Meet John Sorenson, a fifth-generation Minnesota farmer. To combat harsh winds threatening his sugar beets, John joined the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund to implement a rye cover crop and reduce his tillage. These changes have protected his crops and produced savings in fuel and labor costs.

Meet Quinn Trewartha, a 31-year-old fifth-generation farmer from northeast Illinois. Learn how enrolling with SWOF to reduce tillage has contributed to higher yields and lower labor and equipment costs, helping Quinn continue his family’s farming legacy.

Meet Jake Stricklin, a farmer enrolled in the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund from northern Illinois. Learn how this young, innovative leader in agriculture is utilizing knowledge and support from several partnering organizations to improve his operation's bottom line through reduced tillage and cover crop implementation.

Meet the Allyn Family, farmers enrolled in the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund from southern Indiana. Their family has been farming for over 100 years. Last year they enrolled with SWOF to help with erosion by reducing their tillage and experimenting with cover crops.

Meet Trent Brass, a farmer enrolled in the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund from northern Illinois. Trent farms with his brother, Tom, and father, Robert. They’ve been enrolled with SWOF since June 2022 and utilize cover crops and no-till on their operation.

Meet Tom Adam, a farmer enrolled in the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund from southeast Iowa. Tom’s family has farmed their land in Keokuk County, Iowa since 1852. He has been enrolled with SWOF since May 2021 and utilizes cover crops, no-till, and an extended crop rotation on his operation.

As one of our enrolled farmers and referral partners, Travis Milne has experienced the positive effects of prioritizing soil health and conservation practices firsthand. This approach has led to increased profitability on his own land and that of his customers. Learn how SWOF's simple, farmer-centered approach appealed to this dedicated steward of the land in this month’s SWOF Spotlight.

the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF) would like to highlight the work of the Bailey Family Farm in northwest Missouri. BJ Bailey started farming in 1977. He farms with his brother, Bert, and son, Bret. They have a corn and bean rotation and a cow calf operation.

The grant has also enabled the Midwest Climate-Smart Commodity Program to solidify multi-year relationships with farmers. For example, Nick Hermanson, who farms 5,000 acres of corn and soybeans and raises 300,000 turkeys a year on his farm in Story City, Iowa, is a fifth-generation farmer on the same land his family has farmed for 150 years.

Farming requires continuous learning and experimenting to drive additional value. As we celebrate National Farmer’s Day, we’d like to introduce Riley Schnell, a young Iowa farmer whose adoption of regenerative cropping practices has brought increased value to his family’s farming operation.