Outcomes and Revenue ISA’s AgOutcomes connects farmers with capital to achieve environmental goals BY HEATHER LILIENTHAL
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new revenue stream for Iowa farmers is making waves in statewide efforts to improve water quality, reduce nutrient loss, contribute to flood control, and help corporations and municipalities meet their own environmental commitments. It’s a unique approach championed and launched by the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and Quantified Ventures. To manage the fund, the ISA board of directors created a new entity called AgOutcomes, Inc., a wholly owned ISA subsidiary. It will cooperate with ReHarvest Partners, a newly-formed subsidiary of Quanitifed Ventures. Participating farmers are paid by ReHarvest Partners for those outcomes, including carbon sequestration or reductions in the loss of nitrogen and phosphorus.
16 | NOVEMBER 2020 | IASOYBEANS.COM
Farmers can access this new market opportunity by enrolling land in the Soil & Water Outcomes Fund. The fund provides payments to farmers who produce environmental outcomes. These outcomes are then sold to customers who benefit from them, including corporations, water or wastewater utilities and government entities. While ReHarvest takes care of the financial aspects of the Soil & Water Outcomes Fund, AgOutcomes supports the agronomic side of the equation.
A natural progression For Kirk Leeds, ISA CEO and AgOutcomes president, the approach is unique in structure, but follows a well-established approach led by farmer leaders.
“The creation of AgOutcomes is a natural progression from 20 years of the board’s desire to be a leader for farmers in conservation,” says Leeds. “Many resources have been invested throughout the years to understand the state’s environmental challenges and how they play a part in the economic and agronomic focuses of our farmers.” Leeds points to ISA’s investments in staff and programs, leading to farmer efforts installing bioreactors, cover crops, saturated buffers, water monitoring, and ensuring productivity and profitability aren’t compromised. “The board has been building these components so the association can support farmer productivity and profitability. One example is the board’s support of funding opportunities, such as legislation to