Brands Investing in Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative agriculture is a system of agriculture that aims to restore the habitats they occupy. In doing so, they develop soil’s organic matter and restore degraded soil’s biodiversity. It is a method of proper land management. Some brands are leading the way in making a positive environmental impact by supporting and building regenerative supply chains. Given below is a list of brands that are implementing regenerative agricultural practices in their supply chain.
1) Nestlé – In the month of September, Nestlé launched its ‘sustainability promise’. It was a pledge to help protect and restore the environment and improve the livelihoods of farming communities through agricultural development. The company has expressed its intention to make investments in order to ease the transition towards low-impact agriculture across its supply chain. Different mechanisms would be leveraged, such as improving access to finance and providing technical support to farmers. The company is also assessing cutting-edge science and technology designed to reduce emissions from agriculture.
2) Christy Dawn – Some fashion brands are moving towards transparent and accountable brand policies. Christy Dawn launched a ‘Farm-to-closet’ regenerative collection of its own. It had already gained recognition for its use of deadstock fabric. Then it took a step further and adopted regenerative farming. It leased four acres of nutrient-devoid land in Tamil Nadu, India. Leguminous cover crops like indigo and sugarcane were planted in the land to restore nitrogen. The same indigo was later used to dye the garments while the sugarcane provided sugar that the farmers use in their coffee.
3) Patagonia – Patagonia is one of the biggest players in regenerative agriculture. The brand worked with 150 Indian cotton farmers in 2018. Now there are 2000 farmers growing cotton on 4,000 acres, usually on their ancestral land. The brand is also working on two projects in India to convert existing organic cotton farms into fully regenerative ones.
4) Annie’s Homegrown – Annie’s Homegrown has emerged as a leading champion of regenerative farming practices. It is pushing the food industry ahead by sourcing regeneratively farmed ingredients, which requires a holistic set of practices that help increase biodiversity and promote soil health. Annie’s Homegrown has partnered with The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture to research regenerative systems. In 2019, they launched Version 2.0 of the Regenerative Agriculture Self-Assessment, a tool for farmers to evaluate and measure their agricultural practices by applying the principles of regenerative agriculture.
5) Timberland – Timberland has announced that it is building a regenerative rubber supply chain in Thailand, which will grow various tree species to mimic a natural forest ecosystem. This initiative could bring more clarity to the role of organic practices in regenerative agriculture. Additionally, it would provide consumers with a new opportunity to contribute to a more sustainable supply chain. The brand hopes to pilot this rubber in products in 2023, and will eventually allow other brands to buy it.
