Through a growing partnership with ADM, Farmers Business Network (FBN) plans to expand regenerative agriculture programs, providing financial and technical support to farmers.
This year, FBN plans to focus attention on powering ADM’s re:generations program, which supports farmers looking to adopt regenerative farming practices and those already doing so. Regenerative agriculture works to reduce emissions, improve water quality and soil health, and enhance biodiversity through practices such as cover crops, nutrient management, and reduced tillage. Using these strategies will attach positive environmental impacts to food, feed, and fuel ingredients for ADM customers, especially when compared to products sourced using conventional farming.
In 2022, FBN and ADM’s partnership allowed ADM customers to use FBN’s digital farm platform, Gradable. Through this collaboration, 1,500 growers were enrolled in the program, representing more than 1 million cultivated acres of farmland.
In 2023, ADM has set multiple goals, also supported by FBN, including expanding acres devoted to conservation activities to a wider range of geographies, growing participation across more product types, and providing growing incentives of up to $25 an acre. The company expects over 2 million acres spanning across 18 U.S. states and 3 provinces in Canada to participate in the new programs. Further, 3,000 growers are to participate in the re:generations programs, designed for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, peanuts, and more.
FBN’s Gradable platform works to recognize farms that are adopting regenerative and sustainable farming practices.
Through the platform, growers may securely submit data about environmentally friendly characteristics within their supply chain. Gradable then validates these efforts and calculates the environmental benefits of such practices, then allowing farmers to access regulatory and voluntary rewards. With the FBN app, farmers may also easily access their ADM account and information such as cash grain bids, scale tickets, contracts, and settlements.
"We're proud to continue to expand our work with FBN, whose technology is helping ADM dramatically expand regenerative agriculture acres," said Greg Morris, president of ADM’s Ag Services and Oilseeds business. "Farmers have always been stewards of the environment, and Gradable is a key enabler in our efforts to help producers improve their bottom lines, strengthen farm resiliency, meet growing global demand for more sustainably sourced products, and help pave the way to a more sustainable future."