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Takeaways from COP26 for food companies: Foster collaboration, focus on short and long-lived climate pollutants, protect tropical forests.

Farmers’ interest in cover crops is growing rapidly, but they still want to know how the practice will impact their finances. The post New program sheds light on cover crop financials with big data first appeared on Growing Returns.

Highlight: EDF’s Maggie Monast testified at a hearing of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, “Creating a Climate Resilient America: Strengthening the U.S. Financial System and Expanding Economic Opportunity.” Watch here. It’s becoming impossible to ignore the risks that climate change poses to financial markets, including those that support U.S. agriculture. Increased temperatures and more …

Today at COP26, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development announced the Banking for Impact on Climate in Agriculture (B4ICA) initiative in partnership with EDF, the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative and the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials. Banks representing over 40% of global banking assets have already committed to aligning their portfolios with net zero …

With major COP26 commitments to cut methane emissions from multiple sectors, global leaders are finally focusing on agriculture. The post Global leaders can’t fulfill their methane promises without agriculture first appeared on Growing Returns.

Many have established Chief Resilience Officers to provide coordinated statewide leadership to reduce risks, protect communities, and the environment.

New study details how conservation benefits farmers, bankers and insurers

Conservation can improve the financial health of dairy farms, according to a new report from EDF and K·Coe Isom AgKnowledge – How conservation makes dairy farms more resilient, especially in a lean agricultural economy. Dairy farmers in Pennsylvania and across the U.S. are in the fourth year of an economic downturn in which many farmers are …

Expanding on-farm conservation practices requires closing the information gap on the financial impact these practices have on farm revenue, operating costs and long-term profitability.

New program launches to gather and benchmark cover crop data within the largest public farm financial database in the U.S.

Real-time data will put farmers and policymakers on the same page when making water management decisions. The post Measuring water use in California’s Delta is a “fool’s errand.” OpenET will change that. first appeared on Growing Returns.

OpenET uses satellites to estimate water consumed by crops, providing critical data for water management in 17 western states for the first time.

EDF and RPCAU partner to research the impacts of climate change on agriculture and promote climate-smart agriculture in Bihar.

EDF partnered with Cooperative Extension at North Carolina A&T State University to study the financial impacts of climate resilience on farms in North Carolina.

Three policy priorities to make voluntary carbon markets work for the climate and agriculture. The post How Congress can ensure voluntary carbon markets work for farmers and the environment first appeared on Growing Returns.

EDF report finds that 90% of Iowa farmers believe soil health practices improve long-term profitability and tests ways to support the transition.

A report released by a subcommittee of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission examines the threat that increasingly extreme and volatile weather poses to the stability of financial markets, including U.S. agricultural markets. Representatives from EDF served on the 35-member panel.

AB 252, a bill to create a new program to help rural communities adapt to more sustainable groundwater use, advanced to the California Senate for a vote.

Carbon credits are just one tool in a portfolio of financial solutions that farmers and lenders should explore. The post What agricultural lenders need to know about emerging carbon market opportunities first appeared on Growing Returns.

Until high-quality standards are established for agricultural soil carbon credits, companies should pursue other opportunities to reduce emissions.

Guidelines for high-quality credits are essential, and the stakes for climate change and farmers are extremely high. The post Quick action needed to achieve full mitigation potential of soil carbon credits first appeared on Growing Returns.

EDF's review of credit protocols found inconsistencies with measurement, reporting and verification of net climate impact.

There's an often overlooked, invisible source of climate pollution lurking in the supply chain: methane. The post To meet sustainability goals, food companies need to slash methane first appeared on Growing Returns.

EDF statement from Elizabeth Gore, senior vice president, Political Affairs

Three recent wins for agricultural climate solutions you may have missed in the news. The post 3 recent USDA wins and what the department should do next first appeared on Growing Returns.