Spending on home improvement in 2021 is way up, according to the Joint Center of Housing Studies at Harvard University. We can safely presume that this investment is being made by homeowners. After all, when’s the last time you paid for a new kitchen in an apartment you rented?
| | | | Landowner and Renter Relationships Deserve Attention to Align Conservation Goals | | Spending on home improvement in 2021 is way up, according to the Joint Center of Housing Studies at Harvard University. We can safely presume that this investment is being made by homeowners. After all, when’s the last time you paid for a new kitchen in an apartment you rented? With that in mind, consider that more than half of Midwestern farm land is rented, rather than owned, by the producer working the land. That means that the longer-term commitments and investments needed to improve soil health can be harder to justify and implement on rented ground. And that’s a major drag on progress. This is one of several barriers to change that Trust In Food sees consistently in our research, and is working with our partners to help address. In this week’s spotlight, my colleague Drew Slattery shares our experience working with The Nature Conservancy to encourage more discussion between landowners and farmers about investments that can improve soil health and overall farm efficiency. Critically, given that more than 70% of farmers still feel like they lack solid economic data to support sustainable ag improvements, this work provides proof points and resources to support the conversation. Yours in regenerative ag, Amy Skoczlas Cole Executive Vice President Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative
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| | | | Learn How a Healthy Landowner-Tenant Relationship Helps Drive Regenerative Goals | | Shared by Drew Slattery, human dimensions of change lead, Trust In Food: More than half of the crop acres across the most intensively cultivated region of our nation are rentals. This dynamic can either be a limiting factor or a catalyst for progress in regards to regenerative, soil health practices. Learn how landowners and tenants are aligning conservation goals to move their sustainability forward. | | | |
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| | | | Free Webinar: Discover How Farmers, Food and Ag Are Teaming Up for Mississippi River Water Quality | | You’re invited to join a timely conversation about what your community is already working on to improve the health of Mississippi River waterways and the Gulf of Mexico in our free webinar: How Farmers, Food and Ag Are Teaming Up for the Mississippi River. The webinar airs on July 21st, 2021 from 1 to 2 p.m. CST and is presented by Sanderson Farms and Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative. | | | |
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| | | Nearly Half of Consumers Now Consider Sustainability When Buying Food and Drinks (via NutritionalOutlook.com) | Shared by Rebecca Bartels, director of business development, Trust In Food: An international consumer survey shows that nearly half of consumers are considering sustainability when buying food and drinks - and 75% of the overall group assigns primary responsibility for sustainability to the industry. Send me a note to discuss how we can help your business meet its sustainability goals.
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| We're All For Clean Water (via Wisconsin Corn Growers Assoc.) | Shared by Nate Birt, vice president, Trust In Food: The essential role of farmers in voluntarily taking steps to improve water quality takes center stage in this new video from the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association. I love the framing here: Using one farm family's story to talk proactively about ag's responsibility to downstream communities, recreational tourists and more, with specific practices referenced including cover crops, conservation tillage and precision application. | Read More |
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| How Montana Ag Producers are Building Topsoil, Drought Resilience and Profits (via Montana Free Press) | Shared by Drew Slattery, human dimensions of change lead, Trust In Food: This article explores two responses to soil degradation in the age of climate change: organic and regenerative farming systems. Read to hear how they are similar, different and contributing to farming in the future.
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