ADM (Archer Daniels Midland Company) and Farmers Business Network (FBN) have inked a collaborative agreement aimed at expanding the availability of FBN’s digital farm business management platform, Gradable, to ADM’s extensive network of farmers across North America. This collaboration intends to empower approximately 55,000 growers with access to a comprehensive digital solution designed to help manage their farming enterprises effectively while also facilitating the measurement of sustainable production data.
Through the utilization of the Gradable platform, farmers can identify avenues to enhance profitability. The platform boasts robust measuring, reporting, and verification capabilities, enabling farmers to actively participate in regenerative agriculture programs and tap into new markets for low-carbon grain. Some of the key benefits offered by Gradable include:
- Comprehensive Digital Business View: Farmers can access a comprehensive digital overview of their farming operations. In the future, they will have the capability to manage contracts, settlements, and scale tickets, all from a single location.
- Agronomic Guidance and Education: The platform provides farmers with valuable agronomic guidance and educational resources aimed at maximizing environmental market outcomes.
- Verification of Regenerative Farming Practices: Gradable enables farmers to verify and maintain records of regenerative farming practices, including cover cropping, reduced tillage, and nutrient management.
- Access to Capital: Farmers can access operating lines of capital with the potential for discounts based on the adoption of regenerative practices.
Greg Morris, President of ADM’s Ag Services and Oilseeds Business, expressed ADM’s commitment to decarbonizing the industry and meeting the demand for sustainable products. He highlighted ADM’s $20 million commitment to incentivize cover crop usage among farmers to enhance soil health and reduce carbon emissions. The partnership with FBN further exemplifies ADM’s dedication to providing digital tools that support regenerative agriculture practices.
The Gradable platform is expected to enhance farmer participation in sustainability markets by enabling the seamless collection and calculation of verifiable production data. This, in turn, empowers farmers to monetize the downstream benefits of sustainable agriculture in the market.
FBN’s CEO, Amol Deshpande, emphasized Gradable’s potential to serve as a powerful carbon accounting system for building a low-carbon agricultural economy. The collaboration between ADM and FBN combines ADM’s industry expertise and scale with FBN’s digital technology, offering an efficient, accurate, and consistent platform for calculating and verifying regenerative farming practices. This transparency extends throughout the supply chain, ultimately supporting consumer demand for sustainable products.
In conclusion, the partnership between ADM and FBN represents a significant step toward advancing sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices. By providing farmers with access to digital tools like Gradable, the agricultural industry is poised to enhance profitability while promoting environmentally responsible farming. This collaboration not only benefits farmers but also supports the growing demand for sustainable consumption among consumers.