Regeneratively-sourced Cotton

Building a regenerative, traceable supply chain for growers and buyers

Good soil health practices = grower rewards

As more consumer brands seek sustainably-grown cotton, Cargill is introducing a program that rewards cotton growers for the positive soil health practices you are already using. You can earn a premium for each pound of regeneratively-grown cotton you produce.

Strengthen your soil, your cotton crop, and your bottom line

Partner with Cargill in our new regeneratively-sourced cotton program if you have implemented cover crops and reduced tillage. In addition to reduced erosion and nutrient runoff, and improved moisture retention, you will receive a premium for regeneratively-produced cotton sold to Cargill.

We also provide:

  • A one-year contract
  • A user-friendly platform for entering production data
  • Connection to a traceable supply chain
Explore your potential

How it works

Enrollment begins in March 2023. To be eligible, you must grow cotton in Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. To enroll:

  1. Sign a contract before December 1 to sell cotton bales to Cargill.
  2. Work with a Cargill rep to enter information about your cover cropping, tillage, and production practices.
  3. Receive a premium per pound of cotton contracted and produced using regenerative practices (cover cropping plus reduced tillage).

 

Cargill Cotton - Building connections from grower to retailer

You have choice when it comes to how to market your cotton. It's the product of your hard work, so naturally you need a partner who will connect you with the marketing solutions that are right for you.

Frequently asked questions

The Cargill regeneratively-sourced cotton program is open to growers in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Texas. Growers will receive a price premium per pound of cotton contracted and produced, and delivered to Cargill, on land where regenerative practices are in place. Growers must have implemented regenerative agriculture practices such as cover crops, no-till or reduced-till since Fall 2022 to qualify for the program. 

Growers have told us they are looking for sustainability programs that offer simplicity, transparency and flexibility to suit their specific operation. We have designed our program with the following benefits: 

  • One-crop-year contract terms
  • Simple enrollment and data collection
  • Transparent measurement and verification options
  • Price premium for regeneratively grown cotton
  • Market access - our unique position in the supply chain allows us to connect farmers with some of the world's largest companies, which are seeking to meet their sustainable sourcing goals.

Yes, Cargill will continue to support the Better Cotton Initiative and still actively trades BCI cotton. 

Yes, but you are required to sell your cotton to Cargill in order to receive our premium.

Cargill has partnered with Regrow to make it easy for farmers to securely enter data to verify their use of regenerative agriculture practices through the Regrow MRV platform. Verification will be supported through in-field data, remote sensing and crop and soil health modeling.  

Cargill takes great care to protect the privacy of the data we collect from farmers. We adhere to strict policies regarding the use of data, as detailed in our Business Information Notice. These terms are embedded in the agreement that each grower must accept and sign to be included in the program. The agronomic data that farmers enter into the Regrow platform is only used to help farmers model carbon outcomes for their enrolled fields.

Contact your Cargill rep or contact us at regenconnect@cargill.com