Cargill pays European farmers for sustainability
Cargill will pay farmers in Germany, France, Poland and Romania extra for the use of regenerative farming methods. The American agro group pays farmers a compensation for improving soil health. In addition, the company pays for activities with a positive impact on the environment. For example, the storage of carbon – in the form of organic matter – in the soil.
Cargill has been using the RegenConnect program in the United States (US) for two years now. The agricultural program will be further rolled out there from 15 to 24 states. Participation is voluntary. Farmers receive help in improving soil quality. They also receive support in taking measures that contribute to a climate-neutral supply chain. Farmers who participate can choose practical applications that suit their farm, according to Cargill. This involves, for example, sowing green manure or catch crops and no longer plowing the soil.
Cargill supports sustainability
Cargill provides technical support and aims to connect farmers to the growing carbon market. Many large companies are working to reduce their carbon footprint and want to support regenerative agriculture, according to Cargill. For the 2023/24 season, participants in the US can count on a compensation of about € 80 per ton of CO2 sequestration per hectare. For the European farmers who supply Cargill, the group indicates that it will pay market prices.
A spokeswoman for Cargill indicates that the company is exploring expansion of the program to other European member states. The focus is first on the four European countries mentioned. In the Netherlands, Cargill does work with Wageningen UR to map out the state of affairs in terms of knowledge and innovations about regenerative agriculture in Europe. The focus here is on the large row crops.
