News

Dear friends & colleagues,

Summer is a powerful reminder of the vitality and abundance that soil health brings to our landscapes and communities. During this time, the Land Core team has had the privilege of visiting partner farms that exemplify the transformative power of working with nature.

From the thriving, vertically-integrated systems of White Oak Pastures to the verdant fields of Matt Rales and Abigail Fuller’s new ranch in Ashland Oregon, our travels have taken us to the heart of soil health practices in action this month. These pioneering land stewards are more than just farmers, they are leading voices in a growing soil centered movement.

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Dear friends and colleagues, 

June is upon us, and with it, the height of the growing season. It’s also the season of the garden, a time when those of us not working the land professionally may still find our hands in the soil, coaxing seedlings to life, navigating the quiet persistence of weeds, and confronting inevitable pests. In these small acts, we encounter, however briefly, a glimpse of the daily complexities farmers manage on a vastly different scale.

While a home garden may offer personal fulfillment or a few nourishing meals, it is important to remember that our farmers face the challenges you might have at home (along with so many others)… and across thousands of acres, with far higher stakes. They feed our communities, anchor rural economies, and steward the vast landscapes on which we all depend. That’s why Land Core remains steadfast in advancing soil health policy creating durable value not only for farmers, but for businesses, communities, and the ecosystems they inhabit.

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Dear friends and colleagues, 

The team at Land Core has been actively monitoring legislative developments from the 119th Congress, with reconciliation and its impact on critical agricultural programs at the forefront. While a variety of proposals have emerged, the path forward still remains complex. Nevertheless, we remain hopeful that some progress will be made to support soil health priorities.

Internally, we are continuing our outreach to congressional members interested in advancing soil health practices to help farmers build farm resilience and access greater economic opportunities in the process. 

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Dear friends and colleagues,

Happy Spring!

Last month was a busy one. In addition to speaking engagements and conferences, Executive Director Aria Mclauchlan also traveled to Washington to meet with legislative offices, working to advance key Land Core priorities for the year. While news from DC can sometimes feel overwhelming, there are still consistent opportunities to champion soil health by highlighting the economic benefits for farmers, producers, and taxpayers alike.

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We hope you’re having an excellent end of summer, and are looking forward to the fall. Given the roller coaster of politics we are all on with this election season, some policy work is on pause, waiting to see how things shake out. That said, we are still tracking Farm Bill & Ag Appropriations news, submitting comments on agency actions like input on the 2027 Census of Agriculture to USDA NASS, and engaging in strategic planning to ensure soil health is recognized, valued and advanced across a wider breadth of agencies at USDA and beyond.

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We hope you had a fun and safe Fourth of July holiday! Land Core was back in DC this month for a busy week of meetings on the Hill continuing to focus on soil health as a central need for US agriculture. We also hosted our first virtual informational session about the Soil Health Risk Model and accompanying online tool for policymakers! Additionally, Land Core recently submitted comments to USDA based on a Request for Information about biofuel feedstocks.

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We hope your summer is off to a good start! In the past month there has been more Farm Bill activity, including the release of the Senate Ag Minority leadership framework. The House Appropriations Committee also released the Ag-FDA spending bill and held a markup. Below you can find an overview of this recent activity, as well as a summary of our latest Federal Bill Tracker alert, including some new tracker features!

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It has been another busy month here! Let’s start with an overview of some significant political activity. Following the release of a detailed Farm Bill proposal by the Senate Agriculture Committee earlier this month, the House Farm Bill was introduced on the 17th and went through markup on the 23rd, including some progress on our SOIL HEALTH Practices bill, which is now officially on the record for consideration in the final farm bill!

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We have quite a bit of news to share from this past month! First, Farm Bill proposals are (finally) being released, which is creating renewed momentum and opportunity. Below, we've provided an overview of the Senate and House versions of the bill, as well as Land Core's soil health-related priorities that were included in the Senate leadership bill. We’re also pleased to share our recently submitted FY25 Agriculture Appropriations request.

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Happy Spring! Land Core recently spent National Agriculture Week (March 17-23) in DC discussing soil health legislation and ag-appropriations priorities. How did you celebrate National Agriculture Week? Send us an email or tag us in your posts to let us know!

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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.

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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. In case you missed it, we are excited to share highlights from this past year, and our goals for 2024, in our year-in-review 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.

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As the holiday season kicks off, we are reminded of how thankful we are to be able to do this work and to do it alongside such a remarkable community of friends, farmers and colleagues. As a relatively small organization, your presence here is incredibly meaningful to us and your support has been critical in advancing our mission and goals.

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