Purdue Extension has partnered with the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF), a leading agricultural ecosystem services program, to provide Indiana farmers with greater technical support when adopting climate-smart farming methods, such as cover crops and reduced tillage.
This partnership is part of the Midwest Climate-Smart Commodity Program, a multistate project administered by the SWOF to protect waterways, reduce emissions and provide incentives for farmers to adopt conservation practices. A $95 million grant awarded through the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities and $62 million in corporate commitments from companies like PepsiCo Inc. and Cargill created the program in 2023.
“With the help of the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, we’ve been able to make more widespread reductions in our tillage. We’ve also been experimenting with cover crops. Together all these efforts are helping us become more sustainable and resilient as weather patterns change, but they also save us time and money in labor,” said Grant Allyn, an enrolled SWOF farmer from southern Indiana.
As the first statewide extension office partner with SWOF, Purdue Extension will provide interested Indiana farmers with information and technical assistance. A qualified extension specialist will be available Monday through Friday to respond to farmers’ questions via email at OverstreetSWOF@purdue.edu or phone at 765-237-9508.
“This partnership will enhance the programs that we are already doing to help farmers across the state increase their conservational tillage and cover crop acreage,” said Bryan Overstreet, Purdue Extension conservation agronomist and soil health coordinator. “We are looking forward to working one-on-one with farmers to be successful in this management system change.”
Dan Yeoman, co-managing director of SWOF, also looks forward to how the partnership can benefit Indiana farmers. “This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to equipping farmers with the resources they need to enhance their operations while contributing to meaningful environmental outcomes. By leveraging Purdue Extension’s expertise, we can better support Indiana farmers as they maximize the benefits of transitioning to more sustainable practices with our Midwest Climate-Smart Commodities Program.”
Building on the success of Midwest Climate-Smart Commodity Program and other projects, SWOF has enrolled over 850,000 acres across 18 states in 2024, resulting in more than $28 million in payments to participating farmers during its fifth enrollment season, according to Laura Orris, SWOF marketing and communications manager. Over 120,000 acres of Indiana farmland have been enrolled, with more than $4 million in payments to Indiana farmers for the positive environmental outcomes generated by their conservation efforts.
Enrollment for the program’s next year opens in the spring of 2025 and closes when SWOF meets its acre goal. Farmers may enroll as many acres as they would like.
To qualify for enrollment, farmers must adopt at least one new conservation practice or scale a practice across new acres. Enrolled fields must be in an eligible county and be Highly Erodible Land and Wetlands Conservation compliant. Farmers create an account on the SWOF website, enter past and proposed practice information and field boundaries, and agree to a one-year contract with the SWOF. SWOF staff members are available to help farmers though this process.
More information about SWOF can be found at theoutcomesfund.com. Farmers or landowners interested in enrolling can join the program’s waitlist or send questions to contactus@theoutcomesfund.com.
