Soil, carbon and regenerative ag: What we’ve learned so far

Keeping farmers at the centre of Cargill RegenConnect

As we enter the new calendar year it’s a great time to reflect on the year that was and plan for the year to come. We are committed to continuous improvement and learning when it comes to regenerative agriculture and emerging carbon markets. Some of our most important learnings have – and will continue to – come from conversations with farmers.  

Here’s what we’ve heard:

• Your soil health goals are top of mind.

You have told us that improving the productivity and resilience of your soil is the strongest motivator behind adopting new regenerative ag practices.

• You’re committed to new practices but appreciate flexibility.

The vast majority of farmers enrolled in Year 1 of the Cargill RegenConnect program have adopted not just one new practice, but a combination of both reduced tillage and cover crops.

At the same time, you’ve told us you appreciate being able to sign a contract for one year at a time. This offers flexibility and helps with including rented land, which can present a challenge for some farmers who may not have long-term rental agreements in place.

In 2021 some farms enrolled just a few hundred acres, but others signed up thousands of acres. Anyone can be successful with a solid plan in place.

• You like to consult with a program representative in person.

Farmers we’ve spoken to say having in-person help gives them more confidence in their decision making, especially when it comes to new practices.
 

• You want us to keep data entry as simple as possible.

With our data portal about to open on January 24, this one is really important. No one wants to add an onerous task to the list of farm duties. That’s why, along with our data partner, we’ve focused on reducing the amount of time required to enter your farm’s data. Incorporating satellite imagery has allowed us to accomplish this.

We want to travel this path of connecting on-farm practices to emerging carbon markets alongside farmers. If you have learnings you’d like to share with Cargill, reach out via [email protected] Attach pictures! We’d love to see what you’re doing and share best practices in upcoming newsletters.