Re so urc e s fo r tho se tha t suppo rt a g ric ultura l la - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Re so urc e s fo r tho se tha t suppo rt a g ric ultura l la ndsc a pe s a nd c o nse rva tio n

Na tio na l Ne two rk o n Wa te r Qua lity T ra ding

T e c hnic a l a dvisor

E stab lish a natio nal dialo g ue o n ho w wate r q uality trading c an b e st c o ntrib ute to c le an wate r g o als. T hat inc lude s pro viding o ptio ns and re c o mme ndatio ns to impro ve c o nsiste nc y, inno vatio n, and inte g rity in wate r q uality trading .

Coordina tors

Building a Wa te r Qua lity T ra ding Pro g ra m: Optio ns a nd Co nside ra tio ns

• E

le me nts a nd de c isio ns inhe re nt in tra ding

• Po int-no npo int tra ding
• De ta ile d o ptio ns
• Pro s a nd c o ns fo r e a c h
• ptio n
• E

xa mple s with de ta ile d re fe re nc e s

• Co nsiste nt de finitio ns a nd

la ng ua g e

Na tio na l Ne two rk Dia lo g ue s

• Ma rc h 2016 (Sa c ra me nto , CA): Suppo rting a g ric ultura l

e ng a g e me nt in WQT

• No v 2016 (Wa shing to n D.C.): Ma rke t-b a se d

a ppro a c he s to sto rmwa te r ma na g e me nt

• Ma y 2016 (St. L
• uis): Pro g ra m e va lua tio n: Me a suring

pro g re ss in WQT

Unlo c king Ma rke t De ma nd

Wha t is the b ro a de r spe c trum o f de ma nd fo r WQT ?

• Municipal and industrial wastewater

sources

• Corporate sustainability investments
• Drinking water utilities and beverage

companies

• Agriculture cooperatives, companies, and
• ther producers
• Philanthropy and socially responsible

investment

• Public purchasers (e.g., state grant programs,

soil and water conservation districts, federal cost share programs, infrastructure investment funds)

LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR MORE EFFECTIVE CONSERVATION.

Willa me tte Pa rtne rship

Dia lo g ue Co nve ne rs

Mark Kieser Bill Berry

The Diffusion of Innovations

Rogers, Everett, 2003: The Diffusion of Innovations. Fifth Edition. The Free Press, New York. FGB: 4437,4 page 247 .

Innovators: Venturesome Early Adopters: Respectable Early Majority: Deliberate Late Majority: Skeptical Laggards: Traditional

Program Conditions

• Decisions affect price and opportunities to bring in

spectrum of producers

• High baselines...favor early adopters, limit

participation, increase credit price, decrease market

• pportunities
• WI Ag baselines…nearly unachievable even for TMDLs
• Low baselines…
• Great Miami targeting late adopters…low prices
• VA stormwater credits targeting marginal lands…farmer

financial gain

Farmer Considerations

• Farmer economics (yield, input costs)
• Contrary operational needs (improved drainage)
• Short game vs. long game
• Proven benefits
• Access to technical information
• Quantification of things not normally quantified
• Farmer age and encumbering property for future

generations

• Land leased or owned
• Risks/risk aversion (Sunday headlines; permits)

Science/Technology Considerations

• Unintended consequences...no-till in WLEB
• Ecosystem changes
• Tiling/infiltration
• Channelization/downcutting
• Science gaps…linkages/lags
• Production needs vs WQ needs
• Opportunistic participation (random conservation)

vs strategic participation in the landscape

• WI Adaptive Management example...WQ outcome-

based vs WQT for cheapest load reductions

What have we learned?

• For Ag….conditions vary
• Adaptability and flexibility
• One size does not fit all
• Absent demand…Ag is subject to disappointment
• What WQT attributes translate well to other programs?
• Do we recognize what’s worked or keep trying to build a

better mouse trap for Ag participation and messaging?

• Do we tailor WQT for every farmer knowing only a few

will participate; or do we tailor to those likely to give most cost-effective credits?

• Bottom line…farmer has to make a decision at the end of

the day whether participation is worth it…our efforts must consider this

• De fine the po te ntia l

ro le s o f inte rme dia rie s

• I

de ntify re so urc e ne e ds fo r pro g ra m imple me nta tio n

• L
• o k fo r e ffic ie nc ie s

b y a lig ning e xisting pro g ra ms

• Suppo rt c o mmunity o f

pra c tic e

Dia lo g ue Ob je c tive s

Local entities such as conservation districts (CDs), cooperative extension agents, crop advisors, and other third party practitioners – collectively known as trusted intermediaries – bridge the trust gap between landowners and stewardship programs, and can be a valuable asset towards the implementation of water quality trading programs.

Why We Are He re

Why We Are He re

• Program Administrator
• Project planner/site

screening

• Project verifier
• Credit aggregator
• Monitoring and

Reporting

• Advisor

• Ho w c a n tra ding pro g ra ms c a pita lize o n trust a nd

kno wle dg e o f inte rme dia rie s?

• Wha t re so urc e s c a n he lp inte rme dia rie s in the ir

va rying ro le s?

• Ho w c a n WQT

a lig n with e xisting pro g ra ms?

• Wha t o ppo rtunitie s a re the re fo r WQT

to a dva nc e e xisting a nd e me rg ing c o nse rva tio n pro g ra ms?

Why We Are He re