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**Regenerative Goes Corporate, But Who Defines It?**

1h ago · 5 sources · trend

Regenerative agriculture is no longer a fringe farm experiment. It is now backed by 68 of the world’s top 100 food companies. The pitch is simple. Fix the soil, cut emissions, future proof the supply chain. The problem is messier. There is still no true standard or definition for what regenerative farming actually means.

The Rodale Institute tried to bring order to the chaos when it launched the Regenerative Organic Certification in 2017. Since then, more than 22 million acres worldwide have met that standard. Meanwhile, sustainability marketed products now account for 25.4% of US CPG dollar share, up 1.6% year over year. The money is clearly moving.

But shoppers are conflicted. Inflationary pressures are pushing consumers to prioritize price over sustainability, limiting demand for regenerative products. That tension is real. Food is responsible for about one third of greenhouse gas emissions, including half of methane emissions. The climate case is urgent. The wallet case is tougher.

Brands are acting anyway. Häagen-Dazs sources milk and cream from around 300 farms near its Arras site and, through General Mills, is working on regenerative and decarbonisation programs. In France, General Mills brought together 48 farms and saw a 12% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions versus the wider cooperative. Kellanova and Walmart are partnering with Indigo Ag to push regenerative rice farming in Arkansas.

Why it matters. Regenerative is becoming table stakes for big food, even if consumers are not demanding it loudly yet. The contrarian take? The real value may not be the on pack claim. It is risk control. Lock in farmers. Cut emissions. Get ahead of regulation. Define the standard before someone else does.

Key facts

  • Regenerative agriculture has moved from niche to mainstream and is being backed by the vast majority of the top 100 food companies, but tensions remain around definition, auditing and value creation.
  • Sustainability-marketed products account for 25.4% of US CPG dollar share, up 1.6% year over year, according to Circana.
  • Sixty-eight of the world’s top 100 food companies purport to have a regenerative agriculture strategy, but there is no true standard or definition for regenerative farming.
  • The Rodale Institute helped launch the Regenerative Organic Certification in 2017 to provide guidelines and context for regenerative agricultural practices.
  • More than 22 million acres worldwide have met the Regenerative Organic Certification standards since its launch.
  • Inflationary pressures are pushing shoppers to prioritize price over sustainability, limiting consumer demand for regenerative agriculture products.
  • Häagen-Dazs sources milk and cream from around 300 farms near its Arras site and, through General Mills, is engaged in regenerative agriculture and decarbonisation programmes with dairy cooperative Prospérité Fermière Ingredia.
  • General Mills has brought together 48 local farms as part of its decarbonisation programme in France, with early results showing a 12% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with the wider cooperative.
  • Food is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions after fossil fuels and is responsible for about one third of GHG emissions, including half of methane emissions.
  • Kellanova and Walmart partnered with Indigo Ag to encourage adoption of regenerative agriculture practices by rice farmers in Arkansas.
  • 25.4%
  • 1.6%
  • 68
  • 2017
  • 22 million acres
  • 300 farms
  • 48 farms
  • 12%

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