CHICAGO / Jun 13, 2024 / Business Wire / ADM (NYSE: ADM) and Bayer today announced an extension of their collaboration, working with farmers in a bid to drive the further adoption of regenerative agricultural practices in Europe.

Last year, the companies embarked on a feasibility study to evaluate the impact of regenerative agriculture practices in curbing carbon emissions, increasing biodiversity and improving soil health. They worked with oilseed rape farmers covering approximately 9,000 hectares in Poland to conduct an in-depth on-farm risk assessment that evaluated carbon emissions reduction potential while building grower-specific roadmaps for the transition to regenerative agriculture. This preliminary assessment showed that carbon emissions from those hectares relying on at least one regenerative agricultural practice were 15% lower than those of conventional farms. The analysis suggests that emissions reductions could be up to 40% for farmers comprehensively adopting regenerative agriculture practices.

As part of the next stage of the collaboration, the program will expand into a broader range of crops such as corn, wheat and barley, and geographically across Eastern Europe. Farmers will be provided with financial and technical support to implement qualifying regenerative agriculture practices, including:

• Minimum Tillage
• Cover Crops
• Companion Crops
• Nutrient Management
• Use of Organic Matter/Manure
• Crop Rotation

ADM will compensate participating farmers for each qualifying hectare, measured and verified using Bayer’s digital capabilities in collaboration with Trinity Agtech’s Sandy platform. The Sandy platform is a recognized solution backed by science that complies to the highest standards available in the market, with an easy-to-use tool for growers.

In addition to financial support, participating farmers receive agronomic guidance from specialized professionals. That support starts with a deep agronomical understanding of issues specific to each region in which the program is taking place, followed by individualized on-farm assessments, where agronomists visit fields and together with farmers design development plans tailored for each farm. Farmers are able to share their experiences with one another and discuss different techniques during field visits and peer learning opportunities.

The 2023 feasibility program was critical to shaping a larger-scale effort. Listening to the perspectives of growers was important to ensure all factors specific to the local region were considered. Primary data collection for greenhouse gas emission calculations and soil analysis with carbon sequestration measurement allowed the growers, ADM and Bayer to gain valuable insight into current environmental impacts and potential emission reduction opportunities as the program expands.

“We have been practicing regenerative agriculture for 15 years. We are constantly improving things. We tested first on a smaller area and based on the results, we decided to implement it on a larger area. Thanks to these activities, our carbon footprint is lower,” said Karol Pietnoczka, a farmer from West Pomerania.

“We conduct regenerative agriculture practices on the farm because it is profitable for us. However, they must be well balanced with other agronomic practices to achieve farm-wide success,” said Piotr Hulanicki, a farmer from Warmia-Masuria.

Candy Siekmann, director of Climate Smart Agriculture Origination at ADM, said, “Regenerative agriculture is foundational to our leadership in sustainability and decarbonization, and rolling out a regenerative agriculture program in Poland is an exciting next step in our efforts. Our own research shows that a significant majority of consumers would be more likely to trust and purchase from retailers and brands that implement regenerative agriculture practices, and by coming together with great partners like Bayer, we’re helping farmers – who are at the heart of our business – meet that demand. We’re looking forward to working with Bayer to promote an economically attractive model, where business and farmers can work together to build a more resilient, sustainable supply chain with a lower carbon footprint.”

Lionnel Alexandre, Carbon Business Lead, EMEA for Bayer, said, “Developing a project with ADM in Europe on regenerative agriculture has a strong meaning for us as it showcases the importance of building a robust and committed value chain approach, where all players work for a common goal. Bayer’s solution, combines digital, advanced science and agronomy capabilities, while leveraging the best experts and partners across Europe. This brings to our clients, such as ADM, the best assets to support first-in-class projects around regenerative agriculture.”

About ADM

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We’re an essential global agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. We’re a premier human and animal nutrition provider, offering one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of ingredients and solutions from nature. We’re a trailblazer in health and well-being, with an industry-leading range of products for consumers looking for new ways to live healthier lives. We’re a cutting-edge innovator, guiding the way to a future of new consumer and industrial solutions. And we're a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize the multiple industries we serve. Around the globe, our innovation and expertise are meeting critical needs while nourishing quality of life and supporting a healthier planet. Learn more at www.adm.com.

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2023, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 47.6 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.8 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

ADM and Regenerative Agriculture

ADM defines regenerative agriculture as an outcome-based farming approach that protects and improves soil health, biodiversity, climate and water resources while supporting farming business development. ADM’s global regenerative agriculture programs feature direct financial support for farmers; easy processes and cutting-edge technologies to ensure low barriers to entry; and a broad range of support and guidance from both internal and third-party experts. A critical element of ADM’s approach is the recognition that different parts of the world are facing different environmental challenges, so specific program qualifications and practices are tailored to address specific environmental challenges in different regions around the globe.

ADM recently announced that its global regenerative agriculture efforts reached more than 2.8 million acres in 2023, and that the company had increased its 2025 goal to 5 million acres.