Author: Julia Andrus

Study: Agriculture Conservation Practices Support Pollinators

Posted on by Julia Andrus

A recently released study from USDA shows the positive impact that sustainable agriculture practices can have to support pollinator health.

More than 75% of food crops rely on animal pollination. Yet, a global decline in pollinator populations poses a threat to crop production and food security, as the demand for pollinators has exceeded the supply of wild pollinators.

Semi-natural habitats – or areas that have been altered by human activity but have natural features to promote animal life – have helped support pollinator populations, according to the study. Conducted by Virginia Tech and the USDA, the study examined all the NRCS conservation practices that support pollinators – including conservation cover, cover crops, windbreak/shelter establishment, creating field borders, and wildlife habitat plantings, to name a few.

Experts quantified the effectiveness of these conservation practices in creating or restoring semi-natural habitats deemed useful for pollinators, including pasture, hay, grass, shrubland, forest land, and wetlands. Findings concluded that habitat established under NRCS conservation practices provides more benefit for pollinators than habitat established without those conservation practices – crediting technical assistance as a differentiating factor.

Takeaways for Sustainability Programs

For many of the programs AgSpire has helped design and is currently implementing, these NRCS conservation practices are core to the progress we are seeing. Yet, as the study indicated, establishing habitat alone doesn’t maximize benefit. Instead, carefully crafting programs alongside technical expertise during implementation contribute to greater success.

Our team shares insight on three key considerations for program design:

1.) Understand the co-benefits of practices

In this video, Senior Conservation Agronomist and a NRCS-certified Technical Service Provider Derek Ver Helst explains how many of the practices common to sustainability programs also present co-benefits, including pollinator health. While cover crops or diverse crop rotations might be selected for their soil health and GHG benefit, they also provide longer duration and greater diversity of pollen availability to support pollinating insects.

For example, as part of the Covering America from Coast to Coast program, Derek worked with a farmer to grow winter camelina, a common species in cover crop mixes, pictured below. As the only flowering field in early spring when many other fields laid fallow, bees could swarm the camelina, finding much needed food.

Understanding this intersection of benefits to entire ecosystems allows programs to make progress toward multiple goals and metrics.

2.) Determine impact by region

Localizing strategies to address the challenges and opportunities for that region helps improve effectiveness in implementation and the resulting impact.

Conservation practices nationwide can benefit pollinators. Yet, in locations where there is already an existing semi-natural habitat will prove to be more beneficial, according to the USDA study. Adding more habitat or improving management techniques around existing semi-natural habitat will result in greater net-benefit.

Additionally, there are certain regions in the United States where the demand for pollinators by pollination-dependent crops is expected to be higher than the supply of pollinators due to recent losses in habitats and projected future losses – making them critical targets for interventions.

3.) Measure net benefit

Measuring impact and establishing key indicators is important for any program. While there is not wide-spread alignment on standards, protocols, and market infrastructure, themes are emerging in the industry that can guide program design for biodiversity and pollinator health.

“We are seeing a prioritization of 5 main metrics: species richness, species abundance, species threat, species evenness, and ecosystem integrity,” explained Zach Pinto, AgSpire’s Director of Carbon and Ecosystem Service Markets. “They are prioritizing them in the context of a bigger picture indicator known as biodiversity net gain – essentially, if the project is making measurably positive impact on biodiversity, compared to a baseline.”

Read More >>>

Net-Gain: A Guide for Measuring Biodiversity Impact 

Posted on by Julia Andrus

by Zach Pinto 

Corporate attention on nature-related supply chain impacts has increased in recent years – and more and more corporates are starting to set targets and think through impact needs. According to McKinsey & Company, the percentage of companies that have nature-related targets or acknowledgements increased from 56 to 74% between 2022 and 2023. 

Although there is not yet as much alignment on standards, protocols, and market infrastructure, corporates have aligned on 4 main types of project outcomes that they are hoping to see: 1) protection, 2) regeneration, 3) stewardship / maintenance of ecological value, and 4) adaptation to climate change impacts. All high-impact projects should prioritize the generation of these outcomes. 

In addition, high impact projects should align with some of the standards that are, for now, starting to gain traction and adoption. These include: 

>>> The Kunming-Montreal Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework – a global agreement that contains 3 targets specifically aligned to the business community. 

>>> The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) – a voluntary framework focused on corporate impacts on nature as well as nature-related financial risks to their investments. 

>>> The Science-Based Targets Network – a global target-setting framework that has released guidance on setting science-based targets for nature focused on a mitigation hierarchy for projects that avoid, reduce, restore & regenerate, and transform biological systems. 

Lastly, projects should aim to align with the metrics gaining the most traction right now. To date, there is no agreement on the extent to which a ‘credit’ system can be applied to biodiversity, and what qualifies a credit as ‘high quality’, like with greenhouse gas emissions and offsets / insets.  

In the meantime, corporates are prioritizing 5 main metrics: species richness, species abundance, species threat, species evenness, and ecosystem integrity; and they are prioritizing them in the context of a bigger picture indicator known as biodiversity net gain – if the project is making measurably positive impact (‘net gain’) on biodiversity, compared to a baseline. 

By continuing to prioritize ecological stewardship and aligning with the industry trends for standards, businesses can contribute meaningfully to the preservation and restoration of biodiversity while navigating the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability. 

About the Author

Zach Pinto | Director of Carbon and Ecosystem Service Markets

Zach promotes company strategy and client success by assisting industry groups, food and ag companies, and farmers on their sustainability goals. Zach has worked on carbon issues for stakeholders across the agriculture value chain and in a wide array of commodities, developing expertise in farm-level carbon accounting, MRV platform usage, voluntary and compliance market schemes, science-based targets, ESG reporting, and strategic planning.

Making Sense of Sustainability Event

Posted on by Julia Andrus

By Lura Roti for AgSpire 

Cow/calf producer Brady Wulf often finds himself talking with consumers because he and his wife operate a vacation rental on their family’s multi-generational Minnesota ranch. And when he shares about the positive impact the family’s cattle have on the environment, Wulf said their guests are surprised. 

“I explain how our cattle are sequestering way more carbon than they are putting out, and our guests’ jaws just about hit the floor,” said Wulf. “Because this is not the story they have been told.”  

When it comes to sustainability, beef producers do have a great story to share. But they need data to prove it.  

This became a focus that Wulf and the other panelists discussed with a large group of cattle producers during the Making Sense of Sustainability panel discussion hosted by AgSpire, June 21 ahead of the Prime Time Cattlemen’s Foundation Gala held in Sioux Falls, S.D.

 

Panel Discussion Video

Making Sense of Sustainability

During the Making Sense of Sustainability Panel Discussion industry experts discuss emerging opportunities for ranchers and how sustainability practices and programs can benefit their operations.

“I want to give people the right to eat beef and remove some of the guilt that others are trying to drive, but we can’t do that without numbers,” explained panelist Tim Hardman, Global Sustainability Director at Fulton Marketing Group (FMG), the company responsible for procuring 700 million pounds of beef for McDonald’s each year. 

To accomplish that goal, FMG and McDonald’s teamed up with AgSpire.  

AgSpire works with ranchers – like Wulf – to incentivize and implement sustainable management practices, while also helping capture and quantify the positive impact grazing livestock have on soil and grassland health, explained panel moderator, Jared Knock.  

Knock is one of AgSpire’s founders and a Willow Lake, South Dakota cattle producer.  During the panel discussion, Knock shared the inspiration behind AgSpire. “When I think about what is going to keep animal agriculture viable for the long term …it is really the environmental concern about beef production that I see as the biggest risk factor for my children’s children to continue in the industry.” 

Panelist Don Gales agreed. The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Friona Industries, the second-largest cattle feeder in the U.S., said, “Sustainability starts at the calf level – a sustainable (beef) operation needs to be both sustainable with the environment and sustainable with economics, this is what we are working to do.”  

Friona Industries also works with AgSpire to support ranchers in their supply chain. Companies like Friona Industries and FMG represent a growing cohort of public and private organizations who are taking action to help cattle producers in their efforts to enhance soil and grassland health, as well as reward them for the positive environmental impacts. 

Through AgSpire’s SustainAg Network, cattle producers get to choose a program that fits with their operation’s goals, receive expert advice, resources and funding to cover costs associated with implementation of sustainability practices. And data is collected throughout the process to quantify the impact of these practices.  

AgSpire is focused on assisting producers improve their operational efficiency, resilience, and profitability, explained Ryan Eichler, director of producer programs at AgSpire and a Lake Preston, South Dakota cattle producer. “We help producers capture incentives and use them to further producers’ business goals.” 

Wulf participates in AgSpire’s Grass is Greener program. Funded through a partnership between AgSpire, South Dakota State University, and others, Wulf is able to expand his operation’s use of cover crops and perennial plantings, thereby increasing forage available for grazing.  

Like many agriculture producers enrolled in AgSpire programs, Wulf and his family have been implanting regenerative agriculture practices on their land for generations. He appreciates the ability to now have data to support what his family has known for years. 

“We’ve completely revitalized our grasslands with our cattle and there are a lot of measurables, like carbon sequestration, but then there are a lot of things you can’t measure, like water infiltration, like plant diversity, like controlling runoff, controlling wind erosion,” Wulf said.  

But it is the measurable carbon sequestration data collected from Wulf’s cattle ranch and others that corporations like McDonald’s and Friona Industries need, explained Hardman. 

“The numbers AgSpire is helping us collect, will drive a more meaningful sustainability conversation with consumers in the future.”  

Below: Audience members engaged with the panelists during the Q&A

Converting Marginal Cropland with Perennial Plantings 

Posted on by Julia Andrus

“Re-establishing grasslands on marginal agriculture acres or diversifying existing grasslands through perennial plantings and different grazing management practices ultimately helps build resilience to weather extremes like drought or extreme moisture on a ranch,” said Hector Menendez, Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Livestock Grazing Specialist, who also works on the Grass is Greener program through a partnership between AgSpire and South Dakota State University. 

Hector and a team of SDSU researchers are tasked with reviewing cattle producers’ diverse grassland management practices and measuring the actual output of methane by cattle, as well as grassland’s ability to sequester carbon. “Today’s livestock producers face increasing public scrutiny because animal agriculture is often cited as a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. However, this negative perception does not take into account the carbon sequestration benefits of grazing livestock,” reads the project narrative. 

Through the Grass is Greener project, AgSpire connects with cattle producers, helping them select and implement practices that align with their land and management goals – along with incentives and technical assistance to help producers find success on the ground. 

Producers like Minnesota cattleman, Mitch Pederson.

Pederson is currently utilizing the Grass is Greener program to fund the transition of about 100 row crop acres on his farm to forage for his cow/calf herd. Starting the transition by seeding a forage cover crop mix to graze this fall, Pederson plans to follow the cover crops with a perennial forage seed mix. 

Because his farm is located in the Prairie Pothole region, Pederson’s ultimate goal is to transition all his row crop acres to perennial grasses and use his cattle to harvest them. He is using the Grass is Greener and other AgSpire programs to help cover the costs. 

“I love the perennial systems for resiliency – perennial grasses weather the extremes much better than row crops,” Pederson said. “With perennial grasses, I no longer need to fight against Mother Nature. When we get rains, the grasses will help with water infiltration and when we are faced with drought, the perennial roots will tap into water below the soil’s surface.” 

Weathering extremes is important. He explained that in the first five years after purchasing the farm from his great uncle, the farm saw both the wettest and driest years on family record. 

In addition to helping cover the costs associated with establishing the perennial forages, AgSpire connected him with one of their Technical Advisors to maximize success. And because Pederson is enrolled in the Grass is Greener program, he will also receive a per-head premium for cattle that graze on the pastures where he implemented the practice. 

In total, the project aims to help hundreds of producers across the Northern Great Plains, Midwest, and into the Southeast – impacting an estimated 3.4 million acres of land. 

by Lura Roti for AgSpire

Learn More: 

Utilizing Late Season Cover Crops to Extend the Grazing Season

Posted on by Julia Andrus

Fields of bright green rye stand out among the mostly brown early spring fieldscape on Luke Hiebert’s crop and livestock farm northeast of Huron, South Dakota. 

“Traditionally, at this point in the season, nothing would be growing out in those fields. This is the reason I decided to plant rye,” said Hiebert, during an early April conversation. “It has been growing since last fall, and I like having a living root in the soil as long as possible. It helps with compaction, reduces erosion, increases water infiltration, builds organic matter and overall, improves soil health.” 

Hiebert is enrolled in the Covering America Program through our producer network. This program supports farmers, as they implement holistic management techniques and soil health protocols. The program provides a premium for the sustainably grown rye – while also helping cover the costs associated with the late season, multi-species cover crop he plans to plant on the same acres for his cattle and sheep to graze late fall. Our Technical Advisors provide expert guidance throughout the process. 

“I and my wife, Briana are the third family trying to earn an income from this farm, so I need to look at value added opportunities because this farm is not large enough to support all of us,” explained the third-generation farmer who has been farming fulltime with his dad and uncle since he was 18. 

For nearly a decade, Hiebert has been working to expand his cow/calf herd by increasing on-farm access to forage by implementing an intensive, daily grazing rotation. Extending the grazing season with a late season cover crop is yet another way for him to maximize the farm’s forage production. 

(As of original publication) Hiebert is among 278 producers from across the U.S. who make up AgSpire’s newly formed producer network of farmers and ranchers interested in adopting sustainable land and livestock management practices through programs like Covering America.  

South Dakota farmer poses in a rye field - which he planted to help improve his land during the winter months.

Hiebert said knowing that there is financial and technical help planting a late season cover crop motivated him to join AgSpire’s producer network and enroll in the Covering America Program. 

“I had been thinking about planting a late season cover crop, but I knew it would be more difficult to get it going and I was not ready to invest in the risk,” Hiebert said. “With AgSpire, I have financial assistance, and because I don’t have a lot of experience planting cover crops, I appreciate the fact I also have access to a Technical Advisor.” 

By Lura Roti for AgSpire

Learn More: 

Interseeding Pastures for Increased Biodiversity

Posted on by Julia Andrus

Recognizing the positive role cattle play in advancing sustainability, companies and other agriculture stakeholders are increasingly investing in efficiency and resiliency at the ranch level. This gives new opportunities to ranchers to make improvements to their land and herds. 

The world’s largest fast-food chain is one such company. McDonald’s wants to support cattle producers in their efforts to increase overall herd efficiencies, while at the same time enhancing soil and grassland health. 

To accomplish this, McDonald’s along with one of their suppliers, OSI Group, teamed up with AgSpire to provide cattle producers with expert advice, resources, and funding through the Ranching for the Future program. 

“It’s so rewarding to walk alongside cattle producers in their quest for improvement,” explained food animal veterinarian, Dr. Kristina Porter. 

Porter is among the team of Technical Advisors at AgSpire who support producers by understanding the operations’ existing management practices and overall herd health to determine if there are any operational efficiencies that could be gained through enhanced genetics or implementation of other customized management practices, like interseeding rangeland or pastures with native or non-native perennial grasses. 

“Cattle margins are pretty small, so to be able to suggest customized practices that a producer can try out with less risk because the costs are covered is pretty exciting,” Porter said. 

Third-generation North Dakota rancher Karl Bartholomay agreed. For decades, Karl and his dad, Keith, have focused on implementing conservation practices on more than 4,000 acres of cropland, native range, river bottoms, and pastures that make up Bartholomay Kattle Kompany near Sheldon, North Dakota. 

And their efforts have been rewarded. As their grassland and soil health have continued to improve, so have overall herd health and efficiency. And another bonus – today an abundance of wildlife now call their ranch home. 

“As our rotational grazing intensified, we began to see more wildlife,” Karl said. “It is fun to see the cows interact with the pheasant, deer, turkeys, and grouse that wander through while they are grazing. It is nice to see that by implementing regenerative practices we are not only helping our own operation – the land and cattle – we are helping the whole ecosystem. Everything goes hand-in-hand.” 

Karl said he and his dad will continue to do more as funding allows. But finding funds for conservation practices has been a challenge. “We discovered that most cost-share programs are for ranchers who were just getting into conservation. And then we connected with AgSpire and their producer network,” Karl said. 

The Bartholomays recently enrolled in the Ranching for the Future program. After Porter and an agronomist visited the ranch, they determined that interseeding pastures with perennial legumes would further enhance the ranch’s grassland health. 

“Interseeding is something we have wanted to do, because it could make a big jump in species diversity in a short timeframe. But the cost is something we need to consider because this ranch needs to support my family and my mom and dad,” explained Karl. 

“In agriculture, the greatest resources we have are our soil and our kids who we want to be able to return to the farm or ranch,” Porter said.  

She explained regenerative practices – like increasing grassland diversity – have a positive impact on soil health, while also improving the overall health of grazing cattle. “Cattle thrive on grass because every species of grass matures at a different time. By increasing species diversity, there will be quality forage for cattle throughout the grazing season,” Porter said. 

By Lura Roti for AgSpire

Learn More: 

AgSpire Partners with SDSU & Others to Advance Resilience on Cattle Ranches 

Posted on by Julia Andrus

By Lura Roti for AgSpire

Recognizing the positive role cattle play in advancing sustainability, companies and other agriculture stakeholders are increasingly investing in efficiency and resiliency at the ranch level. This gives new opportunities to ranchers to make improvements to their land and herds.

The world’s largest fast-food chain is one such company. McDonald’s wants to support cattle producers in their efforts to increase overall herd efficiencies, while at the same time enhancing soil and grassland health.

To accomplish this, McDonald’s teamed up with AgSpire to provide cattle producers with expert advice, resources and funding through the Ranching for the Future program, offered through AgSpire’s SustainAg Network.

“It’s so rewarding to walk alongside cattle producers in their quest for improvement,” explained food animal veterinarian, Dr. Kristina Porter.

Porter is among the team of SustainAg Technical Advisors at AgSpire who support producers by understanding the operations’ existing management practices and overall herd health to determine if there are any operational efficiencies that could be gained through enhanced genetics or implementation of other customized management practices, like interseeding rangeland or pastures with native or non-native perennial grasses.

“Cattle margins are pretty small, so to be able to suggest customized practices that a producer can try out with less risk because the costs are covered is pretty exciting,” Porter said.

Third-generation North Dakota rancher Karl Bartholomay agreed. For decades, Karl and his dad, Keith, have focused on implementing conservation practices on more than 4,000 acres of cropland, native range, river bottoms, and pastures that make up Bartholomay Kattle Kompany near Sheldon, North Dakota.

And their efforts have been rewarded. As their grassland and soil health have continued to improve, so have overall herd health and efficiency. And another bonus – today an abundance of wildlife now call their ranch home.

“As our rotational grazing intensified, we began to see more wildlife,” Karl said. “It is fun to see the cows interact with the pheasant, deer, turkeys, and grouse that wander through while they are grazing. It is nice to see that by implementing regenerative practices we are not only helping our own operation – the land and cattle – we are helping the whole ecosystem. Everything goes hand-in-hand.”

In 2023, the Bartholomay Kattle Kompany was recognized in North Dakota for their sustainability efforts with the national Leopold Conservation Award.

Karl said he and his dad will continue to do more as funding allows. But finding funds for conservation practices has been a challenge. “We discovered that most cost-share programs are for ranchers who were just getting into conservation. And then we connected with AgSpire and their SustainAg Network,” Karl said.

The Bartholomays recently enrolled in the Ranching for the Future program. After Porter and an agronomist visited the ranch, they determined that interseeding pastures with perennial legumes would further enhance the ranch’s grassland health.

“Interseeding is something we have wanted to do, because it could make a big jump in species diversity in a short timeframe. But the cost is something we need to consider because this ranch needs to support my family and my mom and dad,” explained Karl, who together with his wife, Becca, have two young daughters, Olivia, 4, and Elaine, 9 months.

Connecting conservation-minded agriculture producers, like the Bartholomays, with voluntary, incentive-based grant and private-market sustainability programs is the focus of AgSpire’s SustainAg Network.

“In agriculture, the greatest resources we have are our soil and our kids who we want to be able to return to the farm or ranch,” Porter said. She explained regenerative practices – like increasing grassland diversity – have a positive impact on soil health, while also improving the overall health of grazing cattle. “Cattle thrive on grass because every species of grass matures at a different time. By increasing species diversity, there will be quality forage for cattle throughout the grazing season,” Porter said.

Interseeding perennial grasses also improves an operation’s overall resiliency, explained Hector Menendez, Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Livestock Grazing Specialist.

“Re-establishing grasslands on marginal agriculture acres or diversifying existing grasslands through perennial plantings and different grazing management practices ultimately helps build resilience to weather extremes like drought or extreme moisture on a ranch,” said Menendez, who works on the Grass is Greener program through a partnership between AgSpire and South Dakota State University.

The partnership began after SDSU received an $80 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant – The Grass is Greener on the Other Side: Developing Climate Smart Beef & Bison Commodities.

Hector and a team of SDSU researchers are tasked with reviewing cattle producers’ diverse grassland management practices and measuring the actual output of methane by cattle, as well as grassland’s ability to sequester carbon. “Today’s livestock producers face increasing public scrutiny because animal agriculture is often cited as a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. However, this negative perception does not take into account the carbon sequestration benefits of grazing livestock,” reads the grant explanation on the SDSU website.

SDSU partnered with AgSpire to help with this program in two ways. First, through its SustainAg Network, AgSpire connects with producers, helping them select and implement practices that align with their land and management goals. Then, AgSpire helps provide incentives and premiums to producers that implement regenerative practices through the program.

Producers like Minnesota cattleman, Mitch Pederson. Pederson is currently utilizing the Grass is Greener program to fund the transition of about 100 row crop acres on his farm to forage for his cow/calf herd. Starting the transition by seeding a forage cover crop mix to graze this fall, Pederson plans to follow the cover crops with a perennial forage seed mix.

Because his farm is located in the Prairie Pothole region, Pederson’s ultimate goal is to transition all his row crop acres to perennial grasses and use his cattle to harvest them. He is using the Grass is Greener and other SustainAg Netwok programs to help cover the costs. AgSpire offers short-term contracts – one to five years, depending on the practice – so that producers like Pederson can make management decisions based on how the program outcomes align with their overall goals.

“I love the perennial systems for resiliency – perennial grasses weather the extremes much better than row crops,” Pederson said. “With perennial grasses, I no longer need to fight against Mother Nature. When we get rains, the grasses will help with water infiltration and when we are faced with drought, the perennial roots will tap into water below the soil’s surface.”

Weathering extremes is important. He explained that in the first five years after purchasing the farm from his great uncle, the farm saw both the wettest and driest years on family record.

In addition to helping cover the costs associated with establishing the perennial forages, AgSpire connected him with one of their Technical Advisors to maximize success. And because Pederson is enrolled in the Grass is Greener program, he will also receive a per-head premium for cattle that graze on the pastures where he implemented the practice.

“Increasingly, we are seeing corporations who want to invest in the positive environmental outcomes that result when cattle are raised sustainably. It is an opportunity for conservation-minded cattle producers to receive a premium for their practices,” explained Ryan Eichler, director of producer programs at AgSpire and a Lake Preston, South Dakota cattle producer.

Grass is Greener and Ranching for the Future are two of six programs offered by AgSpire through the SustainAg Network. AgSpire continues to expand its program offerings to farmers and ranchers through new partnerships, like these with McDonald’s or SDSU.

Learn More:

AgSpire Network Connects Farmers & Ranchers with Funding for Producer-Led Conservation Practices

Posted on by Julia Andrus

Above: Luke Hiebert on his farm, where he is using sustainable practices to increase access to forage for his cow/calf herd.

by Lura Roti for AgSpire

Fields of bright green rye stand out among the mostly brown early spring fieldscape on Luke Hiebert’s crop and livestock farm northeast of Huron, South Dakota.

“Traditionally, at this point in the season, nothing would be growing out in those fields. This is the reason I decided to plant rye,” said Hiebert, during an early April conversation. “It has been growing since last fall, and I like having a living root in the soil as long as possible. It helps with compaction, reduces erosion, increases water infiltration, builds organic matter and overall, improves soil health.”

There are additional benefits to this sustainable practice. Because Hiebert is enrolled in the Covering America Program through AgSpire’s SustainAg Network, he will receive a premium for the rye seed when he harvests it late summer.

The program will also cover the costs associated with the late season, multi-species cover crop he plans to plant on the same acres for his cattle and sheep to graze late fall. And, AgSpire connected him with one of their Technical Advisors to provide expert insights throughout the process.

“I and my wife, Briana are the third family trying to earn an income from this farm, so I need to look at value added opportunities because this farm is not large enough to support all of us,” explained the third-generation farmer who has been farming fulltime with his dad and uncle since he was 18.

For nearly a decade, Hiebert has been working to expand his cow/calf herd by increasing on-farm access to forage by implementing an intensive, daily grazing rotation. Extending the grazing season with a late season cover crop is yet another way for him to maximize the farm’s forage production.

For ag producers by ag producers

According to the recently released SustainAg Insights quarterly report, Hiebert is among 278 producers from across the U.S. who make up AgSpire’s newly formed SustainAg Network of farmers and ranchers interested in adopting sustainable land and livestock management practices through programs like Covering America. Since fully launching the Network in January 2024, AgSpire continues to expand its program offerings to farmers and ranchers, currently offering five programs, including a beef program in partnership with McDonald’s.

“AgSpire is focused on improving resiliency and sustainability across the entire agricultural supply chain,” explained Ryan Eichler, director of producer programs and a Lake Preston, South Dakota cattle producer. “Through The SustainAg Network, we connect producers with funding opportunities as well as resources to implement regenerative or sustainable practices.”

South Dakota crop and livestock producer Jared Knock came up with the idea for AgSpire after he observed a chronic disconnect between conservation-minded agriculture producers caring for land and livestock and funds allocated for regenerative agriculture practices by corporations and government entities.

“As a farmer who owns an ag retail business, I am closely connected to many farmers and ranchers trying to make changes on their land to increase soil health or livestock efficiency. At the same time, I was listening to what companies were saying about their desire to invest in farms and ranches in rural America for a positive environmental impact. But there was not a great way for the two groups to connect,” said Knock, who helped launch AgSpire in 2021.

“Our team has built an organization that connects sustainability-minded producers with those companies, developing and implementing programs around regenerative agricultural practices that benefit producers and improve our environment at the same time,” said Jared Knock, South Dakota Farmer and one of AgSpire’s founders.

Jared Knock meets with farmers in South Dakota to talk about the benefits of sustainable practices and how programs can help producers invest in their land.

Above: Jared Knock discusses regenerative agricultural practices with farmers in South Dakota, sharing how programs like Covering America can help them invest in their land and natural resources.

Regenerative agricultural practices like planting late-season cover crops.

Hiebert said knowing that there is financial and technical help planting a late season cover crop motivated him to join The SustainAg Network and enroll in the Covering America Program.

“I had been thinking about planting a late season cover crop, but I knew it would be more difficult to get it going and I was not ready to invest in the risk,” Hiebert said. “With SustainAg Network, I have financial assistance, and because I don’t have a lot of experience planting cover crops, I appreciate the fact I also have access to a Technical Advisor.”

The SustainAg Network offers voluntary, incentive-based grant and private-market sustainability programs, like the Covering America Program, that are designed with producers like Hiebert in mind, explained Eichler.

“We keep the agriculture producer at the forefront of everything we do because quite frankly, without producers, none of this can happen,” Eichler explained. “We use a highly customizable approach because each farm and ranch is very different. The last thing that we want to do is dictate practices or environmental programs if they don’t fit the producer’s land or livestock efficiency goals.”

Ryan Eichler meets with a farmer and rancher in Minnesota, where they discuss how The SustainAg Network's programs could help him improve his on-farm grazing potential.

Above: Ryan Eichler meets with a farmer in western Minnesota to discuss available programs in The SustainAg Network, and how they can benefit his land and business.

Eichler said The SustainAg Network’s team of advisors are essential to the process. “What sets us apart are our technical advisors,” Eichler said. “This team takes the time to meet with producers to understand their overall operation goals. And then they provide the support needed for a practice change to succeed.”

Once a producer selects and enrolls in a program, they connect with an advisor who helps them figure out the details and best practices for success in their growing conditions. Advisors also verify the practice and streamline incentive or premium payments.

“We are working on behalf of farmers and ranchers to help them increase revenue opportunities and overall resiliency,” Eichler said.

Learn More

Scope 3 Emissions – Do they still matter?

Posted on by Julia Andrus

With recent announcements on disclosure requirements and guidance from the SEC, California, and SBTi, the relevance of Scope 3 emissions (those within a company’s supply chain) has taken a variety of conflicting twists and turns. This has left many wondering: Do they still matter?

Perhaps most notably, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission finalized its long-awaited and much-debated climate-disclosure rule. While many expected the SEC to follow California’s lead related to Scope 3 disclosures, the final SEC ruling excluded a proposed requirement that companies report Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions.

What does this mean for the future of Scope 3?

In a victory for ag, producers may now be safe from providing annual farm-level data to companies far up the value chain. However, more likely than not, Scope 3 at large will continue to remain important for major companies with ag-based supply chains. Here’s why:

Many companies have already made public abatement commitments.

> Ceres’ Food Emissions 50 Company Benchmark revealed that 37 out of the 50 companies listed have reported their supply chain greenhouse gas emissions, and that 32 of them have set targets to reduce those emissions.

> Leading consumer facing brands will still be looking for Scope 3 reductions and removals. According to the Science Based Targets Initiative, the number of companies setting greenhouse gas reduction targets doubled in 2023, reaching 4,204 at year end 2023, up from 2,079 at year end 2022. Scope 3 accounting, reporting, and change is a critical requirement of these commitments, which most major grocery retailers and quick service restaurants have set.

State-level required disclosures will impact many companies.

> Quantitative Scope 3 disclosures will continue to become more prevalent. Despite the SEC’s drop of Scope 3 reporting, California – the 5th largest economy in the world – has adopted a state-specific climate disclosure law that will require companies with at least $1 billion in revenue to begin reporting on Scope 3 emissions in 2027.

Scope 3 practices remain as valuable as Scope 3 outcomes.

> According to AgFunder, nearly 40 of the world’s leading food and agriculture companies have made regenerative agriculture commitments – most of which focus on increasing acreage on which low-carbon practices are adopted to generate Scope 3 progress.

 

Read More >>> Ag Groups Respond to SEC Rule

About the Author

Zach Pinto | Director of Carbon and Ecosystem Service Markets

Zach promotes company strategy and client success by assisting industry groups, food and ag companies, and farmers on their sustainability goals. Zach has worked on carbon issues for stakeholders across the agriculture value chain and in a wide array of commodities, developing expertise in farm-level carbon accounting, MRV platform usage, voluntary and compliance market schemes, science-based targets, ESG reporting, and strategic planning.

Navigating the Future of Meat: The Role of Sustainability in Driving Business Success

Posted on by Julia Andrus

Together with the broader AgSpire team, we have recently attended several of the leading agriculture conferences – including NCBA’s Cattle Con, the International Production & Processing Expo, Commodity Classic, the Annual Meat Conference, and the Animal AgTech Innovation Summit. These conferences convened a diverse group of stakeholders from across the globe—retailers, brands, processors, and producers alike—to delve into the most pressing issues for agriculture and to strategize for the future.

While the sustainability conversation is more established in row crop agriculture, it took center stage among livestock stakeholders. Amid the discussions and presentations, a compelling narrative emerged, one that underscores a pivotal moment for the meat sector. The industry stands at the cusp of a transformative opportunity, where the integration of sustainability practices into business models is a strategic business imperative.

This “sustainability flywheel” concept—where investments in sustainability drive meat product sales, which in turn, fuel further sustainability investments—has become a tangible pathway to resilience and growth in difficult economic times.

Here’s a deeper look into the dynamics shaping this opportunity:

> A Synergistic Relationship Between Sustainability and Business Goals

The dialogue around sustainability in the meat industry has often been framed as a cost rather than an investment. However, the narrative is shifting. Sustainability initiatives are increasingly being recognized for their potential to support and amplify business objectives. This shift is pivotal, as it not only validates the investment in sustainability but also promotes a culture of continuous improvement and adaptation.

> Consumer Behavior: The ‘And’ Factor

Today’s consumers, especially the rising Gen Z demographic, exhibit purchasing behaviors that challenge traditional market norms. They seek products that deliver on multiple fronts—quality AND affordability, quantity AND sustainability, etc. This evolving consumer expectation highlights the necessity for meat producers to adopt practices that resonate with the ‘and’ factor, leveraging sustainability as a competitive edge to meet the multifaceted demands of the market. This is a unique opportunity for sustainability to increase its role as a value-add driver of sales.

> The Sustainability Flywheel Effect

At the heart of the conference insights was this concept of the sustainability flywheel effect. This notion encapsulates how sustainability investments can protect producers from economic volatility by maintaining strong consumer demand for their products despite inflation and other macro-challenges. As these investments become ingrained in business operations, they catalyze a virtuous cycle of (sales) growth, innovation, and sustainability.

> Digital Trends and Sustainability Storytelling

The integration of digital technologies in the shopping experience, particularly among younger consumers, offers a unique platform for sustainability storytelling. The rise in digital ordering and the preference for case-ready products among younger demographics present an opportunity to weave sustainability narratives into the consumer journey, enhancing brand loyalty and driving sales. Younger generations are making fewer, but more intentional trips to the store – sustainability storytelling provided via in-store displays and packaging is primed to play an anchor role in drawing customers in to stores and to the meat counter.

> Conclusion: A Call to Action for the Meat Industry

As we navigate the complexities of an ever-changing economic landscape, the importance of sustainability investments in maintaining robust meat sales cannot be overstated. The insights from these conferences serve as a clarion call for the meat industry to embrace sustainability as a strategic business lever. By fostering a culture of sustainability, the industry can unlock new avenues for growth, resilience, and success in the years to come.

The pathway forward for the meat industry is clear: embracing sustainability is no longer optional but essential. As industry leaders, we are tasked with the responsibility to champion these practices, ensuring that the meat sector remains vibrant, resilient, and aligned with the evolving expectations of our consumers and our planet.

 

About the Author

Drew Slattery  |  Senior Sustainability Project Manager

Drew Slattery, with his extensive experience in the regenerative agriculture and corporate sustainability realm, is committed to enhancing the impact on natural resources and the climate across global supply chains.

Throughout his career, Drew has partnered with leading agricultural and food brands to evolve their supply chains for greater sustainability and reduced carbon footprints. This has given him a broad range of expertise – from remote sensing, to ag media, producer  engagement, behavior change programming, and corporate sustainability – and experience working with the beef, dairy, row crop, and specialty crop sectors.