Creating climate resilience for farmers

Accelerating New Zealand’s transition to regenerative agriculture

Farmers under pressure to transition to climate and freshwater-friendly farming practices can access farm advisors and financial support from the Calm The Farm marketplace, launched today by Toha Foundry.

Calm The Farm is developing new financial products and connecting farmers with advisors and impact investors keen to accelerate New Zealand farming’s shift to regenerative agriculture (regen ag).

For the past two years the Calm The Farm team has been working with farmers, regen ag advisors and scientists, to understand regen ag practices and how data can unlock impact investment and speed up the transition to more sustainable farming.

Mike Taitoko, co-founder of Toha and acting Chief Executive of Calm The Farm, says: “Farmers have told us they want their social licence back. Calm The Farm wants to support farmers to build resilience into their businesses by improving the health of the soil, water, animals, the economics and, ultimately, the wellbeing of our farmers”.

Emerging scientific evidence shows regen ag farming to be better for the environment and climate. Regen ag practices are able to enhance carbon sequestration, reduce soil erosion, restore biodiversity, replenish soil nutrients, and increase soil water retention and fertility. Such practices also minimise the leaching of excess nutrients into waterways, thereby improving freshwater quality.

Mike Taitoko says, “We are seeing an increasing sense of urgency to act now on climate and freshwater. Globally, impact investors are leaning in to support farmers to make the move to regen ag.

“Calm The Farm’s impact measurement and verification framework creates confidence and trust between farmers and investors, by proving actions and tracking outcomes.”

Data that proves actions and outcomes is the key to unlocking global impact investment funds. Through Calm The Farm, investors can track and monitor the environmental impact of their investment. Farmers can request investment to support their regen ag journey - from capital infrastructure costs all the way through to incentives that encourage collective efforts towards a cleaner river catchment.

The new venture’s platform helps farmers co-ordinate their on-farm data to measure changes in soil health, ecosystem and animal health and productivity as a result of new practices. Calm The Farm uses the latest tools and technologies to measure the long-term impacts of regen ag for waterways and climate.

Greg Barclay, the first regen ag advisor to partner with Calm The Farm said: “I see first-hand the difference in the land and animals - but crucially, regen ag also makes good business sense. Calm The Farm is showing it’s possible to improve the environment and the books at the same time.”

With impact investment matched to individual farms transitioning inside of priority catchments for cleaner freshwater, Greg Barclay expects his clients to tackle their transition faster with greater confidence.

He says “the methods I have developed over time see my clients making this shift within cash flows, but gradually as their operating margins allow. A channel for support and investment to accelerate the work on the farm means we can transition more of the farm faster.”

Facing one of the driest summers on record, farmers are asking for urgency and practical solutions. Mike Taitoko says, “Big climatic events are only going to get worse and we know that regenerative agriculture is a way to build resilience back into the farm.”

The Calm The Farm team are now focused on ensuring the footprint of regenerative agriculture scales up as quickly as possible.

Farmers, investors and advisors wanting to find out how to benefit from Calm The Farm can register their interest at https://www.calmthefarm.nz/take-action

About regenerative agriculture

Regenerative agriculture is a system of farm management practices that work together to rebuild the soil and pasture health of farms. This is achieved through practices such as longer grazing rotations, minimum tillage, reducing or eliminating the application of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, and planting a diverse range of grasses on pastures.

About Calm The Farm

Calm The Farm is powered by Toha Foundry and exists to accelerate the global transition to regen ag, starting in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Through the Calm The Farm marketplace, farmers can request the support and finance they need to confidently transition away from synthetic fertilisers and chemicals to regenerative practices.

Calm The Farm matches those requests with advisors and investors wanting to back New Zealand’s transition to more climate-friendly farming.

Calm The Farm supports groups of farmers to organise around collective outcomes such as improved freshwater quality, increased biodiversity in a catchment area or new supply chain opportunities.

Through the Calm The Farm marketplace, farmers can club their data to attract incentives and resources needed to encourage the participation of their peers, and measure impact outcomes as they progress towards reaching their collective goal.

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