Agriculture remains the largest source of remaining nutrient reductions needed to achieve Chesapeake Bay water quality goals. While voluntary conservation programs have made substantial progress, meeting future restoration targets will require approaches that complement traditional cost-share programs and encourage broader participation, innovation, and investment. Market-based approaches, including pay-for-performance programs and corporate supply chain initiatives, have emerged as promising mechanisms for advancing agricultural conservation by aligning financial incentives with environmental outcomes and leveraging partnerships between the public and private sectors.
This report summarizes the STAC workshop Advancing Market-Based Approaches in the Agricultural Sector to Support Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration, which brought together researchers, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, agricultural producers, and private-sector partners to examine opportunities and challenges associated with market-based conservation. The report synthesizes workshop discussions on program design, financing, measurement and verification, and implementation, and presents recommendations to improve market-based approaches through adaptive management, innovation, stronger public-private collaboration, streamlined program delivery, and continued research to support Chesapeake Bay restoration.
Workshop webpage with related materials.
Image: Will Parson / Chesapeake Bay Program
Suggested Citation:
Palm-Forster, L., Wainger, L., Kuwayama, Y., Stephenson, D. A. Newburn, K., Brownson, M. Cole, J. Beckett, S. Knoche, and E. Campbell. 2026. Advancing Market-Based Approaches in the Agricultural Sector to Support Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration. STAC Publication Number 26-004, Edgewater, MD. 72 pp.