Building Resilience:
When Margins Shrink, Start With Soil Health
(An excerpt from ‘The Dirt”: SCI’s Monthly Farmer Newsletter)
This time of year it’s all about farm planning and locking in decisions for the coming season - what you're growing, what you're buying to grow it, fertilizers, chemicals, equipment. That's typical. What's atypical is the state of the ag economy. Crop prices aren't looking good, and in a lot of places, the co-op program costs more than you'll make.
That changes the importance of soil health. We can't be good caretakers if we can't stay in business. When the price is set low, the only thing you can control is expenses. Good soil health means reduced fertilizer, fewer chemical applications, less equipment and labor. That's how you stay afloat in a year like this.
If you want help thinking through farm planning, reach out. We've got Soil Regen and regional farm planners who can talk it through with you.
As always we’re sending our best and wishing you another successful year farming!
🌾 Taylor Herren, SCI Farm Program Director
P.S. Registration is open for our next upcoming Field Day for Delta Regen Rice+ will be on March 24 at Chappell Farms in Cotton Plant, AR. We hope to see you there!
FROM THE FIELD
Poem submitted by SCI Farmer: Jerry Volenec, Hardscrabble Farms
When you start to question a few things you start to question... well, everything.
You and me and a small percentage of this world are charged with this charter...
Governments want a well fed and content population.
Managing a population...
We do that every day.
Cattle, sheep, pigs, whatever.
People.
Time to stand and feed them right.
A tough standard when managing a population, but cheap isn't working.
See, now, I rambled.
Back to Regen.
The obstacle I'm working to surmount is to see things as a system, not separate entities.
Crop ground, grazing ground, individual fields, wildlife, soil, water, sun, seasons, profit, loss, life, death, family, home, economy, country, planet, God.
It is all one, Brother.
-Jerry Volenec
ANNOUNCEMENTS
⚠️ Farm Data Sessions
If you haven't already, please schedule a time with Brian to complete your farm program info. We need an accounting of your management program for 2025 and we'll talk through anything upcoming for this year.
✅ SCI Verification Standard, Version 3.0
With greater potential demand for verified products, it's important to understand that getting verified means meeting our Verification Standard.
You're on track if you've completed soil testing and been giving us your information - your acres are in the bank. But if you want to dig into the standard and understand what's to come if you were to get verified, set up a time with Taylor.
📢 Whole Foods Market Approves SCI Certification
We're excited to reshare the news about Whole Foods. This is a significant step forward in building markets for regenerative crops. Whole Foods represents a small percentage of the actual grocery sector, but they're a standard bearer and signal for everyone else. This is a good thing, and we hope the outcome is more brands participating in SCI and supporting farmers.
If you've got questions about where things are at with market development, set up a time with Taylor.
EVENTS
Delta Regen Rice+ Field Day
March 24 | Cotton Plant & Little Rock, AR
Join us for our second Delta Regen Rice+ Field Day at Adam Chappell's farm in Cotton Plant, AR!
Co-hosted in partnership with Arkansas Soil Health Alliance, agenda include fundamentals of soil health, regenerative rice systems (flood and row rice), planting into covers, making compost from rice hulls, and integrating poultry into a row crop system.
Regenerative Revival: A Soil-to-Soul Celebration of Food, Movement, Music, and Community
May 2 | Salado, TX
Join Soil Regen at Barrow Brewing Company for a celebration of farmers, food, and family.
Regenerative Revival is expanding this year with a clear theme: Soil to Soul, recognizing that healing and regeneration happen at many levels. Healthy soil leads to healthy plants, healthy food, healthy people, and ultimately healthier communities. The event brings together multiple pathways of regeneration, including food, movement, music, land stewardship, and shared experience.
Held alongside the Salado Farmers Market, the day begins at 9:00 AM with grounding yoga, led by Caroline of Proud Heart Yoga, setting the tone for a day focused on restoration, balance, and presence.
Attendees are encouraged to come and go, explore the farmers market, enjoy the brewery grounds, and engage in meaningful conversations around food, soil, and regeneration.
Soil & Climate Alliance Network Meeting
June 16-18 | Allentown, PA (Includes a visit to Rodale Institute!)
We’re thrilled to share that our Soil & Climate Alliance (SCA) will be hosting their annual in-person, on-farm Network Meeting at Rodale Institute this June!
Over three days, we’ll dive into the science and practice of regenerative farming, with hands-on learning and behind-the-scenes access to Rodale’s pioneering research. Expect exceptional farm tours, deep dives into soil health and nutrient-density outcomes, and rich conversations with practitioners, scientists, and supply-chain partners who are shaping the future of the field.
As always, our gathering will offer abundant opportunities for connection, collaboration, and systems-level problem-solving across the entire SCA network. We can’t wait to bring this community together on ground that has inspired decades of agricultural innovation.
⭐ Farmers receive 100% discount on registration with promo code: FARMERS
⭐ SCI Brand Partners receive 50% discount on registration. Please reach out for the promo code.
INDUSTRY NEWS
USDA Expanding Bridge Payment Program
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is opening the enrollment period for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, providing $11 billion in one-time bridge payments to row crop producers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs.
The FBA enrollment period opens Feb. 23 and closes April 17, 2026.
New NRCS Regenerative Pilot Program
In December 2025, USDA NRCS launched the NRCS Regenerative Pilot Program, a farmer first, outcomes-based approach to conservation designed to return the agency to its core mission, helping people help the land. NRCS is investing $700 million to specifically support regenerative agriculture, including:
$400 million through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
$300 million through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
SCI is monitoring announcements and will update you as we learn more about details and deadlines. We're committed to supporting all of our farmers to understand and access these funds and other NRCS programs.
Please reach out if you're interested and would like help applying.