An interest in the environment motivated cereal manufacturer General Mills to develop a pilot program in regenerative agriculture.
Over three years, the pilot program works with oat farmers in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota, Kansas and Michigan on the path to have one million acres in regenerative agriculture by 2030.
Regenerative agriculture, according to General Mills, protects and enhances farming with healthy soil.
Keys to measure regenerative agriculture are the farm’s economic resiliency, soil health, efficient water use and biodiversity.
Resilience builds farm productivity while cutting the need for chemical inputs to deal with pests, disease and nutrient needs.
Healthy soil pulls carbon out of the air and into soil storage.
Efficient water use can reduce farming impacts on the environment while biodiversity of plants, wildlife and insects builds soil health.
Farmers in the program are asked to look at their farm as an ecology unit on its own.
The program started in March 2019 with 50,000 acres and 45 farmers.
A similar program for wheat has been launched in Kansas.
A self-assessment tool on Generals Mills website highlights the opportunities and takes 20 minutes to complete.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
