A Next-Generation
Ecosystem Service Market
Overview
Monetize Quantified Changes in Ecosystem Services
The goal of the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC) is to launch a fully functioning national scale ecosystem services market: conceived and designed to sell both carbon and water quality and quantity credits for the agriculture sector by 2022.
Focusing first and foremost on farmers and ranchers, ESMC is developing this marketplace to encourage sustainable agricultural production systems while creating sound social, economic and environment outcomes that benefit producers, local communities and society at-large.
For more information on the Consortium, visit the ESMC Website.
About the ESMC Market
Delivering the Value of Sustainable Agriculture
Ecosystem Services Market Consortium is a non-profit organization with a commitment to maximizing the value returned to the Producer while meeting multiple market needs of Buyers.
The ESMC Market, currently under development, will allow Producers to be paid for the value of positive environmental impacts made through the adoption of sustainable agricultural production systems.
This science and outcomes focused program is practice agnostic, meaning Producers can make decisions that are best suited for their specific operation. The carbon, GHG, water quality and water quantity outcomes are quantified at a field scale simultaneously and the assets generated can be stacked to streamline and consolidate the process.
For Farmers and Ranchers
Using the ESMC Producer Portal
The Producer Portal is the access point to enroll in the ESMC program for quantifying ecosystem service outcomes from agricultural land and generating salable assets and credits based on those outcomes.
Here is where a producer can set up an account, enter into an agreement for generation and sale of assets, and safely and securely enter the required information.
The ESMC Program is currently in a pilot phase. Early participants have a unique opportunity to test new innovations and provide input to guide ESMC program development. The pilot phase will also provide more flexibility and less risk for Producers, who will have an opportunity to roll-into the full market when it is launched at the end of 2022.
About Our Collaboration
An Industry-Wide Effort to Leverage Voluntary Improvements
ESMC is a collaboration of members from across the entire agricultural supply chain and value chain working together to ensure that the program scales successfully to meet farmer and rancher needs as well as corporate, NGO, consumer and societal needs.
ESMC’s research arm, the Ecosystem Services Market Research Consortium – or ESMRC — is working collaboratively to invest in identified research, development, demonstration, and economic gaps to overcome past and current market-based challenges in lead-up to the 2022 ESMC market launch.
Visit the ESMC Website for more details.
Producer Participation
The ESMC Process
1. Enrollment
Requires completion of the account creation process – producers provide contact information, review and agree to ESMC’s Privacy Policy, and select a Project in which they will participate.
3. Data Entry
Agricultural management practices can be entered by the Producer and/or Advisor and/or imported from other 3rd party data collection systems.
2. Field Selection
Completed through ESMC’s easy-to-use interface which initiates stratification for developing a soil sampling plan. This step also allows a Producer to assign optional data access and editing permission to an Advisor who can assist a Producer with data entry.
4. Program Submission
The producer formally submits fields and data for asset quantification and generation. This includes self-certification of data entered and signing of the Producer Agreement. Submission must be completed by December 31st (at the end of the crediting year).
Current Pilot Projects
Range Land Projects
Annual Schedule for Range Land (Producer Activities are in Green)
Southern Great Plains Project
LC Organization: ESMC
Project Location: Texas, Oklahoma
Credits/Assets Generated: Scope 3 Carbon
Production System: Grazing land/grassland/pasture
NCBA Project
LC Organization: Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
Project Location: Kansas
Credits/Assets Generated: Scope 3 Carbon/GHG
Production System: Grazing land/grassland/pasture
Crop Land Projects
Annual Schedule for Crop Land (Producer Activities are in Green)
General Mills Project
Lead Organization: General Mills
Project Location: Kansas
Credits/Assets Generated: Scope 3 Carbon, S1 Water
Production System: Wheat
GLRI CTIC Project
Lead Organization: Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC)
Project Location: Ohio
Credits/Assets Generated: Scope 3 Carbon, S1 Water
Production System: Row crop – corn and soybeans
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) Project
Lead Organization: The Fertilizer Institute
Project Location: Iowa, Illinois, Missouri
Credits/Assets Generated: Scope 3 Carbon
Production System: Row crop – corn and soybeans
Illinois Corn Growers Project
Lead Organization: Illinois Corn Growers
Project Location: Illinois, Kentucky
Credits/Assets Generated:
Production System: Row crop – corn, soybeans, wheat
TNC Minnesota Project
Lead Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Project Location: Minnesota
Credits/Assets Generated: Scope 3, Scope 1 (soil sampling dependent)
Production System: Row crop – corn, soybeans and wheat
TNC Nebraska Project
Lead Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Project Location: Nebraska
Credits/Assets Generated: Scope 3 Carbon
Production System: Row crop – corn, soybeans, wheat
FAQs
Who is eligible to participate in the pilot program?
- Producers who are interested in adopting soil health systems and conservation practices that benefit their agricultural operations while improving environmental impacts.
- Producers interested in implementation of improvements that exceed minimum standards set by law.
- Producers managing land that has not been deforested in the past 10 years. (Forest is defined as Land with tree crown cover (or equivalent stocking level) of more than 10 percent and area of more than 0.5 ha.)
- Producers with fields that are located within an approved ESMC Project region and production system.
- Producers who can provide proof of asset ownership rights (land ownership or agreement with the landowner).
- Producers with fields that are not enrolled in another ecosystem service program that generates credits, offsets, assets, or claims related to soil carbon sequestration and/or changes in greenhouse gas emissions.
- The pilot projects are designed to test and refine all program aspects, so flexible Producers who can provide feedback and guidance on the developing ESMC Program are preferred.
What are the benefits to participants?
ESMC is a non-profit organization with a commitment to maximizing the value returned to the Producer while meeting the multiple market needs of the Buyers. The ESMC Market allows Producers to be paid for the value of the positive environmental impacts made through adoption of sustainable agricultural production systems. The science and outcomes focused program is practice agnostic, meaning Producers can make decisions that are best suited for their specific operation. The carbon, GHG, water quality and water quantity outcomes are quantified at a field scale simultaneously and the assets generated can be stacked to streamline and consolidate the process. The Program is currently in a pilot phase so early participants will have a unique opportunity to test new innovations and provide input to ESMC to guide program development. The pilot phase will also provide more flexibility and less risk for Producers, who will have an opportunity to roll into the full market when it is launched at the end of 2022.
Who Can I Contact for More Information?
Cassie Aherin
Project Manager
caherin@ecosystemservicesmarket.org
Caroline Wade
Program Director
cwade@ecosystemservicesmarket.org
About Your Data
ESMC Producer Privacy Policy
Presented/approved electronically upon registration
ProDUCER Agreement
Presented/approved electronically upon registration