ODA, Indigo Ag Partner to Expand Conservation Opportunities Through H2Ohio
27 June 2026, Ohio: Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director Brian Baldridge and Indigo Ag announced a new public-private partnership that will provide additional financial incentives to Ohio farmers implementing conservation practices through H2Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine’s statewide water quality initiative.
The partnership connects Ohio farmers participating in H2Ohio, with Indigo Ag, a leading sustainable agriculture technology company, to provide additional financial support that helps offset the cost of implementing best management practices (BMPs).
“H2Ohio has consistently looked for ways to innovate and use collaboration to address water quality issues,” said Governor DeWine. “This partnership is an example of how we are all working together to improve water quality, protect our natural resources, and support Ohio’s farmers.”
More than 3,200 Ohio farmers are implementing H2Ohio BMPs to reduce nutrient runoff from their fields and protect local waterways. Many of these water-quality-focused conservation practices, often referred to as regenerative agriculture, also remove carbon from the atmosphere by sequestering it in the soil.
Through this partnership, farmers enrolled in H2Ohio can receive additional financial support for the regenerative agriculture practices they’ve already adopted. Indigo Ag verifies the farmers’ work and converts the carbon captured in the soil into carbon credits that are purchased by companies, including Honda, to support their environmental goals. In return, farmers receive payments, creating an added incentive to continue implementing best management practices on their cropland.
“Ohio farmers have demonstrated that conservation and productivity can go hand in hand,” said Baldridge. “This partnership creates additional opportunities for farmers who are already investing in water quality through H2Ohio. It rewards stewardship and strengthens H2Ohio, ensuring Ohio will continue to lead in conservation.”
Honda, which has operated its Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio for more than 40 years, is supporting the effort as part of the company’s broader commitment to decarbonization and investment in local communities.
“Honda has deep roots with the farming communities near our Ohio operations, and the H2Ohio and Indigo collaboration builds on that history,” said Mahjabeen Qadir, sustainability strategy lead at Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC. “We’re supporting farmers in adopting regenerative agriculture practices that protect their land, tackle climate challenges, and keep farmland healthy for future generations. It’s an investment in our neighbors and the environment.”
This unique partnership and other public-private partnerships developed through H2Ohio demonstrate how private industry sustainability efforts and public sector conservation initiatives can work together to protect natural resources.
“Public-private partnerships like this are critical to driving meaningful change — bringing together resources, innovation, and community impact in a way only agriculture can,” said Russell Booth, Indigo Ag Ecosystems Development Manager. “H2Ohio and Honda are demonstrating strong leadership in protecting Ohio’s natural resources, supporting healthier soils, more resilient crops, and stronger watersheds that benefit farmers and rural communities alike. At Indigo Ag, we’re proud to help bring this work to life by connecting farmers to science-based solutions and outcome-driven incentives that reward regenerative practices across Ohio.”
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