Two leaders in the regenerative agriculture space spoke out about the biggest challenges facing the food system in honor of World Food Day, Bay Area restaurateurs are leading the way with a healthy soil surcharge, farmers in Iowa are in the spotlight as questions about agriculture come up on the campaign trail, and much more.
Leading Off:
Finding Hope in the World’s Greatest Food Challenges
In honor of World Food Day on Oct. 16, Raising Regenerative spoke with two different leaders in the space to get their perspective on the biggest challenges facing the food system. Caesaré Assad of Food System 6 and Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin of the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance open up about the culture of cheap food, bio-diversity, and their hopes for the future. Read more
Successful Investing:
From Farm to Restaurant: How People Are Investing in Regenerative Agriculture
A visit with carbon farming pioneer John Wick led restaurateurs Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz to think bigger. Now, under their nonprofit The Perennial Farming Initiative (PFI), they are laying the groundwork for Restore California, a program where restaurants add an optional “1 percent for healthy soil” surcharge to customer tabs. Read more
Growers Edge Financial, Delta Institute Team To Fund Regenerative Farming, Improve Soil
Concerns about the negative impact of deteriorating soil health on food quality and quantity have prompted a fast-paced hunt for new ways to regenerate the land. While many techniques are promising they often come with long returns on investment that push traditional funding out of reach for farmers. Read more
Iowa in the Spotlight:
As Presidential hopefuls traverse Iowa in advance of their first-in-the-nation primary in early 2020, state residents are being asked to weigh in on a variety of issues. Regenerative agriculuture and the future of farming are a hot topic.
Iowa Farmers Ready for a National Discussion on Transforming Ag
A scientist at Iowa’s land grant university sees an alternative, brighter future for Iowa farmers, one in which managing farm landscapes for carbon, nutrients, water, and wildlife could be as central to farming as crop management is today.
Can Sustainable Farming Save Iowa’s Precious Soil and Water?
Iowa is a powerhouse producer of corn and soybeans. But all the industrial farming has come at a cost to the environment. Today, there is a growing number of farmers adopting more sustainable practices in a bid to save the state’s precious soil and water. Watch here
Regenerative in the News:
Nestlé Intensifies Efforts to Conserve Forest, Promote Regenerative Ag
The Swiss company aims to make forest conservation economically attractive, restore forestry stocks, and promote regenerative agriculture. Linked to this is the ambition of achieving zero net greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 2050. They’re doing all of this and growing financially! Read more
Fashion for Good Calls for Broader Investments in Sustainable Innovation
The Netherlands-based sustainable fashion initiative has issued a call to arms to industry stakeholders and investment groups, noting “the amount of capital available in the textile innovation space is still small in comparison to the magnitude of the problem.” Farmers growing fibers regeneratively will be among those who reap benefits. Read more
Opinions:
Can Tech Help Regenerative Ag Slow Climate Change?
Founder and CEO of Terramera, Karn Manhas says farmers need tools that can help them adapt to regenerative practices while still remaining profitable. Tech is part of the solution. Read more
The Key to Saving Family Farms Is in the Soil
RFSI Forum keynote David Montgomery explains how farmers adopting regenerative agricultural practices across the Midwest are restoring the health of the soil and of their rural economies. Read more
Making Strides Around the World:
How a Former Banker is Leading Germany’s Regenerative Ag Boom
An investment banker turned farmer embarked on an extended journey of discovery about the ways of managing a farm to achieve more than just the best yield possible. The quest for answers about addressing the root of problems took him to the roots of his farm – literally. Read more
In Africa, FAO and Danone Foster Sustainable Food Systems
The UN agency and the global food and beverage company have a shared understanding of the need to scale up sustainable food and agricultural practices, and to provide people with access to more diverse and healthier foods. Read more
What We’re Following:
Meat Matters: 10 Years of Changes in Animal Agriculture
From ag-gag laws to advocacy against extreme confinement and the plant-based boom, the conversation on animal ag continues to evolve — a roundtable discussion of animal agriculture, trends in the field and potential solutions. Read more
Food and Ag Fund Manager Talks Field to Fork on Investing Show
Henry Boucher, manager of the Sarasin Food and Agriculture Opportunities Fund, discusses the fascinating changes taking place in the food chain that are leading to unprecedented opportunities to invest. Watch here
In Case You Missed It:
Nearly 200 people from across the regenerative food system and the investing communities gathered recently at the inaugural Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum in Oakland, CA. With a jam-packed agenda, an all-star speaker lineup, and a tremendous diversity of perspectives, the event was ripe with opportunities to learn, build relationships, and move investment in this space forward. The energy was palpable and takeaways were lasting.
Read media coverage of the Forum, listen to podcasts, and view the photo gallery. Attendees of the event can visit our Wrap Up page to download presentations and the final attendee list.
* Thoughts on the First RFSI Forum
* Making the Investment Case for Regenerative Agriculture
* Podcast: Soil Wealth with David LeZaks and Josh Humphreys
* Podcast: Highlights of the RFSI Forum with Ethan Soloviev
View Photo Gallery
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