Spongey Soil will save the World

[martian]

Interesting news from Vermont about how farmers (and everybody else) can profit from improving their soils

https://www.cleanyield.com/investing-from-the-ground-up/?mc_cid=71da6c8816&mc_eid=7906f4d8e3

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Interesting. Saw Didi’s presentation at Gail Fullers field school a couple years ago.

 

[martian]

I met a fellow the other day who is trying to set up some Green Bonds in the UK. I can't say I completely understand how they work, but the general idea is that they'll operate at river catchment level, where farmers and landholders would get paid for the sponginess of their soil, whilst insurance companies and businesses pay in (somehow) for not having the costs of flooding and polluted water etc downstream. From the farmer's point of view, it is a way of being paid for 'ecosystem services' without involving the RPA, which must appeal.

There are doubtless a few hoops to jump through yet, but it sounded like a sensible idea to me.

 

[Steevo]

The crazy thing is the government/EA are totally against field drainage....yet that’s the best way to have a healthy, spongy soil and not kill all the bugs and beetles.

 

[Chris F]

I met a fellow the other day who is trying to set up some Green Bonds in the UK. I can't say I completely understand how they work, but the general idea is that they'll operate at river catchment level, where farmers and landholders would get paid for the sponginess of their soil, whilst insurance companies and businesses pay in (somehow) for not having the costs of flooding and polluted water etc downstream. From the farmer's point of view, it is a way of being paid for 'ecosystem services' without involving the RPA, which must appeal.

There are doubtless a few hoops to jump through yet, but it sounded like a sensible idea to me.

Its a massive shame in this country that there is no one voice for water. They all act completely independently. All doing a bit, but trying to get anything co-ordinated done seems almost impossible. That's why they all run their own independent trials.

It sounds like a great idea - but would need to come down from the Agriculture Bill imo to make any changes. This would be massive, if they made it work.