Project Overview
Commodities
- Agronomic: corn, grass (misc. annual), grass (misc. perennial), hay, soybeans
- Animals: bovine
- Animal Products: dairy
Practices
- Animal Production: grazing management, grazing - rotational
- Production Systems: holistic management, organic agriculture
Proposal abstract:
Amidst the pressing need for climate action in the lush, high-rainfall regions of the American Midwest, the nonprofit, Kalona Regenerative Network (KRN), is dedicated to forging a future where farmland has deep soil with no erosion, clear water, and increasing biodiversity while production is occurring. This proposed endeavor integrates a groundbreaking approach that enhances profits and holistic success, dispelling uncertainties around the financial feasibility of addressing ecological concerns through systematic monitoring.
Supporting predominantly Amish dairy producers across the Midwest, KRN is catalyzing sustainability in the dairy industry by offering dairy producers an innovative premium market pathway. This pathway incentivizes adoption of contextually relevant, regenerative practices that enhance ecological health, ensuring economic viability while addressing local challenges. The project empowers farmers through ecological outcome verification (EOV) monitoring, fostering confidence in their ability to drive positive ecological changes that lead to improved profitability. Initially driven by market incentives, farmers' empowerment will eventually catalyze grassroots adoption of regenerative practices, preserving the Midwest's agricultural fabric and economic vitality.
Expected outcomes include: improved landbase EOV scores, increased farmer confidence in decision-making, and establishment of a reference point for impacts of regenerative methods in the dairy industry - sparking curiosity and awareness amongst farmers and consumers.
Project objectives from proposal:
OBJECTIVE 1
Provide a premium market pathway and support Midwest dairy farmers to incentivize managing for improved ecological health.
OUTPUTS
1A Conduct EOV monitoring on 56 dairy farms.
1B Quarterly visits with participating farmers establishing a baseline for, and continually gauging, farmer optimism, openness to addressing ecological concerns, and perception of their social and financial situations.
OBJECTIVE 2
Draw conclusions to inform next steps for KRN (and other networks) to improve farmer social, financial, and environmental well-being and better understand how the three pillars impact one another.
OUTPUTS
2A Written summaries
2B Findings disseminated locally, within industry, and to consumers