ADM and Bayer scale regenerative agriculture adoption for corn and wheat in Europe

14 Jun 2024 --- ADM and Bayer are extending their collaboration to increase the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices among farmers in Europe in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and improve biodiversity and soil health. 

The companies conducted an on-farm risk assessment in 2023 to gauge the impact of regenerative agriculture practices in reducing carbon footprint while developing grower-specific plans for transition. They collaborated with oilseed rape farmers covering approximately 9,000 hectares of farmland in Poland.

The initial assessment revealed a 15% reduction in carbon emissions in cases where farmers were using at least one regenerative agricultural practice compared with conventional farming methods. Additionally, the study noted that farmers can reduce emissions by 40% if they adopt regenerative agriculture practices comprehensively.

The partnership will now expand to include a wider range of crops, including corn, wheat and barley and geographically across Eastern Europe.

The companies will provide farmers with financial and technical services to implement qualifying regenerative agriculture practices. These include minimum tillage, cover crops, companion crops, nutrient management, organic matter/manure use and crop rotation.

Farmers and technology
Candy Siekmann, director of Climate Smart Agriculture Origination at ADM, highlighted that most consumers trust and purchase from retailers and brands that implement regenerative agriculture practices.

“By coming together with Bayer, we’re helping farmers — who are at the heart of our business — meet that demand.”

“We’re looking forward to an economically attractive model, where business and farmers can work together to build a more resilient, sustainable supply chain with a lower carbon footprint.”

As part of the program, ADM will compensate participating farmers for each qualifying hectare, verified using Bayer’s digital technology in collaboration with Trinity Agtech’s Sandy platform.

Lionnel Alexandre, lead of Carbon Business in EMEA for Bayer, says: “Developing a project with ADM in Europe showcases the importance of building a robust and committed value chain approach, where all players work for a common goal.”

“Bayer’s solution combines digital, advanced science and agronomy capabilities while leveraging experts and partners across Europe.”

Bayer and ADM note that the 2023 assessment significantly shaped their more extensive program. The data allowed the companies and growers to gain insights into the environmental impacts of farming on soil and potential emission reduction opportunities.

“We have been practicing regenerative agriculture for 15 years. We are constantly improving. We tested first on a smaller area and based on the results, we decided to implement it on a larger area. Thanks to these activities, our carbon footprint is lower,” says Karol Pietnoczka, a farmer from West Pomerania.

Edited by Anvisha Manral