partnerships and tool demos
Make and share new forms of science-led education and policy resources to support and develop the growing range of stakeholders who can advance and invest in soil health
We thank you for joining us on the journey to support the soil that supports us.
Policy Updates
Farm Bill Update
While the timeline for passing a new Farm Bill is still coming into focus, we know that agriculture committee leaders would like to see the legislation move forward in early 2024. There are several factors holding up the introduction, including disagreement on how to incorporate the nearly $20 billion in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds, and funding to increase commodity support. Additionally, House Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson has said they are still waiting on feedback from USDA and funding scores from the Congressional Budget Office on many proposals.
In the meantime, the current Farm Bill was recently extended to September 30, 2024. The extension also includes several of the “orphan” programs, like the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (that Land Core recently received funding from), the Organic Production and Market Data Initiatives, and the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program, whose fate was previously uncertain.
USDA Reports
In October, USDA released the first deliverable from the Growing Climate Solutions Act legislation - a report titled A General Assessment of the Role of Agriculture and Forestry in U.S. Carbon Markets. The report outlines the state of carbon markets in the U.S., identifies the barriers to entry that agriculture and forestry producers face, and discusses how USDA can reduce these market barriers.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) also released new guidelines expanding the number of conservation practices that are considered ‘climate-smart.’ This is an important update because the IRA funding received in 2022 for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) had to be spent on climate-smart practices. Many of the new practices added are for livestock management and grazing. See the full list here.
Bill Tracker
We added just 9 core bills in October and 11 in November to the Soil Health Bill Tracker, a significant decline from the previous few months as Congress slowed down on new marker bill introductions. Sorting through the Farm Bill marker bills has showcased the breadth of topics - from financing to research - that have the capacity to influence soil health. Since January, we have added 156 bills that are core or secondary to soil health, most of which are vying to be part of the next Farm Bill.
You can explore more specific areas of interest to the 118th Congress on the Bill Tracker:
You can sign up to get Bill Tracker updates directly to your inbox here.
Upcoming Events
Conference season is upon us! Below you will find a selection of upcoming gatherings related to agriculture and soil health on our radar.
November 30-December 12, 2023 - UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) - UAE & Virtual
The UN Conference of the Parties (COP) brings together the international community to discuss policies for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Some events that will highlight the importance of resilient agriculture and food systems during COP28 include:
Farmers and Traditional Producers at the Heart of Food Systems Transformation
Accelerating Food Systems Transformation: Multi-stakeholder Action
Aim for Climate: Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Innovation
December 6-7, 2023 - Sustainable Agriculture Summit - Charlotte, NC
This event unites leaders from across the full food and agriculture value chain to explore how leveraging the interconnectedness embedded within U.S. agriculture can help scale collective action and achieve sustainable outcomes. More information can be found here.
December 7-8, 2023 - Wisconsin Water and Soil Health Conference - Wisconsin Dells, WI
This meeting brings together academia, industry, and farmers for thought provoking discussions to understand the intersections of agronomy, water quality and soil health. Learn more here.
What We're Reading
By maximizing the soil's potential, it is possible not only to meet future global food demand but also to reduce GHG emissions through carbon sequestration and the reduction of land use.
November 21, 2023 | By: Iliass Elfali, World Economic Forum
Why agrifood systems must be at the core of climate action: a COP28 preview with FAO climate expert
Kaveh Zahedi, Director of the FAO Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, talks about agrifood systems climate solutions and FAO at COP28.
November 20, 2023 | By: Laura Quinones, FAO
Building a Case for Investment in Regenerative Agriculture on Indigenous Farms
A unique three-year project from the Environmental Defense Fund and the Intertribal Agriculture Council hopes to yield quantitative data about the costs and benefits of regenerative practices.
November 20, 2023 | By: Kate Nelson, Civil Eats
Farming for the Future: The State of Regenerative Agriculture Program Adoption
A report by ADM highlighting consumer perceptions on sustainability as well as the state of play for regenerative agriculture partnerships among retailers and CPG brands.
November 8, 2023 | By: ADM
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