Conservation program improvements championed by Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN, including an enhanced role for ag retailers to deliver federal conservation programs, are among the many benefits for American agriculture in the 2018 Farm Bill. 
With the Farm Bill approved, we’re focused on helping members learn about how these programs could affect them -- an effort that kicked off Jan. 28 with an exclusive webinar briefing for Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN members, and a special question-and-answer opportunity with experts on federal conservation policy.
The new Farm Bill is a positive step forward for on-farm conservation. It enables ag retailers to serve as Technical Service Providers, an opportunity to help deliver federal conservation programs to the farm gate. It’s also a “precision conservation” Farm Bill that makes ag tech a top priority -- and it gives the green light to farmers and ag retailers to try new conservation approaches with a new, $25 million program focused on innovation and soil health.
The recent webinar for Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN members provided a foundational overview on Farm Bill changes to conservation policy -- and outlined some considerations for ag retailers interested in helping deliver conservation programs.

The conservation program improvements in this Farm Bill will be implemented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the coming months. In the interim, ag retail members are encouraged to learn more about the policy changes, and how they can prepare to play a role in conservation program delivery. The Jan. 28 webinar was the first of several educational opportunities for Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN members to learn more about conservation in the Farm Bill.
For more information on becoming a Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN agricultural retailer, contact Molly Toot by email at mptoot@landolakes.com.
For an overview of key policy changes in other areas of the new Farm Bill, go here.