BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – February 3, 2021 – The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) is partnering with the Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership (ISAP) to hold a free online webinar on Friday, February 12 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM CST exploring environmental and carbon market opportunities for Midwest farmers. This event brings four prominent carbon markets to one table, Indigo Ag, Nori, Ecosystem Services Market Consortium, and the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, providing farmers a side-by-side comparison of opportunities.
The event, lead by ISAP, is being hosted with the help of more than 20 organizations spanning Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Sarah Carlson, Strategic Initiatives Director for Practical Farmers of Iowa states, “It is exciting to see all of these groups working together to empower farmers to be informed decision makers.”
The adoption of practices like no-till, cover crops, pasture management, and agroforestry can sequester carbon in the soil and reduce greenhouse gases. Farmers utilizing these practices have multiple new opportunities to be financially rewarded for carbon and other ecosystem services.
“Farming includes managing uncertainty and reducing the risk of negative outcomes. The growing ecosystem markets represent an unknown to most farmers and uncertainty of potential they bring to the farm. I appreciate what ISAP and their partners have put together with this Ecosystem Market Forum and hope it will shed light on what opportunities may lie beyond that uncertainty,” said Jeff O’Connor, ISA At-Large Director.
“We’ve seen growing interest in eco-markets.” notes Jean Brokish, American Farmland Trust and ISAP Program Manager. “We hope this webinar will bring some transparency to the opportunities available for Midwest farmers.”
Presentations will provide straightforward and practical information on program enrollment from start to finish, highlighting key contracting terms and conditions, payment schedules, and verification requirements. Participants are encouraged to submit questions for the question-and-answer session with company representatives.
More information can be found online at https://ilsustainableag.org/ecomarkets, along with registration information and additional event details. If you have questions or need assistance with registering, please send email inquiries to ilsustainableag@gmail.com.
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development and utilization efforts while the membership program supports the government relations interests of Illinois soybean farmers at the local, state, and national level, through the Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG). ISA upholds the interests of Illinois soybean producers through promotion, advocacy, and education with the vision of becoming a market leader in sustainable soybean production and profitability. For more information, visit the website www.ilsoy.org.
Rachel Peabody
peabodyr@ilsoy.org
217-825-7654
Claire Weinzierl
weinzierlc@ilsoy.org
309-660-3444
