Land Core Newsletter - March 2025
Photo by Francesco Gallarotti on Unsplash
Dear friends and colleagues,
As in-person and online activities ramp up for the year, we’re excited to be re-engaging with colleagues, policymakers, and coalitions to share the developments of our policy work as well as the Risk Model Project. Our team is energized by conversations at Expo West in Anaheim, CA, and by participating in the Illinois Stewardship Alliance’s Soil Health Week activities last week. See below for more insights and to listen back to these and other recent events and talks with our team.
We're also looking forward to the upcoming Agri-Pulse 2025 Ag & Food Policy Summit in D.C. next week to collaborate with lawmakers and explore ways to unlock a good soil discount for farmers through crop insurance. By working together, we can reduce barriers to adopting soil health practices and create solutions that benefit everyone — especially the farmers who nourish our communities. With the new leadership in this administration, we see fresh opportunities to build alliances that position soil health as a shared win. If you'll be in the D.C. area next week, we'd love to connect.
Warmly,
The Land Core Team
We’re Growing!
We’re excited to welcome Roslyn Kauffman to the Land Core Team as Operations & Finance Director!
Roslyn Kauffman brings over a decade of experience in operations, finance, and HR, with a strong background in nonprofit and cooperatively run organizations. She has worked extensively in food systems, grantmaking, and impact-driven initiatives, supporting organizations in streamlining processes, improving financial management, and enhancing program effectiveness.
At Land Core, Roslyn will oversee finance, operations and grant administration. As a former farmer, she is passionate about strengthening mission-driven organizations and expanding financial opportunities for farmers implementing soil health practices.
Roslyn holds an MBA from Loyola University Chicago, where she was a Baumhart Scholar. Outside of work, Roslyn can often be found planning her next home gardening project and hosting themed game nights with friends.
Updates from Expo West
Last week, Land Core’s co-founders returned to Anaheim in southern CA for Natural Products Expo West, the country’s largest show for natural food, beverage and personal care products. The event also historically convenes thought leaders across food, agriculture, and soil health.
A few highlights:
Aria McLauchlan moderated the policy panel on Climate Day with Britt Lundgren (Stoneyfield Farms), Matthew Dillon (Organic Trade Association), and T.A. Hawks (Monument Advocacy) to offer guidance to brands on how to engage in policy.
Tina Owens, representing our partners at Transformational Investing in Food Systems (TIFS) presented crop insurance and portfolio risk through the lens of soil health on the main stage as an innovation and critical action for the industry.
The adoption of regenerative agriculture and companies supporting soil health in their supply chains was clearly evident on the expo floor. Lundberg Family Farms lead the way, with 70-plus Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) rice products. They’re just one in a growing list of 223 ROC certified companies and over 1.9k ROC certified products currently on the market. Additionally, other verification standards and labels like Regenified, and the Soil & Climate Initiative showcased continued growth in both partners and acres under transition.
The Non-Ultra Processed Foods (UPF) Verified Label was launched, with a mission to protect and expand the availability of minimally processed, natural foods. The new label was launched by the team behind the Non-GMO Project Verification, which also aims to bring more transparency to the food system.
While it can be tempting to view the proliferation of added labels as a heavy lift for consumers, brands, and farmers to adhere to, overall it is evident that soil health is being prioritized as fundamental to a healthy food system. And as discussed on Aria’s panel last week, despite our different needs and realities, farmers, brands, and NGO’s largely share similar goals, especially as it relates to policy.
Land Core Policy Priority
Land Core is working to champion a proposal that reconciles differences between soil health practices and crop insurance by asking USDA to study the risk-reducing benefits of soil health practices and make recommendations about appropriate discounts if and where producers are found to be lower risk.
Now called the SOIL HEALTH Practices Act, the bill carries forward language originally introduced in the Cover Crop Flexibility Act by Majority Leader Thune and co-sponsored by Senator Stabenow. (The bill, which received broad industry support, was partially addressed through agency action but did not implement the research portion of the bill). View the updated overview here.
Farm Bill & New Congress Updates
The House Appropriations Committee succeeded in passing a revised bill to avert a government shutdown on Tuesday increasing funding for defense, immigration and Customs enforcement, and veterans’ health care while cutting non-defense spending. The bill is now headed to the Senate for a vote ahead of the expiration date on March 14th.
Senate Ag Chair John Boozman continues to pressure members of the Senate Ag Committee that farmers are still in need of a “good strong farm bill” reiterating that economic aid will not go far enough to cover farmer losses this year.
A federal judge ruled that states have the authority to block the freeze of federal funding, including USDA payments owed to farmers who have received contracts for conservation projects. Farm organizations report that federal funding freezes are hurting the farming community.
USDA predicts prices of all food products are sure to increase due to the combined effect of tariffs and inflation in 2025, likely by 3-4%. As the administration implements and then pauses the tariffs repeatedly, farmer advocates have expressed concern that the uncertainty will become crippling and costly if it continues.
PoliticoPro reports hundreds of farmers wrote to Secretary Rollins in support of diversification of agricultural production for profitability, reports
Rollins announces unfreezing of major farm programs for EQIP, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program over fears that farmers stand to lose 12.5 billion dollars in funding if the freeze continues.
Bill Tracker
We have added several new bills from the 119th Congress to the Bill Tracker! We’ve spotlighted two notable bills below.
Farm to Fly Act 2025 - Previously introduced as the Farm to Fly Act of 2023, this bill expands sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) incentives, may increase demand for biofuel feedstocks, and influence land use and soil management (Sec. 3, Sec. 5). If sourced from diversified cropping systems, cover crops, or perennial biomass, SAF production could enhance soil structure, organic matter, and erosion control.
Fix Our Forests Act - The bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act indirectly supports soil health by promoting practices that reduce wildfire risks and enhance post-fire ecosystem recovery. Wildfires can degrade soil quality by increasing erosion, depleting organic matter, and damaging soil structure. By integrating fire prediction, ecosystem recovery efforts, and public-private partnerships to manage flammable materials, the act helps protect soil from fire-induced damage. Additionally, post-fire recovery activities and restoration programs outlined in the bill contribute to rebuilding soil stability, fertility, and overall ecosystem resilience.
Stay up to date with our Bill Tracker Alerts, that you can sign up for here.
Recent Talks and Events
Aria McLauchlan & Harley Cross sit down with Page Mitchum for the RegenCircle Podcast here | March 9, 2025
Aria presented for Illinois Soil Health Week “Unlocking a Good Soil Health Discount” | March 6, 2025. See recording here.
Aria moderated the policy panel for Climate Day at Natural Products Expo West |
March 4, 2025. Listen to the recording here.
Catch Us In Person
Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit - March 17, 2025, | Washington, DC "Navigating Taxes, Trade and Technology: What's Ahead for Food & Agriculture”.
Aria McLauchlan will attend this event, which aims to inform the public about food and agriculture policy decisions. The summit also explores ways to improve rural revenues and support farmers, ranchers, and consumers.
Aria will also be taking meetings in Washington, D.C. for the rest of the week (March 18-21, 2025). Reach out!
Upcoming Events
Below you will find a selection of upcoming gatherings related to agriculture and soil health on our radar.
2025 Midwest Grazing and Soil Health Summit - March 19-20, 2025, | Wilmur, MN
The event is designed to educate farmers and ranchers on how to integrate grazing practices with soil health management, highlighting the connection between livestock and soil quality to create a regenerative farming system, ultimately aiming to improve the sustainability and profitability of their operations in the Midwest region by exploring topics like virtual fencing, winter grazing, and small ruminants.
Regenerative Agriculture and Food Systems Summit - March 25-27, 2025, | Chicago, IL
Agriculture lies at the heart of our society. It plays a critical role in shaping our environment and social landscapes. Yet, it faces unprecedented challenges that will require the collective engagement of all stakeholders to overcome. Regenerative agriculture offers a holistic solution that restores ecosystems, improves soil health, and enhances biodiversity, building a more abundant and resilient agricultural system for generations to come.
ERME - Extension Risk Management Education National Conference - April 1-3, 2025 | Nashville, TN
Bringing together private and public sector educators, crop insurance agents, lenders, and other agricultural professionals to share ongoing and emerging successful risk management education efforts that target agricultural producers and their families. Conference participants will learn about what is working to help producers effectively manage the financial, production, marketing, legal and human risks associated with their agribusinesses.
Funding Opportunities
The Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership developed the Financial Incentives Database (FIND) tool to share financial payment opportunities that are available for adopting conservation practices such as cover crops, saturated buffers, and constructed wetlands. Although the tool was designed primarily for use in Illinois, any farmer or rancher can use the tool to search for funding opportunities across the U.S. See tool here.
AgWest Farm Credit New Producer Grant Program
This program provides $15,000 in start-up funds to successful applicants to support their agricultural ventures. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and a full- or part-time agriculturalist with two years or less of operational experience or have plans to start an operation within two years, within AgWest’s service area: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and portions of California, Nevada, and Arizona. The application deadline is May 31, 2025.
This flexible funding helps cover the upfront costs of installing USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) practices. EQIP recipients in designated Midwest, Southeast, and Southwest states are eligible for specified conservation practices.
What We're Reading
What will MAHA mean for farmers and ranchers
Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas has formed a MAHA caucus to work with R.F.K. to be the legislative force to ensure MAHA agenda is met. Marshall wants to “bring agriculture’s voice to the table” in support of regenerative and precision agriculture and soil health.
By Sarah Wyant | March 12, 2025, Agri-pulse
Republicans worry Trump’s tariffs could harm economy
Lawmakers are hearing growing concerns and complaints from constituents regarding the effects of the impending trade war which is having a chilling effect thus far on economic outlook.
By Alexander Bolten I March 10, 2025, The Hill
What’s the antidote to our ailing health and planet? Food grown for taste not yield
Growing research shows that food poses our greatest health challenges and most promising opportunities. Evidence of the link between soil health and human health suggests nutrition microbially mediated by the plant, and then to our bodies.
By Jennifer Marston | March 7, 2025, AgFunder News
Federal appeals board orders USDA probationary employees reinstated
Previous terminations deemed in violation of federal law governing reductions in force were reversed.
By Steve Davies I March 5, 2025, Agri-pulse
A report of a survey conducted by NACS of producers, communities, and staff about how the Executive Orders and funding freezes are impacting farming communities. The report compiled 350 responses from 45 states.
By the National Association of Conservation Services (NACS) I February 28, 2025
Soy growers urge climate-smart payments to farmers to resume
Important for USDA to honor the contractual commitments made to farmers and recipient organizations who are administering these grants.
February 10, 2025 I American Soybean Association
Yoder leads multiple studies on farmers’ motivation for cover crops
Based on scientific research here.
January 15, 2025 I By Ken Bikoff, Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs | Indiana University
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