November 16, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Oregon Capital Chronicle highlights an Oregon farm incubator that seeks to make it easier for people to become farmers. Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – Financial Times discusses how to feed the world via the power of uncommon collaborations in agritech. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – NC State Extension has published a report on the enhancement of animal welfare and productivity at farms using silvopasture in NC and VA. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

Carlsberg Denmark has entered into an agreement with DLG and Viking Malt to purchase Danish malt barley grown according to regenerative principles. The malt barley will be used for a specially brewed Carlsberg, which will be available in 2025 and be Carlsberg's first beer in Denmark with regenerative raw materials. As part of its sustainability strategy, Together Towards ZERO and Beyond, Carlsberg Group has committed to sourcing all raw materials according to regenerative principles by 2040. This transition will benefit both climate and the environment. [link]

Ecologists at the University of Oregon have been awarded a grant to test what they hope is a win for conservation and a win for hazelnut farmers. The $2 million federal grant allows the UO team to expand their research into improving soil health and climate resilience in hazelnut groves by planting native wildflowers with added crushed basalt under the trees. The funding is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Innovation Grants Program, through the Inflation Reduction Act. [link]

Berlin-based agritech startup Klim is working to get farms to switch to regenerative farming more easily, and to help expand its operations internationally, the startup recently secured a $22 million Series A funding round led by Europe’s largest bank BNP Paribas. Notably, the round is one of the largest raised by agritech startups in Europe this year. With Klim, farmers get tools to plan, execute and finance the transition to regenerative practices. This includes data on restoring soil health, biodiversity, capturing carbon and reducing emissions. Farmers can also use Klim’s platform to track the progress of their transition and prove it to supply chain partners, enabling them to earn revenue payouts for sequestered carbon. Klim then takes a commission on the sale of carbon “insets” linked to supply chains, and farmers can generate revenue from these by selling them on Klim’s marketplace. [link]

LandAlive, which takes place on November 22 and 23 at the Bath & West Showground, Somerset, is bringing together expert farmers and speakers to explain how the whole food supply chain can become more resilient, profitable and environmentally sustainable. A new prize fund has just been announced, which will officially launch at LandAlive, offering two farmers or farm advisers in South West England £2,500 each towards a two-year regenerative farming program called Roots to Regeneration (R2R). The prize fund, sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Grocers, aims to stimulate innovation in farm business models in response to climate change, biodiversity loss, soil health, animal welfare, and – importantly – supporting farmer wellbeing. [link]

The Soil Inventory Project (TSIP) has announced a new partnership with EarthOptics, formalizing the two organizations' commitment to share data and expertise to produce the most advanced insights into soil health and sustainability. TSIP, a science-led non-profit, and EarthOptics, a leader in advanced soil sensing and predictive analytics technology, will enhance data exchange to provide robust, trusted, and actionable information on soil carbon storage, greenhouse gas accounting, and farm sustainability for farmers and ranchers. Through this partnership, TSIP will offer participating EarthOptics customers access to its cutting-edge modeling and automated reporting tools. By leveraging EarthOptics’ innovative soil sensing technology, which collects high-resolution physical, chemical, and biological soil data, the collaboration aims to empower agricultural stakeholders with data-driven insights for enhanced productivity and sustainable practices. [link]

Cargill RegenConnect has surpassed one million enrolled acres for the 2025 U.S. planting season, a milestone that underscores Cargill’s ongoing efforts to support farmers in adopting regenerative agriculture practices. Since its launch in 2021, Cargill RegenConnect has provided farmers with the tools, resources, and incentives they need to implement regenerative practices like low till, no-till, and cover cropping. The nearly 1,500 farmers enrolled in the U.S. program receive dedicated agronomist support, one-year contracts, payments for carbon sequestered, and choice of regenerative practices to adopt. This flexible approach helps farmers find the methods that work best for their operation as they transition. [link]

The South Dakota Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA) has entered into a Conservation Collaborative Cooperative Agreement (CCCA) with NRCS to promote regenerative organic practices (ROP) within the state. By joining the Regenerative Agriculture Pathway Program, producers can improve soil health, reduce erosion, and enhance water quality. These practices can also lead to increased biodiversity, improved crop yields, and greater resilience to climate change. SDSPA will provide hands-on technical assistance, educational programs, and resources to help producers implement ROP on their operations. [link]

A new comprehensive study, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative,” says that five major areas exist for carbon footprint reduction to get the sector to net zero, or below. Led by U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action and supported by the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, the study says that soil carbon management, nitrogen fertilizer management, animal production and management, crop yield gap, and efficient energy use will be key to getting U.S. agriculture to a net-negative greenhouse gas emitter. Published by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, the analysis suggests aggressive adoption of conservation practices in these areas can more than offset its carbon footprint while increasing farmer profitability and farm resiliency. [link]

CoBank has announced the launch of its first sustainability-linked loan in partnership with its customer, Heartland Co-op. Through this partnership, Heartland Co-op will receive a slight interest rate reduction on its operating line of credit with CoBank if it achieves ambitious goals related to water quality conservation practices and farmer engagement. Environmental Defense Fund supported the development of the loan and advised on the water quality targets. [link]

Agriculture sustainability-focused startup NitroVolt announced that it has raised €3.5 million euros (USD$3.7 million) in seed funding, with proceeds to be used to help to commercialize its system for producing ammonia for farmers with a minimal carbon impact. Ammonia is used extensively in a number of areas, especially agriculture as a key ingredient in nitrogen fertilizers. Production of fertilizers such as nitrogen is an energy intensive process that, when it uses fossil fuels, contributes an estimated 2% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Founded in 2023, Denmark-based NitroVolt aims to solve this challenge with its Nitrolyzer system, which will produce “green ammonia” at the point-of-use...the farm. The company has developed a system that combines air, water, and renewable electricity in an electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis process that totally removes fossil fuels from the production process, making its ammonia 100% renewable, carbon-free, and competitive with current ammonia prices. [link]

Analysis conducted by the Center for Human Nutrition Studies at Utah State University on behalf of Regenified and Diestel Family Ranch, confirms that Diestel turkeys grown with regenerative farming practices are not only better for the land, but can also improve fatty acid ratios and phytochemicals in turkeys. Diestel's regenerative birds were the first to be fed 650-tons of U.S.-grown Certified Regenerative feed that directly improves bird and soil health. In addition, Diestel turkeys have access to open land that was designed to replicate their natural shaded forest habitat. The Diestel brand has higher levels of zinc than a national leading brand. Vitamins B3 and B12 were found to be higher in the Diestel Regenerative samples compared to a national leading brand. The analysis also found that the Regenerative Diestel ground had higher levels of phytochemicals compared to a national leading brand, then transferred into the birds that eat plants from this land. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-October, Sysco and ABP launched a five-year collaborative sustainable farming project in Tipperary, Ireland, aiming to help pioneer regenerative farming methods. See more, here.

November 9, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The Maryland State Department of Natural Resources details how food forests enable fruit harvests and deeper connections to the land. Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – Earth.org says that in order to save our soil, we should invest in smallholder farmers. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – An article in Nature shows us how to climate-proof our crops. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

A new study from Dartmouth College indicates that farmers are increasingly adopting regenerative agriculture practices to decrease their dependence on agrochemical companies. Although farmers can earn money through carbon credits by doing regenerative agriculture, the study's authors were somewhat surprised to learn that this was not what was moving the needle for them. Instead, the farmers were more motivated by a desire to "get off that treadmill of high-input, high yield commodity agriculture," Susanne Freidberg, a professor of geography at Dartmouth and the study's co-lead author, said. [link]

Kiss the Ground, a leading nonprofit in the Regenerative Movement, launched a monthly subscription service for its certified regenerative coffee, Kiss the Ground Coffee, on November 1, 2024. This initiative follows an overwhelmingly successful donation-based beta launch in the summer of 2024, aiming to support regenerative farming practices and raise awareness about regenerative coffee production. After uncovering the harmful effects of conventional coffee production, Kiss the Ground partnered with Buena Vida Specialty Coffee, a Costa Rican company prioritizing farmer prosperity and soil health. Sourced from La Bella Farm, a small regenerative farm in Costa Rica, Kiss the Ground Coffee promises exceptional quality and flavor while supporting responsible production methods. [link]

The Cherokee County Conservation District is partnering with Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Choctaw Nation Conservation District, the Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Conservation District to provide $3.2 million in funding to farmers and ranchers to implement conservation practices. Examples of conservation practices that producers may be eligible for include cover cropping, rotational grazing, native grassland planting, brush management, no-till, prescribed grazing and more. Agriculture producers may be eligible for up to $23,000 of financial assistance to help implement conservation practices that create healthy soils, improve rangeland, and protect water quality. [link]

Kenya has launched a new initiative, aimed at promoting the planting of bamboo trees along the Nzoia River basin, in western Busia County. The project is being funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences through its Sino-Africa Joint Research Center and is designed to control flooding, enhance climate resilience, and improve food security for local communities, as well as restore the ecological health of the Nzoia River, a major tributary of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest freshwater body. The project is being implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Program's affiliated International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP). [link]

A new project spearheaded by researchers at Purdue University and Michigan State University is harnessing solar power to make irrigation more efficient and cost-effective for farmers. By integrating solar energy with IoT (Internet of Things) technology, the project aims to help farmers in rural areas manage energy demands, cut costs, and gain better control over irrigation practices. Solar energy will be used to power irrigation pumps and support “peak shaving” — reducing the strain on power grids during high-demand periods. In addition, IoT sensors in the field will allow farmers to monitor soil moisture, energy use, and other critical data in real-time through cloud storage. [link]

UK-based Sapling Spirits has partnered with chef and farmer Julius Roberts to launch a premium Regenerative Vodka. The new release highlights Sapling’s mission to adopt the latest environmental practices and innovative thinking by offering consumers a vodka that helps regenerate soil. Roberts has supported Sapling with his expertise in regenerative agriculture, ensuring every aspect of the vodka’s production aligns with sustainable practices and supports local farmers. Sapling Spirits’ Regenerative Vodka will launch in retail with Jeroboams and online on the brand’s website and Amazon. It is priced at £55 (US$71) per bottle. [link]

Norway, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States have officially launched a multi-donor “fund of funds”, known as FASA, whose aim is to address the financing challenges faced by agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises (agri-SMEs) across Africa. Over the next 10 years, the “Financing for Agricultural Small and Medium Enterprises in Africa” Fund, or FASA, aims to support 500 agri-SMEs and 1.5 million smallholder farmers across the continent, which together constitute Africa’s largest employer and economic engine, ultimately benefiting 7.5 million people while bolstering nearly 60,000 jobs. Although they produce 80% of Africa’s locally consumed food and generate a quarter of the continent’s rural employment, agri-SMEs face an estimated $100 billion lending gap, according to a recent analysis. FASA Fund aims to address this gap with an ambitious, targeted approach. [link]

Campbell Soup Company and Kind Snacks announced projects that would advance regenerative agriculture practices for key ingredients with financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Campbell’s received $3.4 million through USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program to increase adoption of sustainable practices and reduce water consumption among tomato growers in California. Separately, Kind, a subsidiary of Mars Inc., said it will unlock more than $300,000 for regenerative agriculture in almonds through USDA’s Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities Program. More major food companies are relying on the USDA and a collaborative network of nonprofits and suppliers as they make a herculean push to transform their supply chains in order to meet company sustainability goals. [link]

An analysis in the International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews emphasizes the role of biodiversity in agriculture, adding to a wide body of science on its importance. The authors, from Western Illinois University in the United States and Rome Business School in Italy, find that biodiversity supports critical ecosystems and organisms needed for sustainable food production. Research shows that higher plant diversity disrupts pest life cycles and promotes beneficial insects, which prevents farmers from relying on chemical inputs. Crop diversity also improves soil health, reducing the need for chemical inputs while also providing habitats for beneficial organisms that help control pests and diseases. This improves yield stability and further contributes to ecosystem services, such as pollination, nutrient cycling, and soil fertility. [link]

Moldovan winemakers and their stakeholders can monitor, in real time, the level and quality of regenerative agriculture taking place in their vineyards through the new Re.Wine platform - the result of collaboration between Czech Big Terra and the Moldovan National Association of Rural Development (ACSA). The Re-Wine platform was developed through the Czech-UNDP Challenge Fund, an initiative implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. The platform includes key periodical weather events that are essential for ecological adaptability of grape varieties, crop management and crop modelling. Also, essential data are available on the quality of carbon sequestration in a given vineyard, such as start, peak, and end of season, vegetation state at those times, minimum value (relevant to health of vines and characterization of the year), and also rates of ripening and natural degradation, considering loss of texture, flavor, etc. [link]

New research reveals a significant gap for UK businesses between their awareness and action when it comes to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets. The findings from Virgin Money highlight that while 68% of decision makers within SMEs are familiar with the concept of ESG targets, more than half (54%) have not yet set targets for their business. This is despite over two-thirds (71%) of them acknowledging that adopting ESG practices is important to their customers. This disconnect shows the challenges businesses face in translating awareness into actionable strategies. Confidence in understanding the necessary steps to meet ESG targets is holding firms back from making necessary changes, with one in four (25%) decision makers within SMEs not being confident about the specific actions required. Concerns about competitiveness and costs are also prevalent, as one in four (26%) who have set ESG targets for their business believe that meeting these goals could make their business uncompetitive, and one in three (34%) think it's too expensive to implement. However, the primary challenge businesses with ESG targets face in meeting their goals is that 51% are waiting for regulatory or government guidance before making the necessary changes. [link]

New Boston Consulting Group research among over 1,000 US farmers shows that more than three-quarters have a positive attitude toward what the US Department of Agriculture calls “climate-smart agriculture.” Yet, despite this willingness and a general consensus on what sustainable practices look like, farmers lack a clear path forward, mainly because they do not have access to the necessary capital. A big part of the problem is measurement—more specifically, the lack of a practical system for measuring, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MMRV) of sustainable agricultural practices. In BCG’s research, more than 75 experts across the entire agrifood value chain agreed that current measurement practices do not provide sufficient transparency and credibility to enable investments, such as insurance and loans, that incentivize farmers to make the transition to new farming practices. Without better measurement, private investment will not play; and without access to increased private funding, farmers are stuck in the mud. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late-September, U.S. farmers began increasing pressure on the Biden administration to allow vaccinations for chickens, turkeys, and cows to protect them from bird flu infections that have devastated flocks for three years. See more, here.

November 2, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Civil Eats discusses the “soft path” of water for farmers in the parched western U.S. Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – Virginia Tech showcases the work of a Ph.D. student harnessing the power of mustard for sustainable pest management. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Food Tank says that “sustainability” is the freedom to farm how we should be farming. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

A Hicksville, Ohio, production facility is turning chicken manure into a product that redefines plant nutrition management with the potential to boost farmers’ return on investment and protect the environment. EnviroKure Inc. has pioneered a technology that maximizes the potential of all fertilizers by using a process involving hydrodynamic bioconversion technology to create two products—a solid, less used, fertilizer that can be directly applied to land, and its “foundational Biostim product” that can be blended into a variety of products and utilized as an ingredient in value-added fertilizers. Chicken manure is historically known as “nature’s finest fertilizer,” but it is also known to harbor pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella. EnviroKure’s technology removes pathogens and produces a product that is soil-building and amplifies nutrients in the soil. [link]

A university study which aims to identify ways in which farming in Gloucestershire can be more sustainable has been awarded £30,000 in funding. Led by the University of Gloucestershire (UoG), the new Gloucestershire Food and Farming for Net Zero project will work to identify ways to support positive changes to how people eat and farm across the county. The funding has been awarded by UK Research and Innovation to support the UK’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. [link]

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has published its ‘Living Planet Report 2024’, which reveals a “system in peril”, with a global wildlife decline of 73%, up 4% from 2022’s estimation. The report, now in its 15th edition, offers a comprehensive overview of trends in global biodiversity and the health of the planet. It condemned the current food system model, which it deems “inherently illogical”, due to its undermining of society’s capacity to feed its population now and into the future. [link]

Big Picture Ranch has announced the launch of a 100 Million Acres Pledge, an ambitious movement to regenerate 100 million acres of U.S. farmland by 2030. Through a broad coalition of partners, including founding pledge member Maker’s Mark, this initiative serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities across the country. The 100 Million Acres Pledge encourages brands, farmers, and individuals to commit to transitioning 10% of U.S.-sourced acreage into certified regenerative systems by 2030, contributing to healthier soils, more resilient ecosystems, and a sustainable future. Big Picture Ranch is a production company co-founded by filmmakers Josh and Rebecca Tickell, known for their work in environmental activism and sustainability-focused documentaries including “Kiss The Ground,” and “Common Ground”. [link]

Treehouse California Almonds is developing a new biochar manufacturing facility in Delano that will be the first commercial system directly tied to agriculture on the west coast. Treehouse Almonds is partnering with biochar producer Sitos Group on the $9 million slow pyrolysis biochar manufacturing facility that will transform almond shells into biochar. The facility will be funded by private investment from Sitos Group shareholders and New Markets Tax Credits, a federal program that provides tax credits to attract private investment. [link]

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Crop Improvement, led by Cornell, has been awarded a second five-year, $25 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to continue advancing its mission of improving global food security and agricultural resilience. This renewed funding will enable the Innovation Lab for Crop Improvement (ILCI) to strengthen its interdisciplinary efforts to support demand-driven, socially responsive crop improvement programs in key regions around the world. Established in 2019 with an initial $25 million grant from USAID, ILCI supports public plant breeding programs in low-resourced countries. In its initial phase, the lab collaborated with National Agricultural Research Institutions across 11 countries to advance crop improvement initiatives designed to address food security needs in Central America, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa. [link]

Viterra Ltd. is partnering with xFarm Technologies SA to support farmers in the adoption of agricultural practices focused on carbon measurement and regenerative agriculture provided through the latest technological tools and agronomy assistance for sustainable farming. Participating farmers will have access to Viterra Sustainable Farming, a farm management information system (FMIS) developed by xFarm Technologies to facilitate farmer’s day-to-day operations while encouraging more sustainable practices. Viterra also will help farmers adopt regenerative agricultural practices and produce low-carbon crops through its Regenerative Agriculture Program, which is designed to help them identify the most appropriate regenerative agriculture practices for their land and provide them with the most advanced tools from xFarm Technologies to implement these practices. [link]

A Missouri State agriculture professor has received a six-figure grant for a drone-assisted study of pastureland, especially how trees and grasses grow and remain healthy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded a $300,000 grant to Michael Goerndt, associate professor in the university's School of Agricultural Science and Conservation, for the project. Titled “Adaptation of Pasture and Forestland to Silvopasture and Black Walnut Systems in Southern Missouri," this new project will study the integration of pastureland and Black Walnut forests. [link]

Gucci owner Kering, drugmaker GSK and building materials producer Holcim became the first companies to adopt science-based targets to protect nature established by a new group that aims to reduce biodiversity loss resulting from human activity. The measures from the Science Based Targets Network initially are focused on protecting land and reducing freshwater usage. The three companies’ adoption of the nonprofit’s targets comes amid a growing push from businesses to pay more attention to their impact upon the natural world. Established after a year-long pilot program, the targets largely include reducing freshwater usage, often through water recycling and reducing leakages, while Kering in particular is committing to avoiding development or exploitation of natural ecosystems. The move to set science-based targets to project nature comes while negotiations from governments, nonprofits and civic groups take place at the COP16 conference in Cali, Colombia, a global conference aimed at protecting biodiversity and nature. [link]

Regenified, a leader in regenerative agriculture verification, has released a new report - Exploring Consumer Appetite for Regenerative Agriculture - that highlights a growing interest in regenerative agriculture. The in-depth study involved 850 U.S. consumers, segmented into General Consumers and Values Based Shoppers, showing an emergence of a subset of consumers spanning both groups—dubbed the Emerging Regenerative Market—who demonstrate significant interest in regenerative values and a desire to purchase regenerative products. While the data reveals an increasing recognition of regenerative practices, it also highlights the need to increase understanding and access. Consumers preferences for certification, nutrient density, and product availability underpin the opportunity for market expansion. [link]

The OECD will release the latest estimates of government support to agriculture along with monitoring and evaluation of agricultural policy developments on Wednesday, November 6. Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2024: Innovation for Sustainable Productivity Growth is based on the OECD’s comprehensive system for measuring and classifying support to agriculture — the Producer and Consumer Support Estimates (PSE and CSE) and related indicators. The report covers 54 countries, including all OECD members, five non-OECD EU member states and 11 economies. This year’s report focuses on policies fostering sustainable productivity growth in agriculture. [link]

Enrollment for incentive payments for regenerative grazing and climate-smart fieldscapes has begun as of Nov. 1, according to Rob Myers, director of the University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture. The program is part of a $25 million USDA grant to the University of Missouri. The regenerative grazing program offers payments of $50 per acre for Missouri farmers who develop management plans for prescribed grazing on eligible pastures. Support is available for designing grazing plans that can improve pasture productivity and soil health. Another enrollment option focuses on small and underserved farmers who implement three or more climate-smart practices appropriate to their farms; the participants also need to be willing for their farms to serve as demonstration sites for those practices. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-October, Tesco unveiled the nationwide launch of a regeneratively farmed milk product in the UK. See more, here.