Former USDA Insider's Plan to Fix Conservation From Outside The Government @ Jason Hanson | Ep #122

Who's Jason?Jason Hansen spent 14 years with the NRCS watching conservation rules bend for bigger, better-connected operators, and running cost-share programs structurally set up to fail the farmers they were meant to help. In 2018, he left USDA and founded Yield Unlimited. What is Yield Unlimited?Yield Unlimited is Jason Hansen's nonprofit that pays farmers directly, long-term, to run five core conservation practices - crop rotation, no-till/strip-till, cover crops, nutrient management, and (for a higher payout) prescribed grazing.The model:- Farmers apply for a land rental contract (30-second application, Jason's goal)- Up to $2,000/acre over 10-30 years, 50% paid upfront- Funded by donations, not federal money - pitch is $5/person/month covers the country- Treasury notes lock in and grow the later payouts (years 10 and 20)Why it matters: USDA cost-share caps at 5 years, right when farmers hit the yield dip during transition.Yield Unlimited's long-term contracts are built to carry them through this period. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________Key Topics14 years inside the NRCS, wetlands to DC headquartersUneven enforcement of drainage rules for connected operatorsWhy USDA's 5-year contracts fail farmers mid-transitionThe 2018 moment that led to founding Yield UnlimitedThe model: up to $2,000/acre, 10-30 year contractsFunding it outside the federal systemTimestamps 00:00 — Intro02:15 — Jason's background08:40 — Certifying wetlands in ND15:20 — Drainage enforcement issues24:00 — Utah, then district conservationist31:10 — The moment with his daughter36:30 — Why the RCPP grant failed44:15 — Hawaii, then DC headquarters50:00 — Leaving USDA, founding Yield Unlimited55:30 — How the model works1:01:00 — Funding conservation nationwide1:07:00 — Where to follow alongConnect with JasonWebsiteXLinkedin