Press Release | January 5, 2021
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Announces Groundbreaking Water Quality Outcomes Incentives
Partnership supports Iowa farmers’ efforts to produce quantifiable environmental outcomes
Media Contacts:
Katie James, (515) 334-1058, kjames@iasoybeans.com
Keely Coppess, (515) 326-1616, keely.coppess@IowaAgriculture.com
Adam Kiel: Adam@agoutcomes.com
As the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, a farmer-centric and outcomes-driven approach to conservation agriculture, opens enrollment for the 2021 season to Iowa farmers, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) announces its support through the Water Quality Initiative (WQI) program.
This partnership is the first of its kind for a state agriculture department and the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund. The Iowa Water Quality Initiative is the action plan for the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy established in 2013. The WQI improves water quality through a collaborative, research-based approach that is evaluated and reported by a team of independent researchers from multiple institutions.
“The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is excited to partner with the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund and other private partners to explore new conservation strategies,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “Using this innovative approach to incentivize producers to implement science-based conservation practices that fit their farms, we can scale up the number of conservation practices faster and make more progress towards the goals outlined in the Nutrient Reduction Strategy.”
Through the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, IDALS provides financial incentives directly to farmers who transition to on-farm conservation practices such as no till and cover crops that yield outcomes like carbon sequestration and water quality improvement. The environmental outcomes are verified using a combination of environmental modeling, in-field monitoring, and remote sensing.
The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund will be seeking farmers to enroll acres, beginning this month. Farmers interested in enrollment should visit www.theoutcomesfund.com.
The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund is a partnership of AgOutcomes, a subsidiary of the Iowa Soybean Association, and ReHarvest Partners, a subsidiary of Quantified Ventures. AgOutcomes leads the agronomic and farmer relations elements of the operation and ReHarvest Partners manages the financial and contracting aspects of the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund.
“We are excited to partner with IDALS as we provide farmers an opportunity to enhance sustainability on their farms through the addition of new conservation practices producing environmental outcomes,” said Adam Kiel, Soil and Water Outcomes Fund managing director and AgOutcomes vice president. “We look forward to providing assistance and guidance to farmers in the coming years to enhance on-farm productivity and further environmental outcomes.”
“Iowa is again leading the way in conservation agriculture, working to produce verifiable environmental outcomes through an innovative public-private partnership,” said Mark Lambert, Soil and Water Outcomes Fund managing director and ReHarvest Partners chief executive officer. “The model is built to scale and can be replicated across key agricultural regions in the United States.”
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About AgOutcomes
AgOutcomes connects farmers with opportunities to produce valued environmental outcomes. AgOutcomes recruits farmers for enrollment in the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, provides customer support and technical assistance to farmers, works with affiliated recruiters, monitors soil and water in enrolled fields, assists with the outcome validation process, and conducts field visits with enrolled farmers. AgOutcomes is a subsidiary of the Iowa Soybean Association.
About ReHarvest Partners
ReHarvest Partners is leading the transition to a more regenerative system of agriculture by creatively deploying capital and structuring unique partnerships. ReHarvest Partners’ outcomes-based approach aligns the interests of investors, farmers, consumers, companies, and government to enhance natural systems. Our mission is to deploy investment capital to cultivate a system of agriculture that enhances rural economies and regenerates ecosystems. ReHarvest Partners is a subsidiary of Quantified Ventures and administers the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund with AgOutcomes.
About the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Led by Secretary Mike Naig, the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship serves the rural and urban residents who call Iowa home. Through its 12 diverse bureaus, the Department ensures animal health, food safety and consumer protection. It also promotes conservation efforts to preserve our land for the next generation. Learn more at iowaagriculture.com.