Land Core Newsletter - February 2024
Image Credit: Kelly Sikkema (Unsplash)
Dear friends and colleagues,
It's been another busy month here at Land Core. With a recent trip to DC, uncertainty around the Farm Bill, and the upcoming National Ag Week in March, we've been heads down with policy and advocacy work. We have also shared some takeaways from the recent House Agriculture Committee hearing and the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture.
Read on for more, including information on two postdoctoral research associate openings on our team, upcoming conferences on our radar, and a look at what we're watching and reading, including the recently released documentary, Feeding Tomorrow!
We hope this leap year day inspires you to take action for soil health and a resilient future.
Warmly,
The Land Core Team
Policy Updates
Land Core in DC
Last month Land Core’s Senior Policy Advisor, Dr. Rachel Owen, was on Capitol Hill meeting with Congressional offices to discuss soil health proposals in the Farm Bill. We found broad, bipartisan support for the DEFER Act and Crop Insurance & Soil Health Research (now called the SOIL HEALTH Practices Act) proposals that we have supported, and we are optimistic that both can be introduced as marker bills in the coming months. Rachel and Aria will be back in D.C. March 18-22. Stay tuned!
Farm Bill & Ag-Appropriations
The 2024 Farm Bill is currently on hold until Congress can pass the FY24 annual budget. The spending bills are currently set to expire on March 1 and March 8, but Congress is expected to pass another continuing resolution to extend the FY23 budget to March 8 and March 22 for various bills. Under the new agreement, the spending bill that funds USDA would be due on March 8 and it is expected to pass by that date.
While there may be a window for the Farm Bill to be debated after the FY24 spending bills are resolved, Senate and House Ag Committee leaders are still publicly expressing disagreements about major policy issues within the Farm Bill. This week, Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow said that she will not compromise on nutrition spending or preserving IRA conservation dollars in order to pass a Farm Bill before she retires in December. In the House, Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson used his closing statement at a hearing earlier this month to call on Democrats to present alternative funding solutions and find bipartisan compromise for the Farm Bill. In summary, the legislative package still faces a hard road to pass before it expires in September 2024.
Recent Hearings
During the February 14th House Agriculture Committee Hearing, Secretary Vilsack highlighted a positive trend in rural revitalization with record farm income, decreased rural poverty, and population growth alongside wage growth surpassing inflation. However, he also raised concerns regarding the concentration of income, farmland loss, and the need for diversified income streams. He emphasized the importance of a robust agriculture budget, maintaining Commodity Credit Corps (CCC) authority, and preserving Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds in the Farm Bill.
During the hearing, Republicans raised concerns about a trend towards disconnecting support programs from crop production and discussed issues such as farm regulations, trade, and farm labor. On the other hand, Democrats overwhelmingly expressed support for nutrition programs and used this opportunity to urge their colleagues to preserve IRA funding in conservation programs. Despite differing perspectives, both parties acknowledged the ongoing struggles faced by farmers, as emphasized in the closing statement by Chairman Thompson.
Secretary Vilsack testified before the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee on Wednesday, February 28 and faced similar lines of questioning from Republicans and Democrats.
Bill Tracker
Last week we published several more Core or Secondary soil health bills that were introduced in the House or Senate in December and January in our Federal Bill Tracker. Some of these bills, including the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act and Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2023, would directly support research and extension activities, and promote soil health practices on farms by assisting farmers with the adoption of new practices.
You can view all soil health bills on our Tracker, and sign up to get Bill Tracker updates directly to your inbox here.
2022 USDA Agriculture Census Takeaways
Earlier this month the USDA-NASS 2022 Agriculture Census was released. Overall, the total number of farms in the US over the past five years has decreased, while average farm size continues to increase. While the average age of a US farmer slightly increased, the number of beginning farmers also increased.
Here are some of our takeaways related to soil health, cover cropping, and farm credit/crop insurance:
Cover cropping:
Farm production expenses for purchased cover crop seed increased from 2017, on both irrigated and non irrigated farms
Number of farms planting cover crops went slightly down, but total acreage planted went up
Acreage planted to cover crops was higher for part owners vs full owners, and higher for farms operated by two producers vs one
Farm credit/crop insurance:
Commodity credit corporation loans and conservation reserve enhancement program payments were given to fewer farms compared to 2017, but the average value of these loans/payments per farm increased
Crop & livestock insurance payments almost doubled in average value per farm, and the number of farms receiving payments increased by ~4,000 farms
Land enrolled in conservation reserve programs slightly decreased from 2017, but land enrolled in crop insurance programs slightly increased
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. The postdoc will then develop statistical models of crop yield risks in a Bayesian framework which can include causal inference components.
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 economic models on the value of risk mitigation afforded to farms via the adoption of soil conservation practices, such as reduced tillage, cover cropping, and crop rotation, particularly under extreme climate conditions.
These positions will remain open until filled. Email questions to Land Core (operations@landcore.org).
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.
March 10-12, 2024 - National Farmers Union Convention - Scottsdale, AZ
Participants can expect to hear from policymakers and educators on topics such as fair and competitive markets, cooperatives, engaging the next generation, and biofuels. More information can be found here.
March 12-14, 2024- Regenerative Agriculture and Food Systems Summit - Chicago, IL
This year’s theme is “Unifying the food industry to accelerate regenerative agriculture practices through partnership and harmonization.” Meeting information, speaker list, and registration details can be found here.
March 13-14, 2024 - Midwest Soil Health Summit - Mankato, MN
The 11th annual Midwest Soil Health Summit will discuss managing profits with soil health principles. This event is open to farmers, agricultural educators, agency staff, and anyone who wants to learn more about soil health. Learn more here.
Catch Us In Person!
March 18, 2024 - Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit - Washington, DC
This event will cover topics such as local food systems, biomanufacturing, and environmental markets, and will wrap up with a panel of policy analysts who’ll explore some of the outside influences that are impacting the future of food and agriculture’s ability to stay economically sustainable. Land Core’s Aria McLauchlan and Dr. Rachel Owen will be in attendance and they’ll be in DC all week! Learn more about the summit here.
What We’re Watching
Feeding Tomorrow, a documentary directed by Oliver and Simon English, examines how food can interact with and transform our lives. It provides a look at our current agricultural and food systems and the challenges we face related to climate change, ecosystem degradation, and inequality, and tells the stories of leaders in agriculture, healthcare, and education who are striving to create more regenerative and resilient systems.
Check out the official trailer here. The film is available to watch on Apple TV, Prime Video, and Google Play.
What We're Reading
The results of the USDA Census of Agriculture are here!
A look at the Agriculture Census takeaways from the National Young Farmers Coalition, including land access, conservation, and farmer demographics.
February 26, 2024 | By: National Young Farmers Coalition
Unsustainable: State of The Farm Safety Net
A National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition report highlighting which states benefit the most - and least - from farm subsidies, as well as policy recommendations.
February 20, 2024 | By: NSAC
2024 USDA-ERS Farm Sector Income Forecast
Annual report highlighting farm cash receipts, government payouts, total production expenses, and farm equity.
February 7, 2024 | By: USDA-ERS
Lenders want to support farmers’ conservation efforts. Here’s how their executives can help.
A new survey of agricultural lenders in the upper Midwest reveals important insights about their perceptions and support for farmers’ conservation efforts. As the first of its kind, the survey can inform agricultural lending institutions’ climate and sustainability strategy development.
February 7, 2024 | By: Mai Lan Hoang, Environmental Defense Fund
These 5 steps could help us produce food more sustainably
A report addressing financial support for farmers to accelerate sustainability in agriculture and food systems.
February 6, 2024 | By: Victoria Masterson, World Economic Forum
Improving Climate Predictions by Unlocking the Secrets of Soil Microbes
A look at how scientists are using the DNA from soil microbes to model how they function and use carbon, ultimately helping to advance the accuracy of climate models.
February 5, 2024 | By: Julie Bobyock, Berkeley Lab
These State Lawmakers Are Collaborating on Policies that Support Regenerative Agriculture
Progressive state legislators often find themselves in a David-and-Goliath battle against the conventional ag industry. One organization is equipping them with resources to support producers using regenerative practices instead.
January 23, 2024 | By: Naoki Nitta, Civil Eats
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