Ecosystem Markets

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An Overview of Voluntary Carbon Markets for Illinois Farmers

Voluntary ecosystem markets, often called “carbon markets,” have expanded in recent years, largely driven by corporations setting climate and sustainability goals. The Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP) believes carbon markets offer potential to incentivize the increased adoption of soil health systems, and is leading efforts to increase transparency on various market incentives and facilitate data sharing among farmer networks.

ISAP compiled An Overview of Voluntary Carbon Markets for Illinois Farmers to assist farmers and farm advisors in their evaluation of multiple market opportunities available in Illinois. This resource focuses on agricultural opportunities for ecosystem service markets, including markets incentivizing carbon and water quality. Some of this information was originally published by ISAP in the 2021 Ecomarkets Program Comparison. The 2023 update includes additional carbon market opportunities available to Illinois farmers, summaries of 15 different voluntary carbon markets, a glossary of key terms, and a list of relevant resources.

Download An Overview of Voluntary Carbon Markets for Illinois Farmers
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ISAP's History with Ecosystem Markets

In 2021, ISAP led a partnership comprised of organizations from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, and Wisconsin to host webinars and develop informational materials designed to engage farmers and farm advisors in the exploration of ecosystem market opportunities.

ISAP's goal was to provide farmers with transparent and practical information to increase their confidence in evaluating ecosystem market opportunities. ISAP does not endorse any particular program or company. Our aim is to facilitate data sharing among our farmer networks.

Eco Markets Program Comparison

2021 Ecomarkets Program Comparison

ISAP’s Ecosystem Market Information fact sheet provides a brief overview of carbon and water quality credits, a list of planning resources to assist in evaluating market potential, and tabular overviews of ten different market and program opportunities.

Suggested citation: Bruner, E. and Brokish, J. (2021) Ecosystem Market Information: Opportunity and Program Comparison [Fact sheet]. Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership

Access the 2021 EcoMarkets Program Comparison

ISAP's EcoMarket Webinars

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This webinar held on June 22, 2021 featured programs available from input providers (Bayer, Corteva, and Nutrien).
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This webinar held on June 24, 2021 explored innovative markets and data platforms available from CIBO, Gradable by Farmers Business Network, and Land O’Lakes.
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This webinar held on July 13th, 2021 examined market opportunities through the lens of grain buyers and consumer packaged goods companies with Cargill, General Mills, and PepsiCo.
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This webinar held on July 15th, 2021 highlighted water quality markets and additional potential revenue streams for ecosystem services. Arkansas farmer, Jim Whitaker, offered his experiences as the first rice farmer to sell carbon credits.
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This webinar held on February 12th, 2021 featured opportunities from four prominent market entities: Nori, Indigo Ag, Soil & Water Outcomes Fund, and Ecosystem Services Market Consortium.

Agriculture's Potential

Illinois Potential 609 KB 41 downloads

With over 23 million acres of cropland available for the implementation of practices capable of increasing soil carbon and storage such as planting cover crops and reducing tillage, the opportunity for Illinois farmers to offer immediate, scalable solutions to climate change is immense. This fact sheet, developed by the ISAP Science Advisory Committee in September 2020, serves to introduce farmers to carbon-related financial opportunities.

National Potential 3 MB 38 downloads

American Farmland Trust summarizes the current state of the science surrounding the use of regenerative practices and their impact on soil organic carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, including important limitations of our current understanding. Additionally, the report outlines an achievable path toward harnessing the sequestration potential of U.S. soils.