Forums

Incentivizing Conservation Agriculture

National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C.

This Farm Foundation forum examined the potential value and benefits of an ecosystem marketplace, which could enable and encourage farmers and ranchers to adopt and sustain conservation management practices to improve soil health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve water quality and use. The forum included an evaluation of a study commissioned by the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC) to “develop economic assessments to inform the potential total aggregated volume and value of ecosystem services provided from privately owned, working agricultural lands and potential demand for these services.”

A panel of speakers discussed related topics—implementing, challenges, limitations, feasibility and benefits, and there will be time for questions and answers. Panelists included:

• Joseph Somers, Vice President at IHS Markit (formerly Informa Agribusiness Consulting); View presentation
• Kevin Norton, Associate Chief at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service; View presentation
• Dr. Kris Johnson, Associate Director for Science and Planning, The Nature Conservancy; View presentation
• Gary Price, a Texas rancher and member of the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium Steering Committee. View video
  Read Ecosystem Services Market Consortium Overview; Read about the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium

Farm Foundation Vice President of Policy and Programs Megan Provost moderated the panel discussion.