Land Core Newsletter - January 2024
Image Credit: Chris Robert (Unsplash)
Dear friends and colleagues,
We hope you are having a great start to the new year! 2023 was pretty momentous for Land Core and the soil health movement in general. Earlier this month we shared our 2023 year-in-review, showcasing highlights from this past year, and our goals for 2024, which you can find below.
That said, the Farm Bill, which will set the legislative framework for the next five years of US agriculture, is still in limbo. While farm groups advocate for the importance of a bipartisan Farm Bill to be passed prior to the ramp up of this year’s general election, there is also the need for continued outreach for other top soil health priorities. With this in mind we have an upcoming trip to DC scheduled for the last week of January. We are also keeping close watch on the recent continuing resolution and ag-appropriations deadlines. We hope with all this in mind, you will stay engaged with us in the coming months to advance strong soil health policy in the Farm Bill and beyond.
Read on to learn more, including some recent press around the Risk Model, and a look at several agriculture and soil health-related conferences on our radar.
Warmly,
The Land Core Team
📣ICYMI: Land Core’s 2023 Year in Review!
Earlier this month we released our 2023 Year in Review, which highlighted organizational accomplishments and progress for the soil health movement. We are immensely grateful to all the farmers, partners, coalition groups, and funders who make this work possible, and we look forward to all 2024 has to offer. Check out the year in review here!
Policy Updates
Land Core in DC
Next week Land Core’s Senior Policy Advisor, Dr. Rachel Owen, will be meeting with congressional offices in DC to share our sense of what key soil health priorities could still be highlighted in the Farm Bill, as well as to discuss support for top legislative priorities including: A crop insurance and soil health research proposal (from the Cover Crop Flexibility Act) and the DEFER Act.
Please email rachel@landcore.org if you’d like to find time to connect while she’s in town (Jan. 29 to Feb. 1)!
Ag-Appropriations
Earlier this month, Congressional leadership struck a deal to set spending levels for FY24. The spending bills have been under a continuing resolution (CR) since October 1, 2023. In order to have time to work on a budget under the new compromised numbers, Congress has pushed back the spending deadline with another CR which is set to expire in a laddered approach on March 1 and March 8. The spending bill that funds USDA is due to expire on the first deadline of March 1.
Bill Tracker
Last month we added several Core or Secondary soil health bills that were introduced in October and November to our Federal Bill Tracker. For bills introduced prior to October, 39 bills added at least one co-sponsor, showing that those bills have traction and support as we near the introduction of the Farm Bill.
We are busy tracking new legislation, and plan to add several more bills that were introduced in December and January to our tracker in early February. You can sign up to get Bill Tracker updates directly to your inbox here.
Risk Model News
We’re Hiring!
We are seeking to fill two postdoctoral research associate positions:
Statistician: Land Core and the Department of Statistics at Rice University are seeking to fill a two-year Postdoctoral Research Associate position. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will conduct statistical modeling and lead analyses assessing impacts of extreme weather events on diversified cropping systems and the resulting effects on crop production, including crop yields, remotely sensed data on crop rotation and cover cropping, and environmental variables.
Farm Management Economist: Land Core and the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business at the University of Arkansas are seeking to fill a two-year Postdoctoral Research Associate position. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will work on issues related to Agricultural Business and Production Risk. The successful candidate will contribute to developing farm-level management models on the value of risk mitigation via the adoption of soil conservation practices, such as reduced tillage, cover cropping, and crop rotation, particularly under adverse climate conditions.
These positions will remain open until filled. Email questions to Land Core (operations@landcore.org).
World Economic Forum: 100 Million Farmers: Breakthrough Models for Financing a Sustainability Transition
“Land Core… is building data modeling and infrastructure to demonstrate and quantify the positive impact of regenerative agriculture and help financial actors build the business case for offerings that reward farmers who adopt and maintain regenerative practices.”
We’re grateful to contribute to, and be included in, a recent WEF report, that describes a breakthrough model for financing and collaboration to support farmers and accelerate the transition to sustainable food production. The report is an important nod to the way that agricultural stakeholders across the value chain increasingly recognize the need for unprecedented levels of finance to catalyze and support such a transition, while underscoring the need for cross-sector collaboration.
The report was released in conjunction with the Meeting of the CEO Alliance on Food, Water and Health at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. Read the full report here.
In the Press
Business Mayor: Regenerative Agriculture Highlight
“Armed with a Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) seeding solutions grant, Land Core is creating a “market-based, actuarially sound model that can determine the risk-mitigation benefits and related cost savings associated with specific soil health practices.”” Check out Land Core in this Business Mayor article here.
Upcoming Events
Conference season is in full swing! Below you will find a selection of upcoming gatherings related to agriculture and soil health on our radar.
January 28-30, 2024 - Farm Credit Annual Meeting - Washington, DC
This meeting will cover topics such as agricultural economics, trade agreements, insights on agricultural policy during an election year, and more. Meeting information, speaker list, and registration details can be found here.
February 6-8, 2024 - Montana Soil Health Symposium - Billings, MT
This annual convening has sessions on a variety of topics related to soil health principles, including plant nutrition, intercropping, grazing, and pasture management. Learn more here.
February 8-10, 2024 - PASA Sustainable Agriculture Conference - Lancaster, PA
The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture annual conference brings together farmers, educators, scientists, and anyone interested in sustainable agriculture. With a farmer-driven focus, this year’s conference theme is “cultivate farms and food systems that nourish, heal and empower.” More information can be found here.
February 13-14, 2024 - Midwest Cover Crops Council - Indianapolis, IN
This meeting covers everything related to cover cropping - from no-till planting, to interseeding, livestock and grazing, and using cover crops for weed control and building soil organic matter. Learn more about the event here.
February 15-16, 2024 - USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum - Arlington, VA & Virtual
Celebrating its 100th year, the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum will feature over 30 sessions and 120 speakers, covering topics like commodity markets, trade, new technologies, and climate change. Check out the event site here.
What We're Reading
Expect new farm bill to be introduced in March
Highlights from Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson’s Farm Bill discussion at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
January 9, 2024 | By: Chris Torres, Farm Progress
Cover cropping increased, boosted by government programs
Cover crops, with their ability to reduce erosion and promote soil health, are being planted across more Midwestern land than ever.
January 5, 2024 | By: Lauren Quinn, Agri-View
Uncovering how tiny plastics threaten our soil and health
In a study published online in Eco-Environment & Health, researchers from Zhejiang Shuren University and China Agricultural University have delved into the interaction of tiny plastics and soil, aiming to provide insights into the mechanisms and implications of plastic pollution on soil health and antibiotic resistance.
January 2, 204 | By: Science X staff, Phys.org
Agriculture’s year in review: The biggest stories of 2023
2023 brought the agriculture industry closer to the brink of transformational change as farming plays a growing role in global climate ambitions.
December 21, 2023 | By: Sarah Zimmerman, Agriculture Dive
COP28 encourages global shift to sustainable agriculture
Some 154 nations, including the world’s agricultural powerhouses, signed the so-called Emirates Declaration in the first days of COP28, with its statement that “any path to fully achieving the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement must include agriculture and food systems.”
December 14, 2024 | By: Chuck Abbott, Successful Farming
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