Soil and Water Outcomes Fund

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