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.

Farmers are balancing a lot—from rising input costs and labor shortages to increasing weather variability. Minimizing tillage not only benefits the soil and the environment but also brings economic advantages that can contribute to a farm's profitability.

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.

In each Tune Up Newsletter, we profile one team member, partner, or other SWOF affiliate to better understand their contribution to the program. In this edition, we’re spotlighting one of SWOF’s referral partners, Central Wisconsin Ag Services.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) helps ensure enrolled farmers are producing environmental outcomes that can be quantified and verified. This process not only builds trust with our funding partners but also provides valuable insights for our farmers as we collectively work to build economic and environmental sustainability in agriculture.

Ensuring good water quality is essential for sustainable farming, environmental health, and food security. Learn about our water sampling process, conservation efforts, and the impact of reducing nitrogen and phosphorus runoff to protect ecosystems and support sustainable farming.

Peyton grew up on a small hog farm in southwest Ohio and developed a deep connection to agriculture from an early age. His years of hands-on experience and academic background in soil science make him a wonderful resource on the SWOF team.

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.

Water is a critical resource, and managing it efficiently is essential to ensure sustainability and productivity in agriculture. Gain more confidence in managing this vital resource as we review the key principles of efficient irrigation practices, as well as the role conservation measures and soil health play in water management.

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.