Resilience in a Challenging Year

Rolling into this harvest, farmers are facing a tough economic reality. Input costs are high, commodity prices are unimpressive, and there’s just so much uncertainty in the world right now. 

Despite all of that, harvest season still brings that familiar energy. Farmers getting antsier by the day, ready to cut, wanting to see how the year turned out. 

How Farmer-Led Advisory Networks Can Transform Agriculture

Who holds expertise in agriculture? Traditional agricultural advisory systems in the United States have long been built on a one-way flow of information – from university researchers, extension agents, and industry consultants to farmers. This top-down model overlooks a fundamental truth: farmers themselves are among agriculture’s most valuable sources of knowledge and innovation. 

A Summer of Soil and Stories

I'm in the middle of my annual farm tour. It’s my 4th summer on the road - getting out to meet people in person and see regenerative agriculture at different stages across the country.

No two farms are alike. Even next-door neighbors face different realities based on their soil, climate, goals, and reasons for caring about soil health.

Building Farmer Networks and Markets Across Regions

Building markets has been a hard row. CPGs and consumers aren't moving fast, and corporations won't bear transition costs (largely, there are a few exceptions like Seven Sundays and other SCI brand partners). But we're making progress connecting small groups of farmers with buyers and securing philanthropic funds to underwrite program and verification costs. 

Planting season is mostly wrapped up - the first big milestone of the year behind us. Driving through any farm community this spring and the hard work is impossible to miss - early mornings, dealing with whatever Mother Nature brings, and the persistence to keep going.

SCI farmer Jerry Volenec captured this perfectly after finishing his planting: 

“Finished planting today. Calves will do a thing, kinda like a dog will... end of their day, they’ll kinda nest up... I’m sure you’ve seen it... paw at the bed, circle, you know they’re thinking. Then they’ll lay down. And you know they are set when they let out a deep breath... almost a sigh. I’m there.”

The farm season is in full swing, with planters rolling across fields and the spring work rhythm taking over. For many of you, days stretch from dawn to well past sunset as you make the most of every workable hour. 

Weather remains our great humbler. In Arkansas, we just saw 15 inches of rain in 3 days - a stark reminder that Mother Nature holds the reins. These extremes seem to be our new reality: wild temperature swings, droughts followed by floods, and unpredictable planting windows.