Big Ag Will Give Consumers What They Think They Want
If consumers want regeneratively grown food, Big Ag will give it to them.
That’s the gist of ADM’s “2026 Regenerative Agriculture Report,” released in late September. ADM (short for Archer-Daniels-Midland) is one of the largest grain purchasers and processors in the United States. Since 2023, the company has been offering incentives for farmers to practice regenerative agriculture. But what does that mean?
“ADM defines regenerative agriculture as an outcome-based farming approach that protects and improves soil health, biodiversity, climate and water resources while supporting market opportunities and increased value for farmers,” the report states. ADM lists five principles of regenerative agriculture: maintain living roots in soil, maximize biodiversity, minimize soil disturbance, continuously cover bare soil, and responsibly manage inputs.
In North America, ADM pays farmers up to $40 an acre to use at least one of the following four practices: plant a cover crop, use double cropping in wheat rotations, implement no-till or strip-till, or use the 4R nutrient management program. ADM’s regenerative practices are based on the USDA’s definition of soil health (plus the 4Rs). But then why not just use the term “soil health”? Why call it “regenerative”?
Marketing.
“Consumer interest in regenerative agriculture is rising fast,” ADM said in a report titled, “From Awareness to Action: Turning Regenerative Agriculture into Brand Growth.” This report found that 59 percent of consumers had heard the phrase “regenerative agriculture”—but only 19 percent were “familiar with what it means.” Yet even if they weren’t sure what it meant, 83 percent of consumers “chose to purchase a product when they saw regen ag messaging on it.”
This, ADM says, creates “a powerful opportunity for brands to build trust, stand out on shelf and connect with consumers who want their purchases to make a difference.” The company now offers a line of “regeneratively sourced flours” (milled with 100 percent renewable electricity), marketed to food processors as a way to “achieve your sustainable sourcing goals while also differentiating your brand with on-trend features consumers are seeking.” (ADM also sells organic flour but, curiously, none of its whole wheat flour options are either regenerative or organic.)
What’s the takeaway for eco-ag? First of all, this shows that efforts to market the word “regenerative” have been successful. Maybe too successful, because the word has spread faster than any standard definition of what it means. That makes it easy for companies like ADM to call conventional farming with a cover crop on top “regenerative” and continue business as usual while reaping extra profits.
Secondly, it shows that consumers have power to shape the food products offered even by corporate giants like ADM. Imagine what could happen if consumers demanded that anything labeled “regenerative” be USDA-certified organic—and if ADM decided to start incentivizing farmers to grow organic grains. That could accelerate the organic transition far faster than any government program. And it’s within the realm of possibility—if we can get the word out to the world that “regenerative” without organic is meaningless.
