Land Core Newsletter - June 2023

 

Image Credit: rubenimages (Unsplash)

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As Summer heats up, we’re excited about all of the opportunities (see below) emerging to further the mission of expanding the scope and scale of soil health-focused agriculture in the US. We hope you will join us in raising awareness and sharing the momentum building in the lead up to the Farm Bill!

This month, we were happy to announce that Land Core has received a Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) Seeding Solutions grant, unlocking nearly $1.5 Million in funding for our Risk Modeling work. If you missed the announcement, please check out the press release here. This is a huge deal for Land Core, and we owe immense thanks to so many of you for your unwavering support, and hope that our work will reflect the responsibility we feel to achieve our goals.

Warmly,
The Land Core team

News of FFAR Award to Land Core Risk Model Project featured on the Morning AgClips home page, June 27, 2023

Policy Sign-on Opportunities

Below are a number of bills/proposals that are are gaining traction and which we think are worth your time to look into and consider supporting.

These first three sign-on forms are for proposals that Land Core has worked on developing in partnership with Regenerate America. RA successfully advocated for their inclusion as Agriculture Committee member priorities for the Farm Bill. They are all important bills that advance the fundamental needs of soil health in the US:

Sign-on forms for other bills Land Core has reviewed that are being supported by trusted organizations:

Additionally, take a look and sign on to the American Sustainable Business Network’s letter in support of the “Business Case for a Regenerative Transition.”

Support for the DEFER Act

We are pleased to share the combined list of 170 supporters represented on various letters that have been submitted in support of the DEFER Act and its inclusion in the 2023 Farm Bill. See here to learn more.

If you haven't yet, you can still sign on here (names will be added on a rolling basis):

Land Core Submits Comments to the Bureau of Land Management

We are pleased to share the comments we submitted in response to the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed rule on Conservation and Landscape Health. Thanks to Katie Fettes on our team for leading on preparing the comments, and to the advisors who weighed in to get this over the line! The comments detail the enormous potential conservation benefits associated with well-managed regenerative grazing systems (that rebuild soil health), and the opportunity we see for BLM to reframe the perceived conflict between ranching and conservation reframing the situation as an unprecedented opportunity for partnership with the ranching community, using best practices to achieve landscape restoration and conservation outcomes.

Welcome Rachel Owen, Senior Policy Advisor

We’re thrilled to welcome Rachel Owen to serve in a new position of Senior Policy Advisor at Land Core! Rachel is a soil scientist who has built a career in policy and social entrepreneurship. Rachel co-founded and served as the inaugural executive director for MOST Policy Initiative, a non-profit focused on bringing scientific information to policy conversations at the state-level in Missouri. More recently, Rachel led government relations for the Agronomy, Crop, and Soil Science Societies of America. She is dedicated to promoting bipartisan, science-based policy decisions at all scales. Rachel received a PhD in Soil Science from the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources, holds an MS in Plant Science from South Dakota State University, and a dual BS in Agronomy and Global Resource Systems from Iowa State University.

We're Hiring: Programs Manager

Programs Manager: Part-time, fully remote. To support the day-to-day management and execution of our soil health Policy, Risk Model & Education programs. We’re seeking candidates with strong project management and communications skills, an ability to work effectively with a wide range of partners, and a demonstrable passion for our mission. An understanding of soil health and U.S. agricultural systems is a very strong plus.

What We're Reading

Hamburgers and steaks are a big climate problem. Could new grazing practices be the answer?
July 3, 2023 | By Bill Weir, CNN

Bringing Oats Back to American Farms
June 12, 2023 | Civil Eats

Farming carbon: Farm bill presents opportunity to unite farmers, climate activists
June 26, 2023 | By: Joshua Haiar, Nebraska Examiner

Farmer sees solution to dust storms 
June 24, 2023 | By: Richard Lyons, Illinois Farmer Today

Driest spring in 5 decades leaves Minnesota farmers with withered crops
June 23, 2023 | By: Tom Nehil and Christopher Vondracek, Star Tribune 

Planting to help pollinators becomes popular in the U.S. 
June 23, 2023 | By: Noelani Kirschner, Share America

A firsthand look at regenerative rancher education
June 22, 2023 | By: Jesse Klein, GreenBiz

Researchers to Train Farmers on How to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Improve Soil Health
June 20, 2023 | By: MC Staff, UTEP Marketing and Communications

Daniel Zetah: “Regenerative Agriculture and Personal Sovereignty”
June 21, 2023 | By: Nate Hagens, Resilience.org

Bayer leverages regenerative ag shift 
June 20, 2023 | By: Rachel Schutte, Farm Progress

The effect of soil degradation on human, animal and plant health
June 27, 2023 | By: Dr. Christine Sprunger, Open Access Government

Analysis: As the climate emergency heats up the Southwest, crop insurance payouts for heat surge
June 21, 2023 | By: Sarah Graddy, Environmental Working Group

Get Involved

🌾 Donate to Land Core! Support our programs to advance soil health in 2022 and beyond.

🌾 Sign up for our monthly newsletter.

🌾 Explore our Federal Soil Health Bill Tracker and sign up for monthly soil health legislation updates delivered to your inbox.

🌾 Request a Land Core Policy Briefing for a concise, easy-to-understand, actionable presentation on opportunities for your team to advance, and engage in, federal policy. 

 
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