In No-Till Farmer’s November 2023 Conservation Tillage Guide, editor Frank Lessiter challenged food companies to prove their commitment to regenerative agriculture is more than just a PR campaign … and at least one major food company was listening.

ADM, which says it works with more than 200,000 producers, is stepping up to help farmers learn the technical knowledge needed to successfully adopt regenerative practices by sponsoring the 2024 National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis Jan. 9-12.

A report from the British investor network FAIRR Initiative indicates 64% of the 79 global food and retail giant publicly listed companies who’ve talked on the record about the benefits of regenerative ag failed to formally adopt plans to achieve those ambitions.

“If food companies truly want to help growers successfully move to regenerative ag and accomplish more than a PR trick or a word-smithed environmental social governance statement for their website, tell them to give us a call here at No-Till Farmer and the National No-Tillage Conference,” Lessiter wrote in his November article. “Education and knowledge sharing — at the producer level— is where ROI can be guaranteed.”

ADM took him up on the challenge, and it’s also supporting farmers directly with financial incentives for implementing practices like conservation tillage, cover crops and improved nutrient management. Only 4% of food companies have plans paying farmers for regenerative practices. 

In July, ADM expanded is re:generations regenerative agriculture program, which provides financial initiatives and technical support for implementing practices including cover cropping, improved nutrient management and conservation tillage.

The program covers 18 states and 3 Canadian provinces, and eligible crops include 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.

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