ADM takes sustainable agriculture to new heights
ADM has announced that it is expanding its traceable soybean pilot after shipping its first vessels of verified, fully traceable soybeans from the US to Europe.
ADM intends to expand these capabilities in the 2024 growing season, particularly with the anticipation of the new EU deforestation regulations becoming effective at the end of the year.
This follows ADM’s expansion of its regenerative agriculture program in Europe, which has already started in the UK and Poland. This program provides financial and technical support to farmers, ultimately helping build a more sustainable food system.
Matt Hopkins, ADM’s vice president, North America River and Export, said the program – along with our comprehensive plan to achieve 100% deforestation-free supply chains by 2025 – demonstrates the value of ADM’s global footprint and its investments in climate-smart and regenerative agriculture.
“While there are still issues – including how full compliance will be defined, measured and enforced – to work through in advance the EU’s deforestation regulations, we are confident in our ability to continue to deliver to customers in Europe,” said Jon Turney, ADM’s vice president, EMEA Crush. “We will continue to work with stakeholders – including farmers, government and industry – across our supply chains in the U.S. and other key regions in between now and the new regulations coming into effect on December 31.”
ADM’s traceable soybean program is an outgrowth of its International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) certified bean program, and utilises cutting-edge technology – such as FBN’s Gradable digital platform – as well as ADM’s origination and transportation capabilities to verify, trace and segregate participating beans from farms to their final destination.
In the wake of the successful pilot, which delivered 2.4 million bushels (64,000 metric tons) of fully traceable soybeans to European customers in 2023, ADM intends to broaden the program to additional North American locations in 2024, providing the opportunity for interested farmers to continue to participate in current and new global markets that generate greater value and preference for their crops.
Rolling out the company’s regenerative agriculture program in Europe starting in the UK and Poland in 2023 is a key part of ADM’s plan to support regenerative farming practices across four million acres globally by 2025.
ADM sees important opportunities to scale up regenerative agriculture in countries across Europe. In the UK, for example, ADM will work with key partners to utilise remote data collection and satellite technology to give participating growers crucial insights into the carbon footprints and sustainability performance of their crops.
Candy Siekmann, director of Climate Smart Ag Origination at ADM, said: “The roll-out of our program to Europe is another way in which ADM is partnering with farmers and building the resilient supply chains of the future by reducing food and agriculture’s impact on the environment and lowering carbon emissions across the crops we source.”
