3PM – It’s not too late!

For Regenerative Efforts, Find the Low Hanging Fruits

For starters, let’s look at biochar. The prices for biochar have dropped by 38% from 2022 to 2023. With a large percentage of greenhouse gas emissions coming from ag and other land use, it’s a no-brainer to find ways to sequester carbon in the soil.

I want to acknowledge there are more greenhouse gas emissions than carbon but it’s the one that’s easiest to talk about right now. Carbon is a substance we seem to know more about. That doesn’t mean it’s the only or most important problem. 

That being said, the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry has taken off in a big way. We’ve gone from sequestered carbon deliveries of .009Mt tonnes in 2020 to .1Mt tonnes in 2023 of carbon dioxide equivalents. And we’re on track to sell 4.5 Mt tonnes. [https://www.cdr.fyi/blog/2023-year-in-review]

The market for carbon removal purchases is larger than the supply. The industry has seen a 3-year growth of over 500%. And 94% of the CDR deliveries were biochar. So we know folks are aware of the value of biochar.

But this brings up a dilemma. Carbon sequestration will bring us to net zero and then start decreasing the overabundance of carbon dioxide in the air only if we change our consumer behavior. 

Will Consumer Behavior Change Before It’s Too Late?

This is the monumental question. The carbon credits are not necessarily decreasing consumption. In some cases, consumption has increased because of increased demand for products by consumers. The buyers of carbon credits are the manufacturers of durable consumer goods. If more people need internet connections, for example, the need for CDR will rise. 

This is not a recipe for sustainability, let alone regeneration of our planet. 

This quote from Finian Makepeace, from Kiss the Ground says it all:

“2024 indeed will be marked as the year of regenerative agriculture. Why? We are closing in on a tipping point of awareness and collective action is being realized on a huge scale. Not only is soil and regenerative agriculture finally making its way as a leading climate, water, and health solution, but we are also showing up as one of the biggest economic solutions for rural economies and businesses around the world.”

Finian Makepeace, Kiss the Ground

Economics speaks volumes. As farmers start seeing greater returns on their investments the prices should go down for consumers. At least theoretically. When a senior citizen on a fixed income or a single parent with 3 kids can afford to buy regenerative products we can say Regen has succeeded.

It’s not only about consumer behavior, but also about market conditions. It’s not just consumer behavior, it’s also producer/processor ethics.

This Brings Us to the Topic of Greenwashing

Many mainstream brands are embracing regenerative ag, it appears. Unilever, Nestle, McDonald’s, Danone, and General Mills have all committed support to regenerative ag for raw materials sourcing. 

But we have to understand what percentage of their offerings are going to be regenerative, and how soon. Timelines and percentages count. According to the USDA reports for 2023, 228 million acres of wheat, corn, and soybeans were planted. Of those only a fraction were for human food. 

It’s hard to tease out the actual acres harvested for food. The USDA doesn’t separate human food, seed, or even industrial uses of commodity crops. We have to ask why that is, but that’s another time. 

According to the USDA stats wheat, corn, and soybeans accounted for 208 Million acres harvested. Of those acres, 7,700 were harvested for human food, seed, and in the case of corn industrial use. That is .0037% of the acreage for these three commodity crops.

Most of the commodity crops harvested are intended for fuel or food for animals in confined animal feed operations (CAFOs). How much of this land is owned by food companies is unknown. But it’s obvious American farmers aren’t feeding the world. They’re feeding CAFO meat and the ethanol industry.

How Can Your Sustainable Business Change the Tide?

You start by acknowledging the statistics. People aren’t aware the cornfields they’re seeing aren’t going into cornflakes.  Meet your audience where they’re hanging out. Ask them if they know where their food comes from. Tell the grocery store food chain story. It’s not well known. 

We’re aware of greenwashing and big business sustainability but most of our neighbors aren’t. When a person buys a regeneratively grown food they’re getting the whole package, great taste, high nutrition, and a light footprint on the environment. 

While you’ve got their ear, how about recommending another sustainable business to solve a different consumer problem. We’re in the business of helping each other. Sustainable business growth depends on repeat business and customer goodwill. 

Your business may be the first contact a consumer has with sustainability.  Be kind and patient. You’re successful one customer at a time. 

List of Agrifood Companies with Regen Ag Goals to Check On

This list from agfundernews isn’t exhaustive but it gives you an idea which companies to be watching and which ones may be trying to take your market share. If you’re a regen food brand pay close attention to these companies and follow them. In your blogs you can call them put if they don’t deliver. 

Start with this list and watch. 

• Ardent Mills
• Arla Foods
• Bunge
• Cargill
• Coca-Cola
• Diageo
• Fresh Del Monte
• General Mills
• Hormel
• JBS
• Kellogg
• Keurig Dr. Pepper
• Kraft Heinz
• Land O’ Lakes
• Mars
• Mondelez International
• Pepsi
• Smithfield/WH Group
• Tyson
• Walmart

Were you aware these companies claim to be regenerative? Remember, it’s the timeline and the percentage to keep in mind. 

Did you find this helpful? 

At 3 Pillars Marketing we believe in Planet. People. Profit. They are all interconnected. All need to be healthy.

Contact us to find out how your business can heal the planet while making a profit.