What We’re Reading – Soil Wealth Report

By: Kevin Alexander Watt

In July, the Croatan Institute, Delta Institute, and Organic Agriculture Revitalization Strategy published a fascinating and provocative report called: Soil Wealth: Investing in Regenerative Agriculture Across Asset Classes. The report explores a crucial question of the regenerative food movement: how and where can investment help scale regenerative agriculture? 

Building on research from Project Drawdown,  the report predicts that investments in climate-friendly agricultural practices over the next 30 years could help stabilize the climate by mitigating 170Gt of CO2 equivalents. These investments could also generate nearly $10 trillion in net financial returns while providing numerous co-benefits, including improved animal welfare and public health and increased agricultural productivity and resilience.  (see Figure 2).

According to the report, there are currently 127 investible strategies incorporating some elements of sustainable food and another 67 investment mechanisms that explicitly support regenerative agriculture.  The investment opportunities vary significantly in their readiness but add up to an optimistic and dynamic vision of the future.

The report also profiles institutions and organizations that are leading the way in offering comprehensive solutions.  One of the organizations profiled is Beneficial State Bank whose CEO is also TomKat Ranch’s founder, Kat Taylor. According to the report,  Beneficial State Bank is one of the only banks that makes lending in the regenerative food system an explicit priority.

Overall this report outlines an important next step for a regenerative food system and how an effective and scalable vision for investing in regenerative practices and their benefits can be supported by investors interested in financing agriculture that is not just sustainable, but regenerative for land, people, and communities.

To read the report, please click here.