Soil and Water Outcomes Fund Expands Eligibility across Illinois

The Illinois Soybean Association announced that farmers across the state of Illinois are now eligible to enroll in the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF). SWOF, an ecosystem services program, provides payment to farmers for environmental outcomes that result from implementing conservation practices. In 2022, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund provided an average of $34 per acre to farmers who transitioned to on-farm conservation practices that yield outcomes like carbon sequestration and water quality improvements. New conservation practices that qualify could include tillage reductions, implementing cover crops, and extending crop rotations. USDA and several private companies are partnering with the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund to encourage farmer adoption of conservation practices that generate verifiable gains in carbon reduction and water quality.
Related ATTRA publication: Payments for Ecosystem Services