August 30, 2025
Spotlight Stories
Spotlight 1 – Offrange highlights the state of American tree nurseries as the “problem with growing a forest” in the U.S. Check it out, here.
Spotlight 2 – An article in npj sustainable agriculture discusses the effects of human diets on farming systems and land use optimization. Read the story, here.
Spotlight 3 – Sentient Media says that the U.S. could switch to a regenerative chicken production model…if Americans eat a lot less chicken. Take a read, here.
Industry Updates
Noble Foods has become the first egg producer in the United Kingdom to implement TerraMap, a soil mapping technology, at one of its organic egg farms. Developed by Hutchinsons, TerraMap uses passive gamma-ray detection to scan fields and generate high-resolution maps of up to 48 soil properties at 800 sample points per hectare. The data offers Noble Foods a detailed look at soil health to support targeted land management and carbon reduction efforts. [link]
Researchers in the UK say that regenerative agriculture is increasingly important in tackling global issues like soil degradation, climate change, and ecological decline. In a critical review, they offer a definition focused on ecological cycles and farm system outcomes, and describe regenerative agriculture as a “new paradigm” grounded in systems thinking and ecological reciprocity. The review, published in CABI Agriculture and Bioscience, examines the rise of regenerative agriculture and its potential to transform farming systems from extractive to restorative. It provides a comprehensive assessment of regenerative agriculture practices, definitions, and scientific foundations. [link]
To advance conservation, teaching, and research, UC Santa Cruz and The Conservation Fund announced a collaboration that will conserve more than 200 acres of currently privately held land adjacent to the residential campus. In addition, the campus is pursuing a transformative plan to expand UC Santa Cruz’s research and education in sustainable organic agriculture through the acquisition of another 200-plus acres of private farmland that borders its coastal campus. UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserves (CNR) currently encompasses 789 acres of protected lands dedicated to teaching, research, and interpretation. [link]
Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (KDP) is acquiring JDE Peet’s, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for approximately $18.4 billion. Once the acquisition is complete, KDP plans to combine Keurig with JDE Peet’s and spin it off into one of the world’s largest coffee companies, with sales of approximately $16 billion. The spun-off coffee company will include brands like Keurig, Jacobs, L’OR and Peet’s Global Coffee Co. The remaining beverage company will include brands such as Dr Pepper, 7UP, Canada Dry, A&W and many others. [link]
Boulder, CO-based startup, Perennial, has secured approval to use its VT0014 digital soil mapping tool in Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) program. The company uses satellite and other environmental data, machine learning, and historical on-the-ground data to build statistical models that digitally map soils to quantify their carbon content. Right now, there are two established approaches to quantify soil carbon: sampling (testing soil samples) and process-based modeling (which simulates carbon dynamics over time under different farm management or climate scenarios). However, digital soil mapping has the potential to offer a more cost-effective, streamlined, and scalable approach. [link]
Heifer International has successfully completed its multi-year impact investment program with Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative (GRFC) and Cypress Valley Meat Company (CVMC), two regenerative meat supply chain entities that empower small-scale livestock farmers. These impact investments enabled CVMC to grow from three to six processing facilities, now serving nearly 3,000 farmers across 12 states. GRFC successfully transitioned to a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model, connecting farmers with customers nationwide. The completion of these targeted investments comes as Heifer International is also shifting its focus toward a facilitation and training model. Rather than directly funding enterprises, Heifer will focus on empowering farmers and regenerative organizations through hands-on training, digital resources, peer learning, and market connection tools. [link]
Klim, a regenerative agriculture project developer and technology platform, has launched in the UK to support food and beverage companies facing climate-related risks. The move builds on the company’s established presence in Germany and Poland, where it works with more than 4,000 farmers across two million acres. Klim’s model incentivizes and rewards farmers who adopt regenerative practices such as reduced tillage, year-round soil cover, and lower chemical inputs. The platform provides agronomic guidance, documentation tools, and financial support to offset upfront costs. [link]
A University of Nevada research team recently published an article in the journal, Heliyon, discussing their testing of cover crops in Nevada's dry desert climate. Conducted at the University’s Experiment Station, the researchers tested cool-season crops grown both as single species and in mixed plantings. They measured above- and below-ground biomass, feed quality and how much carbon and nitrogen accumulated in plant tissue. They also evaluated impacts on soil fertility, including changes in organic carbon, nitrogen levels and soil biology indicators such as microbial activity, respiration and earthworm presence. [link]
Exomad Green's latest biochar field study reveals the transformative impact of biochar on soil health and agricultural sustainability. Conducted at the AGROVIDAS agricultural fair field in Bolivia, the comprehensive study demonstrates how biochar serves as a powerful regenerative agriculture solution, dramatically improving soil structure, enhancing nutrient retention, and optimizing growing conditions. Based on tests dating back to 2023, soil pH improved from highly alkaline 7.48 to near-optimal neutral levels of 6.4, creating better growing conditions for most crops. There was a considerable increase in the soil's cation exchange capacity (CEC), a key indicator of soil fertility that allows better retention of potassium, calcium and magnesium. There was also a significant improvement in organic matter content in the soil, indicating enhanced soil biological activity. [link]
The Wisconsin Cover Crop Citizen Science Project is inviting farmers of all experience levels to participate in its program. By joining, farmers share details about their cover crop practices and submit fall and spring samples for analysis. In return, participants receive an honorarium along with free laboratory testing on cover crop biomass, forage quality, and nutrient content. This farmer-driven data helps researchers better understand how cover crops are used across Wisconsin and what benefits or challenges farmers encounter. [link]
Cornell Cooperative Extension will offer a workshop, “Silvopasture on a Shoestring,” on Oct. 7 at Wild Geese Farm in Franklinville, New York. The event will include a full day training program, with classroom presentations and hands-on sessions. The focus will be on do-it-yourself silvopasture projects on small grazing farms. Presenters will address the practical considerations of tree establishment, protection and maintenance while learning how silvopasture can help address your farm’s resource concerns and enhance livestock grazing. [link]
Farmers and food producers are invited to participate in the inaugural California Earthworkers Summit on Sept. 11–12 at UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology Farm. Held at the UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology, the vision for the summit is to bring together people from different backgrounds, sectors and generations to share knowledge and to connect small and independent farmers and ranchers with resources and support to strengthen the food system. Billed as a space for “Earthworkers” – those working in service of the planet and its communities – the summit offers training, matchmaking among food producers and food buyers (including UC Procurement) and a farmers market. [link]
In Case You Missed It…
In late-July, Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) announced the launch of FieldLark AI, the world’s first AI chatbot for regenerative agronomy. See more, here.