Archer Daniels Midland recently announced that it is launching a significant expansion of its regenerative agriculture program thanks to a $90 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture.
The program expansion will allow more North American producers to earn additional income while making a positive impact on the environment and their soil’s health. ADM’s regenerative ag and Climate-Smart ag program, with 1,900 U.S. producers and more than 1 million acres enrolled in 2022, offers financial and technical support to producers who newly adopt or continue current regenerative ag practices.
This summer, ADM program managers will begin conducting in-person informational meetings, educating producers on the company’s program and offerings, and allowing them an opportunity to start the enrollment process. Timing is ideal as producers consider their cover crop plan for the fall and planting decisions for the spring of 2024.
The grants, part of the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities program, were announced last fall by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Besides ADM, the lead recipients of the first 70 grants included the Iowa Soybean Association ($90 million); USA Rice Federation Inc. ($80 million); National Sorghum Producers Association ($65 million); Tyson Foods Inc. ($60 million); Blue Diamond Growers ($45 million); and Dairy Farmers of America ($45 million).
After enrolling more than 1 million acres in 2022, ADM is continuing to invest to expand its program—known as “re:generations”—to cover 2 million acres in 2023, on its way to a goal of 4 million acres globally by 2025.
The expansion will offer producers spanning 18 states and three Canadian provinces financial incentives and technical support for implementing practices including cover cropping, improved nutrient management and conservation tillage. ADM is incentivizing multiple practices and performance outcomes spanning crops including corn, soybeans, peanuts and wheat. Producers who enroll receive premium payments ranging up to $25 an acre per year, and in some instances also receive an additional per bushel premium for grain delivered to ADM.
“We’re proud of our groundbreaking work to support regenerative agriculture efforts, which was recognized with a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through which we’ll direct more funding directly to producers,” said Paul Scheetz, director of Climate Smart Ag Origination at ADM. “We know producers have always been stewards of the land, and that this is their lifeblood. We’re excited to continue to invest to expand our unique array of ‘re:generations’ benefits to bring even more of them into the program. We are helping create new value for our producer customers, while they reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase soil carbon sequestration, improve water quality and promote biodiversity.”
ADM designed “re:generations” as a menu-based program for ease of use and adoption by producers, including short-term agreements along with customized and localized support. ADM will continue to expand the availability of Farmers Business Network’s Gradable digital farm-management tool to simplify the “re:generations” enrollment process and provide a smooth but thorough data collection experience that allows ADM to pay producers quickly and easily following each program year.
In addition, technical assistance partners–including familiar independent organizations such as American Farmland Trust, Ducks Unlimited, Kansas Association of Conservation Districts and Practical Farmers of Iowa–will provide producer support on a state-by-state basis, including explaining program details and qualifications, and providing guidance and education for successful practice implementation.
“It’s producers on a local level that are making huge strides for the planet and our collective future–and they’re strengthening their own businesses at the same time,” said Scheetz.
“ADM’s purpose is to unlock the power of nature to enrich the quality of life, and we cannot achieve that purpose without a strong and unrelenting focus on protecting our planet, our communities and our people,” said Greg Morris, president of ADM’s Ag Services and Oilseeds business. “Our work to rapidly scale up our regenerative agriculture efforts to 4 million acres by 2025 is one of the key ways in which we’re enabling our entire value chain to meet the demand for sustainably sourced products and helping to pave the way toward a more sustainable future.”
