By implementing new practices such as strip till or no-till, introducing cover crops, or adjusting nitrogen fertilizer rates, farmers in 20 eligible Ohio counties can earn annual payments of up to $40 per acre. 

Ten thousand acres in the Upper Scioto River watershed are eligible for a pilot carbon credit and water-quality payment program launched by the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund in conjunction with the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, Ohio Soybean Council, Nutrien Ag Solutions, and the American Farmland Trust. Enrollment is now open.

“The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund is not prescriptive about the conservation changes chosen,” says Joe Winchell, the program’s conservation agronomist who is dedicated to assisting farmers with enrollment. “Farmers are welcome to add or expand the conservation practices that work best for their operation.”

Under the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, farmers are paid based on the volume of environmental outcomes generated by newly implemented conservation practices. These outcomes include nitrogen and phosphorus prevented from entering waterways and soil carbon sequestration.

Eligible acres include portions of Allen, Auglaize, Champaign, Clark, Crawford, Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Hardin, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Perry, Pickaway, Richland, Union and Wyandot counties.

Carbon market

“Growers have a lot of questions about emerging carbon markets and how they can maximize their opportunities,” says Ben Klick, a Navarre, Ohio, farmer and vice president of the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association. “As our organization has looked into projects across the state, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund stood out because of its focus on water quality and nutrient management.” 

“I encourage Ohio’s soybean producers in eligible counties to learn more about the financial and environmental benefits available from the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund. They can continue to benefit from implementing practices on their farms to make their land even stronger and healthier for the next generation,” adds Kirk Merritt, Ohio Soybean Council CEO.  

The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund operates in Ohio, Illinois and Iowa. More information on enrollment requirements and processes is available online at theoutcomesfund.com. 

Source: Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.