Programs

This page provides basic information for programs that match the criteria you entered on the previous page. For a side-by-side comparison, select any two programs and click “compare selected” at the bottom of the page, or click on the Learn More button for a detailed description of an individual program.

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Carbon Programs: Programs claim a farmer’s carbon asset and may require new practices to be eligible for payments.
Government Programs: Programs are funded with public/government funds and cannot be combined with other government programs. However, it may be possible to stack payments from government programs with privately funded programs.
Climate Smart Commodity Programs (Carbon): Programs often combine public and private funding, and therefore farmers often cannot combine enrollment with other programs.
Climate Smart Commodity Programs (Non-carbon): Programs often combine public and private funding. Because carbon credits are not claimed, payments from these programs may be able to be combined with payments from carbon programs.
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Compare (Up to 2) Program Name Program Overview Eligible
Practices
ADM re:generations

ADM’s Re:generations programs provide payment for farmers currently using or adopting regenerative agricultural practices.

Cover Crops, Living Roots Year-Round, Nutrient Management, Reduced or No-Till

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Program Details

ADM’s Re:generations programs provide payment for farmers currently using or adopting regenerative agricultural practices.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops, Living Roots Year-Round, Nutrient Management, Reduced or No-Till
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE)

Under the Farm Bill’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE) help landowners protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on priority land areas. NRCS enters into purchase agreements with eligible private landowners or Indian tribes that include the right for NRCS to develop and implement a wetland plan of operations. Landowner retains ownership and access to the property. Eligible land includes privately held farmed or converted wetlands that can be successfully and cost-effectively restored. NRCS will prioritize applications based the easement’s potential for protecting and enhancing habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Wetland restoration or enhancement practices.

Wetlands

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Program Details

Under the Farm Bill’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE) help landowners protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on priority land areas. NRCS enters into purchase agreements with eligible private landowners or Indian tribes that include the right for NRCS to develop and implement a wetland plan of operations. Landowner retains ownership and access to the property. Eligible land includes privately held farmed or converted wetlands that can be successfully and cost-effectively restored. NRCS will prioritize applications based the easement’s potential for protecting and enhancing habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Wetland restoration or enhancement practices.

Eligible Practices

Wetlands
Bayer Carbon Program: ForGround by Bayer

The Bayer Carbon Program, part of ForGround by Bayer, is a program that pays for practices on a per acre basis, regardless of soil carbon measurements.

Cover Crops, Reduced- or No-Till

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Program Details

The Bayer Carbon Program, part of ForGround by Bayer, is a program that pays for practices on a per acre basis, regardless of soil carbon measurements.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops, Reduced- or No-Till
Carbon A List, LLC

This project will execute an end-to-end supply chain strategy to deliver on both, while simultaneously optimizing the value of climate smart commodities so that farmers will realize a durable value-add and new market opportunity for their production. It aims to span commodity production supply chains, from producer to consumer, with a specific focus on programs in soybean feedstock for dairies, food grade soy and food grade oats. It also includes a large manure management program in the dairy sector, which will prioritize methane reductions. The power of existing and future investments by project partners will create scale and build trust in climate smart commodity markets, so that other supply chains across agriculture can replicate similar end-to-end strategies.

Conservation Cover, Conservation Crop Rotation, Contour Buffer Strips, Cover Crops, Critical Area Planting, Feed Management, Filter Strip, Mulching, Nutrient Management, Pasture and Hay Planting, Prescribed Grazing, Reduced- or No-Till, Residue and Tillage Management, Riparian Forest Buffer, Riparian Herbaceous Cover, Waste Separation Facility, Wildlife Habitat Planting

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Program Details

This project will execute an end-to-end supply chain strategy to deliver on both, while simultaneously optimizing the value of climate smart commodities so that farmers will realize a durable value-add and new market opportunity for their production. It aims to span commodity production supply chains, from producer to consumer, with a specific focus on programs in soybean feedstock for dairies, food grade soy and food grade oats. It also includes a large manure management program in the dairy sector, which will prioritize methane reductions. The power of existing and future investments by project partners will create scale and build trust in climate smart commodity markets, so that other supply chains across agriculture can replicate similar end-to-end strategies.

Eligible Practices

Conservation Cover, Conservation Crop Rotation, Contour Buffer Strips, Cover Crops, Critical Area Planting, Feed Management, Filter Strip, Mulching, Nutrient Management, Pasture and Hay Planting, Prescribed Grazing, Reduced- or No-Till, Residue and Tillage Management, Riparian Forest Buffer, Riparian Herbaceous Cover, Waste Separation Facility, Wildlife Habitat Planting
Cargill RegenConnect

Cargill RegenConnect provides farmers a financial incentive for positive environmental outcomes through the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, while helping to decarbonize the agriculture supply chain. They use Regrow to quantify, monitor, and verify outcomes.

Cover Crops, Reduced- or No-Till

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Program Details

Cargill RegenConnect provides farmers a financial incentive for positive environmental outcomes through the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, while helping to decarbonize the agriculture supply chain. They use Regrow to quantify, monitor, and verify outcomes.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops, Reduced- or No-Till
Clean Lakes Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR)

Clean Lakes Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) prioritizes water quality practices on the land that will help reduce sediment loadings, nutrient loadings, and harmful algal blooms. Practices include prairie strips, filter strips, saturated filter strips, saturated riparian buffer, riparian buffer, denitrifying bioreactor on filter strips, denitrifying bioreactor on riparian buffers, wetland restoration, wetland restoration non-floodplain.

Bioreactor, Filter strips, Prairie strips, Riparian buffer, Saturated filter strips, Saturated riparian buffer, Wetland restoration, Wetland restoration non-floodplain.

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Program Details

Clean Lakes Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) prioritizes water quality practices on the land that will help reduce sediment loadings, nutrient loadings, and harmful algal blooms. Practices include prairie strips, filter strips, saturated filter strips, saturated riparian buffer, riparian buffer, denitrifying bioreactor on filter strips, denitrifying bioreactor on riparian buffers, wetland restoration, wetland restoration non-floodplain.

Eligible Practices

Bioreactor, Filter strips, Prairie strips, Riparian buffer, Saturated filter strips, Saturated riparian buffer, Wetland restoration, Wetland restoration non-floodplain.
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) – Federal

FEDERAL The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is an enhanced version of CRP, It is intended to reduce the amount of agricultural chemicals and sediment from agricultural lands entering waters within the project area and enhance aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitat. The federal funds are supplemented with non-federal funds from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to achieve the state’s high-priority conservation goals. The program does accept non-cropland acres adjacent to CREP enrolled cropland. Practices include filter strips, riparian buffers, wetland restoration (floodplain and non-floodplain) located in the 100-year floodplain or previously farmed wetland).

Filter strips, Riparian Buffers, Wetland restoration (floodplain and non-floodplain located in the 100-year floodplain or previously farmed wetland)

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Program Details

FEDERAL The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is an enhanced version of CRP, It is intended to reduce the amount of agricultural chemicals and sediment from agricultural lands entering waters within the project area and enhance aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitat. The federal funds are supplemented with non-federal funds from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to achieve the state’s high-priority conservation goals. The program does accept non-cropland acres adjacent to CREP enrolled cropland. Practices include filter strips, riparian buffers, wetland restoration (floodplain and non-floodplain) located in the 100-year floodplain or previously farmed wetland).

Eligible Practices

Filter strips, Riparian Buffers, Wetland restoration (floodplain and non-floodplain located in the 100-year floodplain or previously farmed wetland)
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) – Continuous

Continuous CRP sign-up works on a first come, first serve basis. Necessary enrollment requirements must be met, but the acres are automatically accepted until the national statutory acreage cap is reached. Land must be cropland that is planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity four of the six crop years from 2012 to 2017 and is physically and legally capable of being planted. Enrollment opportunities include SAFE, CLEAR, FWP, and CREP.

Multiple practices. Contact your local NRCS office.

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Program Details

Continuous CRP sign-up works on a first come, first serve basis. Necessary enrollment requirements must be met, but the acres are automatically accepted until the national statutory acreage cap is reached. Land must be cropland that is planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity four of the six crop years from 2012 to 2017 and is physically and legally capable of being planted. Enrollment opportunities include SAFE, CLEAR, FWP, and CREP.

Eligible Practices

Multiple practices. Contact your local NRCS office.
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) – General

General CRP sign-up may not happen every year. For enrollment, the land is ranked using the EBI (Environmental Benefits Index). Landowners bid into the program and compete across all other offers submitted nationwide. Offers with the highest environmental benefits are selected. Practices eligible are typically whole field enrollments.

Multiple practices. Contact your local NRCS office.

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Program Details

General CRP sign-up may not happen every year. For enrollment, the land is ranked using the EBI (Environmental Benefits Index). Landowners bid into the program and compete across all other offers submitted nationwide. Offers with the highest environmental benefits are selected. Practices eligible are typically whole field enrollments.

Eligible Practices

Multiple practices. Contact your local NRCS office.
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

Under the Farm Bill’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), NRCS helps producers maintain and improve existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address priority resource concerns. CSP pays for conservation performance – the higher the performance, the higher the payment. CSP provides annual payments for installing new conservation activities and maintaining existing practices; and supplemental payments for adopting a resource-conserving crop rotation. Practices include cover crops, filter strips, riparian buffers, and wetland wildlife habitat management.

Multiple practices. Contact your local NRCS office.

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Program Details

Under the Farm Bill’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), NRCS helps producers maintain and improve existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address priority resource concerns. CSP pays for conservation performance – the higher the performance, the higher the payment. CSP provides annual payments for installing new conservation activities and maintaining existing practices; and supplemental payments for adopting a resource-conserving crop rotation. Practices include cover crops, filter strips, riparian buffers, and wetland wildlife habitat management.

Eligible Practices

Multiple practices. Contact your local NRCS office.
Corteva Agriscience

Corteva helps farmers get carbon credits for regenerative agricultural projects by producing credits though Indigo Ag, certified by the Climate Action Reserve.

Cover Crops, Increase Biodiversity, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till, Wildlife Habitat Planting

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Program Details

Corteva helps farmers get carbon credits for regenerative agricultural projects by producing credits though Indigo Ag, certified by the Climate Action Reserve.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops, Increase Biodiversity, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till, Wildlife Habitat Planting
Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, Inc.

This project plans to make direct payments and provide technical assistance to small-scale dairy farmers to implement climate-smart grazing management. A network of the farms are also planned to serve as training sites, enabling the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) program to aid producers in expanding their positive climate impacts while generating revenue.

Prescribed Grazing

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Program Details

This project plans to make direct payments and provide technical assistance to small-scale dairy farmers to implement climate-smart grazing management. A network of the farms are also planned to serve as training sites, enabling the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) program to aid producers in expanding their positive climate impacts while generating revenue.

Eligible Practices

Prescribed Grazing
Ecosystem Services Market Consortium: eco-harvest

ESMC’s Eco-Harvest program focuses on ecosystem services with the integrated approach of improved carbon, water quality, water quantity, biodiversity.

Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till

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Program Details

ESMC’s Eco-Harvest program focuses on ecosystem services with the integrated approach of improved carbon, water quality, water quantity, biodiversity.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Under the Farm Bill’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to producers/landowners to help plan and implement conservation practices on agricultural and forest land. EQIP addresses natural resource concerns and delivers environmental benefits. All EoF practices.

Multiple practices. Contact your local NRCS office.

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Program Details

Under the Farm Bill’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to producers/landowners to help plan and implement conservation practices on agricultural and forest land. EQIP addresses natural resource concerns and delivers environmental benefits. All EoF practices.

Eligible Practices

Multiple practices. Contact your local NRCS office.
Fall Covers for Spring Savings (FCSS)

IDOA’s Fall Covers for Spring Savings (FCSS) program is offered for cover crop acres outside of state and federal incentives. Eligible applicants will receive a $5/acre insurance premium discount on the following year’s crop insurance for every acre enrolled and verified.

Cover Crops

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Program Details

IDOA’s Fall Covers for Spring Savings (FCSS) program is offered for cover crop acres outside of state and federal incentives. Eligible applicants will receive a $5/acre insurance premium discount on the following year’s crop insurance for every acre enrolled and verified.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops
Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP)

The Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) is designed to restore previously farmed wetlands and wetland buffers to improve both vegetation and water flow. Land generally must have been used for agricultural purposes for 3 of the past 10 crop years. Enrolled land cannot exceed 40 acres for wetlands or constructed wetlands. Practices include wetlands, wetland buffers, and constructed wetlands.

Wetlands, Wetland Buffers

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Program Details

The Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) is designed to restore previously farmed wetlands and wetland buffers to improve both vegetation and water flow. Land generally must have been used for agricultural purposes for 3 of the past 10 crop years. Enrolled land cannot exceed 40 acres for wetlands or constructed wetlands. Practices include wetlands, wetland buffers, and constructed wetlands.

Eligible Practices

Wetlands, Wetland Buffers
Improving Oak Ecosystems Health in the Great Lakes Region (RCPP)

This RCPP project is utilizing land management practices to restore, enhance and protect oak ecosystems. Land management practices available to farmers/landowners in the project area are: Forest Stand Improvement, Structures for Wildlife, Tree/Shrub Establishment etc.

Brush Management, Conservation Cover, Critical Area Planting, Forest Management Plan, Forest Stand Improvement, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, Prescribed Burning, Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities, Tree/Shrub Site Preparation, Wildlife Habitat Planting

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Program Details

This RCPP project is utilizing land management practices to restore, enhance and protect oak ecosystems. Land management practices available to farmers/landowners in the project area are: Forest Stand Improvement, Structures for Wildlife, Tree/Shrub Establishment etc.

Eligible Practices

Brush Management, Conservation Cover, Critical Area Planting, Forest Management Plan, Forest Stand Improvement, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, Prescribed Burning, Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities, Tree/Shrub Site Preparation, Wildlife Habitat Planting
Indigo Ag: Carbon by Indigo

Carbon by Indigo is a comprehensive carbon offsetting program, grouping together farmers across the US and connecting them with carbon revenues based on their carbon reduction and removal performance.

Conservation Cropping Rotation, Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till

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Program Details

Carbon by Indigo is a comprehensive carbon offsetting program, grouping together farmers across the US and connecting them with carbon revenues based on their carbon reduction and removal performance.

Eligible Practices

Conservation Cropping Rotation, Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till
Indigo Ag: Market+ Source

Indigo’s Market+ Source program pays farmers a premium for producing crops with practices that reduce on-farm emissions and conserve natural resources, while generating new revenue for the agribusinesses who procure and process those crops.

Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till

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Program Details

Indigo’s Market+ Source program pays farmers a premium for producing crops with practices that reduce on-farm emissions and conserve natural resources, while generating new revenue for the agribusinesses who procure and process those crops.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till
Iowa Soybean Association

The Program will develop and expand markets for climate-smart commodities and their resulting environmental benefits: 1) the market for CO2e insets associated with the production of commodities used in key food and fuel supply chains; 2) the market for water quality improvements generated by the introduction of climate smart practices; 3) the market for verified climate-smart corn, soy, sugar beet and wheat commodities; 4) the market for biofuel inputs using commodities produced with climate-smart practices

Cover Crops, Conservation Crop Rotations, Nutrient Management, Pasture and Hayland Planting, Reduced or No-Till

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Program Details

The Program will develop and expand markets for climate-smart commodities and their resulting environmental benefits: 1) the market for CO2e insets associated with the production of commodities used in key food and fuel supply chains; 2) the market for water quality improvements generated by the introduction of climate smart practices; 3) the market for verified climate-smart corn, soy, sugar beet and wheat commodities; 4) the market for biofuel inputs using commodities produced with climate-smart practices

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops, Conservation Crop Rotations, Nutrient Management, Pasture and Hayland Planting, Reduced or No-Till
Kinkaid Watershed Restoration Project (RCPP)

The Kinkaid Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) promotes coordination of NRCS and Kinkaid-Reed’s Creek Conservancy District conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our collective ability to address natural resource concerns.

Brush Management, Cover Crops, Critical Area Planting, Grade Stabilization Structure, Grassed Waterway, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, Nutrient Management, Pasture and Hay Planting, Prescribed Burning, Prescribed Grazing, Stream Habitat Improvement and Management, Streambank and Shoreline Protection, Subsurface Drain, Water and Sediment Control Basin

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Program Details

The Kinkaid Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) promotes coordination of NRCS and Kinkaid-Reed’s Creek Conservancy District conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our collective ability to address natural resource concerns.

Eligible Practices

Brush Management, Cover Crops, Critical Area Planting, Grade Stabilization Structure, Grassed Waterway, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, Nutrient Management, Pasture and Hay Planting, Prescribed Burning, Prescribed Grazing, Stream Habitat Improvement and Management, Streambank and Shoreline Protection, Subsurface Drain, Water and Sediment Control Basin
Lake Decatur Water Quality Initiative

The Lake Decatur Water Quality Initiative and RCPP will address causes of sediment and nutrient loading and focus on management, timing and placement of nutrients, cover crops, reduced tillage on highly erodible soils, and strategic structural practices.

Conservation Cover, Conservation Crop Rotation, Contour Buffer Strips, Cover Crops, Critical Area Planting, Denitrifying Bioreactor, Drainage Water Management, Field Border, Filter Strip, Grade Stabilization Structure, Grassed Waterway, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till, Saturated Buffer, Subsurface Drain, Underground Outlet,

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Program Details

The Lake Decatur Water Quality Initiative and RCPP will address causes of sediment and nutrient loading and focus on management, timing and placement of nutrients, cover crops, reduced tillage on highly erodible soils, and strategic structural practices.

Eligible Practices

Conservation Cover, Conservation Crop Rotation, Contour Buffer Strips, Cover Crops, Critical Area Planting, Denitrifying Bioreactor, Drainage Water Management, Field Border, Filter Strip, Grade Stabilization Structure, Grassed Waterway, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till, Saturated Buffer, Subsurface Drain, Underground Outlet,
Lake Springfield Source Water Protection Project (RCPP)

The Lake Springfield RCPP will provide $1.3M to producers in the Lake Springfield watershed, with an emphasis on building soil health and resiliency, decreasing input costs, installing structural practices to reduce erosion and treat drained water, and nutrient planning. This RCPP project is utilizing land management practices to reduce sediment and nutrient from entering Lake Springfield. Land management practices available to farmers in the watershed are Cover Crop, Nutrient Management, and Residue & Tillage Management (No-till) etc.

Conservation Cover, Constructed Wetland, Cover Crops, Critical Area Planting, Denitrifying Bioreactor, Drainage Water Management, Field Border, Filter Strip, Grade Stabilization Structure, Grassed Waterway, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, Nutrient Management, Pest Management Conservation System, Reduced- or No-Till, Riparian Forest Buffer, Saturated Buffer, Terrace, Tree/Shrub Site Preparation, Tree-Shrub Pruning, Wetland Restoration

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Program Details

The Lake Springfield RCPP will provide $1.3M to producers in the Lake Springfield watershed, with an emphasis on building soil health and resiliency, decreasing input costs, installing structural practices to reduce erosion and treat drained water, and nutrient planning. This RCPP project is utilizing land management practices to reduce sediment and nutrient from entering Lake Springfield. Land management practices available to farmers in the watershed are Cover Crop, Nutrient Management, and Residue & Tillage Management (No-till) etc.

Eligible Practices

Conservation Cover, Constructed Wetland, Cover Crops, Critical Area Planting, Denitrifying Bioreactor, Drainage Water Management, Field Border, Filter Strip, Grade Stabilization Structure, Grassed Waterway, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, Nutrient Management, Pest Management Conservation System, Reduced- or No-Till, Riparian Forest Buffer, Saturated Buffer, Terrace, Tree/Shrub Site Preparation, Tree-Shrub Pruning, Wetland Restoration
Marbleseed (formerly Midwest Organic And Sustainable Education Service, Inc.)

This multistate project will enroll field crop farmers already engaged in organic grain production or desiring to transition to organic systems. This project will pilot CSAF practices with at least 40 small-scale underserved farmers.

Alley Cropping, Conservation Cover, Conservation Crop Rotation, Contour Buffer Strips, Cover Crops, Field Border, Filter Strip, Forest Stand Improvement, Grassed Waterway, Hedgerow Planting, Herbaceous Wind Barriers, Nutrient Management, Pasture and Hay Planting, Prescribed Grazing, Reduced- or No-Till, Riparian Forest Buffer, Riparian Herbaceous Cover, Upland Wildlife Habitat Management, Vegetative Barriers, Wildlife Habitat Planting, Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation

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Program Details

This multistate project will enroll field crop farmers already engaged in organic grain production or desiring to transition to organic systems. This project will pilot CSAF practices with at least 40 small-scale underserved farmers.

Eligible Practices

Alley Cropping, Conservation Cover, Conservation Crop Rotation, Contour Buffer Strips, Cover Crops, Field Border, Filter Strip, Forest Stand Improvement, Grassed Waterway, Hedgerow Planting, Herbaceous Wind Barriers, Nutrient Management, Pasture and Hay Planting, Prescribed Grazing, Reduced- or No-Till, Riparian Forest Buffer, Riparian Herbaceous Cover, Upland Wildlife Habitat Management, Vegetative Barriers, Wildlife Habitat Planting, Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), for Farmers for Soil Health (FSH)

Through this project, FSH intends to create a new transition program that will build cover crop capacity nationwide. With a national and state strategy, FSH’s approach is four-pronged. First, FSH will establish a new financial assistance (FA) program. Second, FSH will strengthen its technical assistance (TA) and education programs in its targeted states. Third, it will create and launch a nationwide Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) platform for conservation practices, including cover crops. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, FSH will create an online public marketplace to connect farmers to climate-smart commodity opportunities and incentives. The FSH marketplace is being designed with ease-of-user experience in mind to combat the significant burden and challenge farmers are experiencing in today’s carbon programs.

Cover Crops

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Program Details

Through this project, FSH intends to create a new transition program that will build cover crop capacity nationwide. With a national and state strategy, FSH’s approach is four-pronged. First, FSH will establish a new financial assistance (FA) program. Second, FSH will strengthen its technical assistance (TA) and education programs in its targeted states. Third, it will create and launch a nationwide Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) platform for conservation practices, including cover crops. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, FSH will create an online public marketplace to connect farmers to climate-smart commodity opportunities and incentives. The FSH marketplace is being designed with ease-of-user experience in mind to combat the significant burden and challenge farmers are experiencing in today’s carbon programs.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops
Partners for Conservation (PFC)

The Partners for Conservation Program (PFC) is a program of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Land and Water Resources. Eligible conservation projects emphasize soil erosion control and water quality protection including cover crops, nutrient management, and water well sealing.

Cover Crops

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Program Details

The Partners for Conservation Program (PFC) is a program of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Land and Water Resources. Eligible conservation projects emphasize soil erosion control and water quality protection including cover crops, nutrient management, and water well sealing.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops
Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program (PFW)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program (PFW) assists landowners, managers, tribes, corporations, schools and nonprofits interested in improving wildlife habitat on their land by restoring forest, prairie, wetland, and stream habitat. Practices include wetland restoration and enhancement and riparian reforestation.

Riparian Forest Buffer, Wetland Restoration

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Program Details

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program (PFW) assists landowners, managers, tribes, corporations, schools and nonprofits interested in improving wildlife habitat on their land by restoring forest, prairie, wetland, and stream habitat. Practices include wetland restoration and enhancement and riparian reforestation.

Eligible Practices

Riparian Forest Buffer, Wetland Restoration
PepsiCo – PCM

The Soil Health Incentive for PCM Farmers, funded by PepsiCo, provides incentive payments for existing and new acres for No-till, Strip-till, Cover Crops, and Nitrogen reduction.

Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till

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Program Details

The Soil Health Incentive for PCM Farmers, funded by PepsiCo, provides incentive payments for existing and new acres for No-till, Strip-till, Cover Crops, and Nitrogen reduction.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till
Precision Conservation Management (RCPP)

Precision Conservation Management (PCM) objective is landscape scale adoption of a conservation practice using farmers as the real-world illustration of how voluntary adoption of practices affect farm profitability and, therefore, farm sustainability. The PCM RCPP project will utilize the land management practice of Cover Crop to understand how conservation practices impact farm financial net returns, address water quality concerns, prevent agricultural regulation, and position farmers to benefit from positive conservation outcomes.

Cover Crops

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Program Details

Precision Conservation Management (PCM) objective is landscape scale adoption of a conservation practice using farmers as the real-world illustration of how voluntary adoption of practices affect farm profitability and, therefore, farm sustainability. The PCM RCPP project will utilize the land management practice of Cover Crop to understand how conservation practices impact farm financial net returns, address water quality concerns, prevent agricultural regulation, and position farmers to benefit from positive conservation outcomes.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops
Regeneration International (Regenerative Agriculture Alliance (RAA))

This project supports poultry producers who follow diversified regenerative climate-smart grain production methods incorporating small grains, no-till, and cover crops, integrated agroforestry practices. The project will conduct a 5-year study of a subset of farms that are following the climate-smart regenerative poultry silviculture protocols and the farms with climate-smart grain fields that supply them.

Alley Cropping, Conservation Crop Rotation, Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till

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Program Details

This project supports poultry producers who follow diversified regenerative climate-smart grain production methods incorporating small grains, no-till, and cover crops, integrated agroforestry practices. The project will conduct a 5-year study of a subset of farms that are following the climate-smart regenerative poultry silviculture protocols and the farms with climate-smart grain fields that supply them.

Eligible Practices

Alley Cropping, Conservation Crop Rotation, Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till
Rend Lake Watershed Conservation Initiative RCPP

The Rend Lake Watershed Conservation Initiative RCPP will help implement climate-smart ag practices to reduce nutrient pollution in the watershed as published in the Rend Lake Total Maximum Daily Load watershed-based plan.

Brush Management, Conservation Cover, Cover Crops, Critical Area Planting, Filter Strip, Forest Management Plan, Forest Stand Improvement, Grassed Waterway, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, High Tunnel System, Low Tunnel Systems, Nutrient Management, Pasture and Hay Planting, Prescribed Burning, Reduced- or No-Till, Streambank and Shoreline Protection, Subsurface Drain, Terrace, Tree/Shrub Establishment, Water and Sediment Control Basin, Wildlife Habitat Planting, Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation

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Program Details

The Rend Lake Watershed Conservation Initiative RCPP will help implement climate-smart ag practices to reduce nutrient pollution in the watershed as published in the Rend Lake Total Maximum Daily Load watershed-based plan.

Eligible Practices

Brush Management, Conservation Cover, Cover Crops, Critical Area Planting, Filter Strip, Forest Management Plan, Forest Stand Improvement, Grassed Waterway, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, High Tunnel System, Low Tunnel Systems, Nutrient Management, Pasture and Hay Planting, Prescribed Burning, Reduced- or No-Till, Streambank and Shoreline Protection, Subsurface Drain, Terrace, Tree/Shrub Establishment, Water and Sediment Control Basin, Wildlife Habitat Planting, Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation
Soil and Water Outcomes Fund

The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund is an ecosystem service program that provides payment to farmers adopting new regenerative farming practices. The focus is on CO2e insetting and water quality outcomes.

Cover Crops, Conservation Crop Rotation, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till

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Program Details

The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund is an ecosystem service program that provides payment to farmers adopting new regenerative farming practices. The focus is on CO2e insetting and water quality outcomes.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops, Conservation Crop Rotation, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No-Till
Southern Illinois Oak Ecosystem Restoration (RCPP)

This RCPP project is using land management practices to work on oak ecosystem restoration activities in the project area to stop the loss of oak trees and create large, ecologically significant blocks of healthy oak dominant forests. Land management practices available to forest landowners in the project area are Forest Stand Improvement, Brush management, Prescribed Burning, etc.

Brush Management, Conservation Cover, Forest Management Plan, Forest Stand Improvement, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, Prescribed Burning, Tree/Shrub Site Preparation, Tree-Shrub Pruning, Wildlife Habitat Planting

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Program Details

This RCPP project is using land management practices to work on oak ecosystem restoration activities in the project area to stop the loss of oak trees and create large, ecologically significant blocks of healthy oak dominant forests. Land management practices available to forest landowners in the project area are Forest Stand Improvement, Brush management, Prescribed Burning, etc.

Eligible Practices

Brush Management, Conservation Cover, Forest Management Plan, Forest Stand Improvement, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, Prescribed Burning, Tree/Shrub Site Preparation, Tree-Shrub Pruning, Wildlife Habitat Planting
State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE)

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative restores vital habitat in order to meet high-priority state wildlife conservation goals. Selected practices are designed to enhance important wildlife populations by creating critical habitat and food sources and to protect soil and water health by working as a barrier to sediment and nutrient runoff into waterways. Practices include buffers and wetlands.

Buffers, Wetlands

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Program Details

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative restores vital habitat in order to meet high-priority state wildlife conservation goals. Selected practices are designed to enhance important wildlife populations by creating critical habitat and food sources and to protect soil and water health by working as a barrier to sediment and nutrient runoff into waterways. Practices include buffers and wetlands.

Eligible Practices

Buffers, Wetlands
The DeLong Co., Inc

Large-scale agricultural pilot projects are needed to generate action that will lead to the direct, meaningful reduction of GHGs to help stabilize the climate. This project addresses the major challenges for implementing conservation practices and provides solutions for measurable GHG reduction and carbon sequestration in agricultural projects.

Nutrient Management, Cover Crops, Reduced- or No-Till, Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation

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Program Details

Large-scale agricultural pilot projects are needed to generate action that will lead to the direct, meaningful reduction of GHGs to help stabilize the climate. This project addresses the major challenges for implementing conservation practices and provides solutions for measurable GHG reduction and carbon sequestration in agricultural projects.

Eligible Practices

Nutrient Management, Cover Crops, Reduced- or No-Till, Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation
The Nature Conservancy (Agroforestry)

This project increases capital investments in tree planting to increase supply of agroforestry commodities by combining the necessary incentives, outreach, and education through a distribution network of the leading NG0s, businesses, and researchers in the agroforestry space. They aim to increase demand by working directly with manufacturers and retail companies to connect producers with potential buyers and educate consumers about the benefits of agroforestry products through labeling and certification. This project will enable new revenue streams for underserved and small producers, providing an opportunity for underserved producers to participate in commodity markets that have, thus far, been difficult to access.

Alley Cropping, Silvopasture, Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation

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Program Details

This project increases capital investments in tree planting to increase supply of agroforestry commodities by combining the necessary incentives, outreach, and education through a distribution network of the leading NG0s, businesses, and researchers in the agroforestry space. They aim to increase demand by working directly with manufacturers and retail companies to connect producers with potential buyers and educate consumers about the benefits of agroforestry products through labeling and certification. This project will enable new revenue streams for underserved and small producers, providing an opportunity for underserved producers to participate in commodity markets that have, thus far, been difficult to access.

Eligible Practices

Alley Cropping, Silvopasture, Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation
Truterra

Truterra helps farmers unlock, sustain, and build upon the potential of their soil. Its sustainability programs are built to meet farmers where they are – whether they are taking a first look at changing management practices to address a specific challenge, are concerned about the overall health of soil, or are hoping to reduce some of the costs of sustainable practices. Truterra provides different programs for different farms, based on where they are in the transition to regenerative agricultural practices.

Cover Crops, Reduced- or No-Till

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Program Details

Truterra helps farmers unlock, sustain, and build upon the potential of their soil. Its sustainability programs are built to meet farmers where they are – whether they are taking a first look at changing management practices to address a specific challenge, are concerned about the overall health of soil, or are hoping to reduce some of the costs of sustainable practices. Truterra provides different programs for different farms, based on where they are in the transition to regenerative agricultural practices.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops, Reduced- or No-Till
Truterra, LLC’s Climate SMART (Scaling Mechanisms for Agriculture’s Regenerative Transformation)

The initiative aims to scale production of climate-smart corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and milk among producers working with the Climate SMART Resource Network (the Network). Over the course of five years, the Network will engage more than 20,000 farmers and dairy producers, deliver agronomic assistance, data management services and financial incentives, impact more than 7 million acres, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 6.9 million metric tons CO2e.

Conservation Crop Rotation, Cover Crops, Field Operations Emissions Reduction Irrigation System (Surface and Subsurface), Irrigation Water Management, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No- Till, Waste Separation Facility, Wastewater Treatment (Mile House)

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Program Details

The initiative aims to scale production of climate-smart corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and milk among producers working with the Climate SMART Resource Network (the Network). Over the course of five years, the Network will engage more than 20,000 farmers and dairy producers, deliver agronomic assistance, data management services and financial incentives, impact more than 7 million acres, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 6.9 million metric tons CO2e.

Eligible Practices

Conservation Crop Rotation, Cover Crops, Field Operations Emissions Reduction Irrigation System (Surface and Subsurface), Irrigation Water Management, Nutrient Management, Reduced- or No- Till, Waste Separation Facility, Wastewater Treatment (Mile House)
University of Illinois’ iCOVER (Innovative Cover-crop Opportunity, Verification and Economy stimulating technology for underserved farmers using Robotics)

This program is focused on innovations essential for accelerating market development for climate smart commodities and enabling minority farmers to participate in those markets. These innovations, such as robotic planting and MMRV, reduce the cost and labor burden of cover crop planting, enable accurate, rapid, low-cost soil carbon measurement, and ensure efficient market linkages for Climate Smart (CS) benefits supplied by a diversity of farmers.

Cover Crops

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Program Details

This program is focused on innovations essential for accelerating market development for climate smart commodities and enabling minority farmers to participate in those markets. These innovations, such as robotic planting and MMRV, reduce the cost and labor burden of cover crop planting, enable accurate, rapid, low-cost soil carbon measurement, and ensure efficient market linkages for Climate Smart (CS) benefits supplied by a diversity of farmers.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops
Working Lands, Water and Wildlife Partnership (RCPP)

The RCPP project will utilize conservation practices, land rental payments and conservation easements to address impaired water quality, inadequate wildlife habitat, and farmland conversion. The partnership provides producers an opportunity to adopt conservation practices for water quality and wildlife habitat benefits. Land rental payments are available for lost income resulting from transition to organic grains and integration of perennial tree crops. Moreover, easements will be used to preserve prime farmland and prevent the permanent loss of valuable farmland.

Cover Crops

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Program Details

The RCPP project will utilize conservation practices, land rental payments and conservation easements to address impaired water quality, inadequate wildlife habitat, and farmland conversion. The partnership provides producers an opportunity to adopt conservation practices for water quality and wildlife habitat benefits. Land rental payments are available for lost income resulting from transition to organic grains and integration of perennial tree crops. Moreover, easements will be used to preserve prime farmland and prevent the permanent loss of valuable farmland.

Eligible Practices

Cover Crops
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Funded by the Illinois Soybean Association Checkoff Program.

ISAP and its members aim to provide farmers with transparent and practical information to increase their confidence in evaluating incentive payment opportunities. ISAP does not endorse any particular program or company.