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Lots of worms! €150M for Regenerate's sustainable ag fund, Expo West, Regenerative Organic Rice, and a new line launched by Patagonia Provisions.
This Week in Regenerative Agriculture
Wednesday, March 13
For the last five months, we’ve been working with Why Regenerative to organize RegenerativeNYC, a conference on April 22, 2024, in New York City for industry professionals, startups, academics, and farmers to engage with the latest developments in the space. Sign up now for early discount tickets.
1. World's Largest Worm Farm Aims to Revolutionize Agriculture
CMI Orchards and Royal Family Farming created the Soil Center in Wenatchee, Washington, to transform agricultural waste into high-quality soil amendments, employing the world's largest worm farm and innovative waste-processing systems. Slated to commence operations by the third quarter of 2024, this venture advocates for a carbon-negative fruit industry.
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2. €150 million For Regenerate’s European Sustainable Agriculture Fund
London-based M&G Investments announced €150 million for the Regenerate European Sustainable Agriculture Fund. A €40 million allocation will focus on expanding a diversified Portuguese blueberry enterprise, Regen Blue, into regenerative practices. Future investments by the fund will focus on the build-out of a network of regenerative farms across Europe to take advantage of the growing demand for other types of sustainable produce.
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3. Regenerative Brands Will Be a Focus at Expo West
Expo West, the leading trade show in the natural, organic, and healthy products industry, is featuring more than 3,000 exhibitors, including sustainable and regenerative consumer packaged goods. Gabe Brown, a renowned regenerative farmer, will be speaking, and there will be multiple panels on regenerative supply chains, with famous faces from the organic movement like Gary Hirshberg, co-founder of New Hampshire’s Stonyfield Farm, and actress Jennifer Garner, co-founder of the organic children's nutrition company Once Upon a Farm.
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4. Patagonia Provisions Expands Regenerative Line
Patagonia Provisions has launched a new series of Regenerative Organic Certified pastas, including fusilli, penne, and shells, made exclusively from durum wheat flour and Kernza, a perennial grain with a deep root system that prevents erosion and enriches the soil, these environmental advantageous foods will be available nationwide in Whole Foods Market and natural grocery stores this spring.
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5. First U.S.-Grown Rice Brand Earns Regenerative Organic Certification
Lundberg Family Farms, with 15,000 acres under management, has become the first U.S.-grown rice brand to earn Regenerative Organic Certification, aiming to ROC-certify all its 17 organic rice varieties by 2027. The farm claims they have been farming regeneratively for generations by prioritizing the health of our soil and supporting the ecosystem around their rice fields.
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Venture of the Week
Groundbreaking Organizations.
Grassroots Carbon
The San Antonio-based company is made up of ranchers, farmers, and engineers who verify soil carbon on farms and create offset programs, selling carbon credits to large partners like Microsoft, Shopify, Expedia, and Stanford University to reach their carbon-reduction goals. They provide a free grazing management software as well as education and networking opportunities for farmers in their program. They have dispersed $5 million to their 80 ranchers since 2021 for good soil practice.
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This Week In Regenerative Agriculture is published by Why Regenerative. It is compiled by Jackson Baris with ChatGPT and edited by Jeff Stark. Sign up for our newsletter here.