April 2026 ESMC Newsletter

Measuring Biodiversity in Agriculture

Healthy biodiversity is the foundation of resilient, productive, and regenerative agricultural systems. From soil microbes to pollinators, diverse plants and animals provide essential ecosystem services—pest control, pollination, nutrient cycling, water regulation, and climate resilience.

Until now, biodiversity outcomes have been some of the hardest to measure, verify, and scale. Biodiversity has been recognized as a critical component to regenerative agriculture but has been underrepresented in environmental markets due to a lack of consistent, scalable measurement. This has limited our ability to compensate farmers for the biodiversity impacts from conservation practice implementation in EcoHarvest. A recent report published in ScienceDirect, Biodiversity modeling advances will improve predictions of nature’s contributions to people, highlights why modeling biodiversity must include impacts to species and communities—which is essential as we look to the benefits increased biodiversity contributes to agricultural system resilience and productivity. And as corporate sustainability commitments expand beyond carbon, biodiversity is rapidly emerging as a top priority alongside water quality. Many companies are increasingly seeking credible, science-based ways to understand, report, and invest in biodiversity outcomes across their supply chain. Read more about our work in biodiversity outcomes for agriculture through EcoHarvest.

Announcing BEAT: A New ESMC Biodiversity Tool

Recently, we launched the Biodiversity Estimation for Agriculture Tool (BEAT), a new component of the EcoHarvest MRV platform. This tool represents a major step forward in bringing scientific rigor and market credibility to biodiversity outcomes in working agricultural landscapes.

Built on leading global frameworks, including the United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (UK DEFRA) Biodiversity Metric, we partnered with TetraTech to adapt BEAT for North American agriculture. It translates complex ecological dynamics into a structured, quantifiable framework using five core components: habitat quality, weighted functional presence, conservation priority, habitat size, and time response.

By enabling credible, science-based quantification of biodiversity benefits associated with conservation practices, BEAT allows us to:

• Expand EcoHarvest payments beyond carbon to include biodiversity alongside water quality outcomes
• Provide farmers with new opportunities to be recognized and rewarded for conservation practice implementation
• Help members make more comprehensive, verifiable sustainability claims across their supply chains
• Support more resilient ecosystems by incentivizing practices that enhance habitats

Join a Webinar on Making Biodiversity Measurable: Science, Data, and Tools for Agricultural Systems

On April 28, we invite you to join our research team for a webinar on advancing biodiversity quantification in agricultural systems. Featuring Beckett Sterner from Arizona State University, this session will explore the latest models, datasets, and guardrails needed to ensure credible biodiversity outcomes. We’ll also share how we are translating this science into practical tools, introduce our new Biodiversity Estimation for Agriculture Tool (BEAT), and invite feedback from partners and stakeholders.

An Interview with Dr. Rattan Lal on the Role of Earthworms in Agroecosystem Biodiversity

Biodiversity is increasingly recognized as a core driver of agronomic performance and climate resilience across agroecosystems. Once viewed as an environmental add-on at the margins of farming systems, it is now understood to be central to how soils function, crops grow, and landscapes remain productive over time.

Last month, we spoke with Dr. Rattan Lal, Distinguished Professor of Soil Science and Founder and Director of the CFAES Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration at the Ohio State University, about his decades of research on soil organic carbon as a foundation for soil health—and the essential role earthworms play in that system. While biodiversity in agricultural systems spans everything from microbes to birds and pollinators, this article zooms in on earthworms as a tangible entry point to agricultural biodiversity. Read the full article on our website.

Why Protocols are Important for Credible Ecosystem Services Program Outcomes

Protocols are more than technical documents. They lay out the specifics and requirements for ecosystem services programs. Our protocols are designed to estimate the full range of ecosystem services generated through EcoHarvest projects—including added soil carbon, reductions in net greenhouse gas emissions, improvements in water quality, and gains in biodiversity. Our protocols create a comprehensive, science-based framework that aligns with corporate sustainability goals and reporting requirements.

Keeping our protocols updated to reflect current market conditions as well as programmatic requirements is key to ensuring that our program outcomes continue to be recognized for their high credibility. We’ve recently updated our carbon protocols and have summaries posted for both inventory and intervention accounting on our website.

Inventory Accounting: Inventory accounting provides an annual snapshot of emissions at the field level and compares those emissions to a historical base year. This approach captures outcomes such as improved emissions factors and net greenhouse gas removals, offering a holistic view of performance over time. Read the updated inventory accounting protocol summary.

Intervention Accounting: Intervention accounting isolates the impact of specific conservation practices in EcoHarvest such as cover cropping or reduced tillage. This approach is particularly valuable for understanding the direct effects of individual management changes. Read the updated intervention accounting protocol summary.

Meet ESMC Team Members at Upcoming Events

We’re pleased to share that ESMC team members will be attending the following upcoming events in 2026. Please let us know if you’ll also attend and wish to set up a time to meet with Doug Adams.

DC Climate Week
April 20 – 26; Washington DC
DC Climate Week (DCCW) is a community-organized week of events, exhibitions, tours, screenings, and gatherings across Washington, DC. Explore the challenges of the climate crisis and discover the solutions that give hope. ESMC’s Patrick Swords will attend. Learn more and register.

Regenerative NYC’26
April 29 – 30; New York City
Meet farmers, investors, researchers, brands, tech leaders, supply chain actors, retailers, researchers, and more. This is community building the future of regenerative food systems—united through talks and workshops by industry leaders, the Regenerative Market, a careers session, multiple happy hours and more. ESMC’s Paige Meyer will present as part of a panel and Doug Adams will attend. Learn more and register.

Recent News in Regenerative Ag

First Projects from Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative Generate Nearly $42 Million to Support Wildlife and Regenerative Agriculture
NFWF Media (April 7)
Six initial grantees selected for the newly formed Initiative, helping beef ranchers support wildlife, improve soil health, and conserve water. Read the full article.

California Launches New Strategy to Protect the Agriculture and Food Sectors from Climate Change
Morning Ag Clips (April 7)
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently released the Climate Resilience Strategy for California Agriculture. The document provides a comprehensive overview of California actions to help the agricultural community prepare for, respond to, and thrive under climate change. Read the full article.

Farm Experiment in Southern Minnesota Shows Promise for Cleaner Groundwater
Minnesota Star Tribune (April 6)
A nitrogen experiment in Rice and Steele counties is showing how reduced fertilizer and manure application could cut down on nitrate runoff while resulting in similar yields. Read the full article.

Climate Experts Say Spring is Coming Earlier. How Will That Affect Agriculture and Ecosystems?
Grist (April 5)
An earlier spring affects when migratory birds arrive, leaves emerge, and fruit ripens — among plants and animals that determine ecosystem health. Read the full article.