Land Core Newsletter - January 2025
Rodion Kutsaiev for Unsplash
Dear friends & colleagues,
We hope you had a warm and relaxing winter holiday season. After a much needed break, the Land Core team is re-energized and back to work advancing soil health policies and risk mitigation strategies for American agriculture.
In 2025, with a new administration and Congress, Land Core remains focused on the unifying goal that soil is our common ground. We are looking forward to working with stakeholders across the country to unlock greater long term, systemic protections for farmers and ranchers against volatility and extreme weather events, ensuring the stability of American agriculture long into the future.
To do our work is a collective effort, and we rely on the generous support of partners and friends to fund everything we do. So if you or your community have the ability to support our work we deeply appreciate the consideration. The impact we make together is foundational, and we thank you for your ongoing support.
We look forward to the coming year together, and continuing to share the true value of soil health across American agriculture - supporting our farmers, ranchers, and agricultural community who do the heavy lifting for us all.
Finally, we look forward to publishing our comprehensive 2024 Year In Review report at the end of the month - stay tuned!
With gratitude,
Aria McLauchlan
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Hiring Announcement
Land Core is looking for talented individuals for a Policy Manager and an Operations/Finance Manager. Check back for details at www.landcore.org/hiring in the coming weeks.
Policy Updates
Land Core has been hard at work developing a wide range of policy recommendations, and providing public comments, in service of our mission to advance soil health policies. Please see below and share as you see fit.
Land Core Publishes Detailed Policy Recs for Presidential Administration
We are pleased to share a detailed set of policy recommendations and opportunities for the Trump-Vance Administration. These have been designed to provide specific guidance to the incoming presidential administration and focus on high-level, actionable priorities for key agencies across the federal government to advance soil health. See detailed memo here.
Soil Health Recommendations for the US Department of Health and Human Services
Land Core was happy to provide the new administration a policy overview to advance soil health within the department of US Department of Health and Human Services in December. In case you missed it, you can find those recommendations here.
Land Core Provided Input on NRCS’s Commitment to Improving Conservation Practice Standards (CPS)
Land Core was pleased to provide input on NRCS’s commitment to improving Conservation Practice Standards (CPS). The comments address Soil Carbon Amendment; Herbaceous Weed Treatment; Nutrient Management; and Prescribed Burning. We also address the need for increased technical assistance, and for incorporating data about the risk-reducing benefits of soil health practices into farm credit and crop insurance programs. See full comments here.
Land Core Responds to Request for Public Comments to Amend the US Dietary Guidelines
As part of our mission to advance soil health policies and programs, we’ve identified some high-level pathways to support soil health in the national dietary recommendations. See our comments here.
If you wish to provide comments, see details here. Comment period extends through 2/10/25.
Colton Sturgeon for Unsplash+
Farm Bill & New Congress Updates
On December 21st 2024, Congress approved a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill which is now set to expire on September 30, 2025. This extension enacted the American Relief Act of 2025 providing significant economic assistance to the agricultural sector, $21 billion in disaster aid to assist in recovery from natural disasters and extreme weather events, and $10 billion dollars in market relief to crop row farmers.
While the extension was integral in maintaining most baseline funding, many stakeholders expressed concern that the extension left out key conservation programs, or “orphan programs” that are vital to increasing farm resilience for the long term.
As we prepare for a new Congress, Land Core will continue to work on educating lawmakers on the importance of common sense soil health policies, including recognizing the risk-reducing benefits of soil health practices in crop insurance.
News to watch: The confirmation hearing for Trump’s pick for Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins has been scheduled for January 23, 2025.
Bill Tracker
As we prepare for the 119th congressional legislative session to commence, we expect to see a wave of new bills introduced and previous bills reintroduced. In 2025, we’ll be focused on primarily tracking bills related to soil health, including conservation, crop insurance and risk reduction, finance, biofuels, human health, measurement and monitoring of soil health metrics, and animal/livestock integration.
Stay up to date with our Bill Tracker Alerts, that you can sign up for here.
In Case You Missed It
Land Core was pleased to participate in the 10th Anniversary Decade of Impact Webinar Series on December 19th, 2024 where Executive Director and Co-founder Aria McLauchlan joined Dr. LaKisha Odom and Dr. Jason Roundtree to discuss future opportunities in soil health.
See the full webinar and presentation here.
Upcoming Events
Below you will find a selection of upcoming gatherings related to agriculture and soil health on our radar.
No-Till on the Plains Winter Conference - January 22-24, 2025 | Wichita, KS
This event allows attendees to get practical and relevant production and management information from fellow producers and predominant scientists. The goal at No-Till on the Plains is to “make farmers and ranchers more profitable, while improving their soil resource!”
American Farm Bureau Federation - January 24-29, 2025 | San Antonio, Texas
An event focused on policies and perspectives on agribusiness that provide insight into the trends and realities facing food production.
Marbleseed’s 36th Organic Farming Conference - Feb 20-22, 2025, | La Crosse, WI
The largest organic farming conference in the US featuring organic and regenerative farmers from farms of all sizes to learn the newest and most innovative and effective farming methods in the organic industry. Choose from dozens of transformative, skill-building workshops and roundtables covering business management, soil health, and production that are crafted to advance resilient organic farms and regenerative food systems.
Montana Soil Health Symposium - February 4-6, 2025 | Billings, MT
Hosted by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Montana Association of Conservation Districts, this symposium brings together national and local speakers to discuss soil health techniques and innovations.
Midwest Cover Crops Council Annual Meeting & Soil Management Summit - January 28-30, 2025 | Mankato, MN
This event focuses on the benefit of cover crops in farming providing education on the use of cover crops for soil health, water quality, and overall farm resilience and sustainability.
Funding Opportunities
Growing Grass Grants for Ranchers - RFP’s due February 7th, 2025
NRCS announces funding opportunities for FY 2025! Next deadline March 1, 2025
Applicants should apply to their local USDA NRCS Field Office (found at http://offices.usda.gov), or visit our website at www.pa.nrcs.usda.gov for program information.
What We're Watching
A feature on Lisa Williams, regenerative farmer in Newtongrove, NC who talks about how regenerative farming transforms the health of land, animals, and people simultaneously.
December 23, 2024 | News on the 700 Club, CBN news
What We're Reading
EPA finds health risks from toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in sewage-based fertilizer
The report's findings tee up a tricky political issue that touches nerves in farm country and red states for the incoming Trump administration.
January 14, 2025 | By Annie Snider, Politico
Biden Administration’s 45Z announcements leaves more questions than answers
U.S. biofuels and corn groups criticized the overall guidance as lacking details on what qualifies for tax credits. The only point of clarity was that foreign origin used cooking oil will not qualify for incentives under the GREET model, a Department of Energy tool used to determine the full sweep of greenhouse gases emitted from the transportation and energy industries.
January 13, 2025 | By Jim Wiesemeyer, Ag Web
Scientists leverage AI in methane mitigation strategies for ag
A new study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service and Iowa State University reveals that generative artificial intelligence can help expedite the search for solutions to reduce enteric methane emissions caused by cows in animal agriculture.
January 9, 2025 | By AGDAILY reporters
Opinion: Farm bill conservation funding is vital to farmers
This is a response to the one year Farm Bill extension that Congress passed last month affirming the need for inclusion of conservation practices within the next draft.
January 7, 2025 | By David Smith, President of Beauregard Parish Farm Bureau
Avian Flu Has Hit Dairies So Hard That They’re Calling It ‘Covid for Cows’
The article follows the growing threat of H1N1bird flu infections in dairy cows in California where farmers are frustrated and racing to avert further spread.
December 19, 2024 | By Soumya Karlamangla, Orlando Mayorquín and Jesus Jiménez, NY Times
Sorry, but This is the Future of Food
This is the final essay in What to Eat on a Burning Planet, a series exploring bold ideas to secure our food supply.
December 13, 2024 | By Michael Grunwald, Author “We Are Eating the Earth”
Get Involved
🌱 Donate to Land Core! Support our programs to advance soil health in 2025 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.