Regrow Facilitates Regenerative Rice Production through USDA-Funded Projects

(28 September 2022) — Regrow is accelerating progress in regenerative rice production through its involvement in two innovative rice partner projects, which have been granted funding from the USDA as part of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding pool.

Climate-Smart Commodities funding has been allocated to support projects that expand markets for America’s climate-smart commodities, leverage the greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits of climate-smart commodity production, and support underserved food producers. Regrow is a contributor to seven of those projects in total, including two rice projects: USA Rice Federation’s Rice Stewardship Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities and the AgriCapture Climate-Friendly Rice Certification Program. 

Regrow will be assisting with research and development for the USA Rice Federation program, primarily through our exclusive soil carbon model, DNDC, and will be modeling and quantifying the GHG benefits of climate-friendly rice cultivation with AgriCapture.

Regrow’s industry-leading science and technology makes research, soil modeling, and outcomes quantification simple and scalable for climate-smart rice and other commodities. Regrow’s contributions to well-supported, USDA-funded projects will ensure a greater footprint for climate-smart commodities and more progress towards U.S. climate goals. This funding not only ensures greater reach for the projects funded, but also supports the science and technology behind these projects and helps to accelerate the adoption of sustainable technologies and farming programs nationwide.

“We are thrilled to partner with organizations that are working to increase the adoption of regenerative rice practices,” said Anastasia Volkova, PhD, CEO of Regrow. “USDA funding for these projects will allow these projects to scale appropriately, reach their full potential, and help the U.S. fulfill its agriculture-based climate goals.” 

As rice is the primary staple food for more than half  of the world's population, supporting climate-friendly crop production is one of the biggest opportunities for the agriculture industry in combating climate change.

“Rice is the ultimate climate-smart crop and the tremendous support we received from USDA is welcome recognition of that,”

said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. “USA Rice is the lead partner for this $80 million grant and we look forward to working with our partners up and down the supply chain to enhance and strengthen the sustainability record of the U.S. rice industry.”

In addition to supporting climate-friendly rice production, it’s also imperative to appropriately monitor practice adoption and measure the outcomes of adopted practices. This is Regrow’s paramount contribution to climate-friendly rice.

"Regrow is partnering with AgriCapture to model and quantify some of the many climate benefits tied to adopting AgriCapture's Climate-Friendly Rice Certification program,” said AgriCapture Founder & CEO John Farris.

“We are excited to utilize Regrow's modeling to provide verified Climate-Friendly rice to the market."

Explore our recent rice partnership with Kellogg’s, and learn more about building a regenerative agriculture program with Regrow.

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