Despite the economic downturn that had a stark impact on investment across asset classes, 2023 was a busy year for the development and investment in regenerative agriculture and food. RFSI News covered the year with both curated news from around the sector and with stories of our own. Here’s a look at the top 10 RFSI News stories of 2023 and a look at the top 6 RFSI News interviews.

RFSI’s Top 10 Stories of 2023

> 4 Key Groups That Food Corporations Must Support to Facilitate Regeneration

As they say, “With great power, comes great responsibility,” and such is the case with global food companies – ten of which control most of the global food system. Considering the tremendous scale of transformation potential that these corporations represent, they have a key role to play in the systemic transition of agriculture and food away from extraction and degradation. And while the how is incredibly important, we also wanted to take a look at the who. On their own path to transformation, large food companies have a significant role to play in supporting stakeholders across the system to transition to regenerative.

> How Mad Capital is Changing the Trajectory of Regenerative Farm Finance

In an agricultural system where degradation is perpetuated by an antiquated financial system that incentivizes the status quo, financing options that meet the unique needs of farmers transitioning to regenerative or organic practices are limited. Mad Capital is pushing the envelope about how we think about and execute regenerative agriculture finance by blending new debt and traditional debt models. Their effort took a big step forward in late 2022 when Mad Capital announced a $4 million seed round fund raise in December, bringing them a bit closer to meeting their goal of financing 10 million acres of farmland by 2032. We had the opportunity to talk to Mad Capital Co-Founder and CEO, Brandon Welch, to dig into their work today, the recent fundraise, and how they plan to keep changing the trajectory of regenerative agriculture finance.

> Regenerative Capital: Aligning Intention with Reality

Like regenerative agriculture, regenerative capital needs to be looked at from the perspective of what it regenerates, how this capital is different from traditional extractive approaches, and the process by which the intended regenerative outcomes actually materialize. By understanding and applying the mindset and approaches that we use to build regenerative agriculture, we can also begin to understand and build regenerative capital frameworks.

> SLM Partners and Impact Ag Partners Launch New Australian Fund

Two powerhouse real asset managers – SLM Partners and Impact Ag Partners – are joining forces to launch a new fund that will invest in regenerative agriculture and carbon storage in Australia. The SLM Agri Carbon Fund – which has already secured a cornerstone investor – will combines decade-plus experience from both companies to scale up regenerative, low-carbon farming systems that will deliver positive social and environmental impacts.

> Farmer Mental Health Crisis is Another Call for Systems Transformation

Here’s a startling fact: Farmers and ranchers are twice as likely as people in other occupations to die by suicide, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and farmers report stress is on the rise. This is a crisis. What is it about farming that leaves its community more susceptible and how can this be addressed with human and capital resources?

> Growing Returns: Agroforestry’s Success Over Technical and Financial Obstacle

This past summer, Keavin Hill of Hill Farms added 51,000 chestnut trees across 650 of their traditionally row crop acres in Northern Kentucky. This significant transition in land use to include permanent crops is set to bring both long-term ecosystem and economic benefits to Hill’s operation and he’s not alone. Hill is one of a growing number of operators that are adopting agroforestry – defined as the intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems. It’s not just operators either, investors are also slowly turning onto the opportunity of agroforestry…with good reason. Read how investment capital can help farmers overcome adoption barriers.

> How the Non-Accredited Investor Can Invest in Regenerative Agriculture & Food

Opportunities to invest in regenerative agriculture and food have increased dramatically in the past five years and for good reason. Regenerative agriculture can work to address some major global challenges – including climate change and biodiversity loss – and some sector specific challenges – including declining farmer incomes and the decline of rural communities. For the professional investor, these new investment opportunities seem relatively diverse and plentiful. But what about the non-accredited investor? We took a look at the options that exist for these investors to fund regeneration.

> Women Leading Investment in Regenerative Food Systems

The bad news: Women are grossly under-represented in the finance and investment space, especially in key decision-making and leadership roles. The good news: The regenerative agriculture and food investing space may be small but there is a growing list of capable, passionate, and driven women working to drive investment into a new, resilient food system. We’ve identified women in the U.S. who are leading the effort to unlock capital to regenerate our agriculture and food systems.

> Mainstream Food Meets Regenerative: 7 Lessons from the Past Year

In the past 12 months we have seen a proliferation of the term regenerative agriculture across the food system – from farmer, to emerging brand, to input providers, to global food corporates – representing many different levels of understanding and approaches to engagement in the space. During this time, the RFSI team has had the opportunity to attend and participate in several convenings that have allowed us a view into how different corners of the food system – including mainstream food and agriculture stakeholders – are stepping into the space. From Amsterdam to Anaheim to Chicago to Minneapolis, here are some of the lessons we’ve taken away from these experiences.

> New $25 Million Offering from Iroquois Valley Will Support Land Security for Communities of Color

Regenerative land stewardship has an important role to play in addressing the climate, pollution, and human health crises brought on, in part, by decades of extractive agriculture and food systems. But we are only at the beginning of what needs to be a massive transition in land management and all hands on deck are needed – including and especially those stewarding our land. Unfortunately, not all land stewards have the same opportunities to participate. Historically, discriminatory programs and policies have presented barriers for BIPOC communities to access land and financing at the same rate as others. With this in mind and a mission to a mission to keep farmers on the land, Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT has launched a new program – the Rooted in Regeneration Notes – to help address these inequities.

RFSI’s Top 6 Interviews of 2023