Soil and Water Outcomes Fund

Geographic Scope: 49 counties in central and southern Indiana (Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, Decatur, Dubois, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Gibson, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Orange, Owen, Perry, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Sullivan, Switzerland, Union, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Washington, and Wayne). Also available in Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Focus Areas: Soil and water conservation practices with emphasis on environmental outcomes including water quality improvements and carbon sequestration.

Program Details

Partnership: AgOutcomes (subsidiary of Iowa Soybean Association) and ReHarvest Partners (subsidiary of Quantified Ventures)

How It Works:

• Farmers implement conservation practices
• Fund estimates environmental outcomes
• Outcomes are verified
• Farmers receive payment for verified outcomes
• Environmental outcomes are sold to corporations seeking greenhouse gas emission offsets or public entities (municipal water utilities, state/federal agriculture departments)

Eligible Conservation Practices:

• No-till or reduced tillage
• Cover crops
• Extended crop rotations
• Any combination of practices

Payment Structure:

• Half payment in spring (to help with seed costs)
• Balance paid in winter after verification
• No acre cap per farmer
• Payment amount varies based on soil types, baseline practices, and number of practices implemented
• Minimum requirement: cover crops plus either reduced or no tillage

Contract Terms:

• Currently one year at a time
• Farmers can re-enroll if willing to continue and include more practices

Eligibility Requirements:

• Farmers and landowners in eligible counties
• Must implement at least one conservation practice
• Currently no-tilling and using cover crops must add at least one additional practice

Contact Information:
Kevin Schabacker, SWOF Conservation Agronomist: 779-861-2979
Ben Forsythe, ISA Sustainability and Value Creation Director: bforsythe@indianasoybean.com

How to Enroll

1. Visit www.theoutcomesfund.com/enroll
2. Contact SWOF Conservation Agronomist Kevin Schabacker at 779-861-2979 for assistance
3. Alternatively, contact Ben Forsythe at bforsythe@indianasoybean.com
4. Enrollment is on a rolling basis (enrollment period open)

Application Process

• Farmers discuss desired practices with Fund representatives
• Fund estimates environmental outcomes
• Farmers implement practices
• Outcomes are verified
• Payment is issued