Regenerative agriculture is transforming how farmers manage land. By focusing on soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable practices, it offers a path to resilient farming and better yields. Jonathan Humphrey, a farmer from Bartoszyce, Poland, has embraced these methods to overcome significant challenges. His story highlights the potential of regenerative farming and the role of carbon markets in supporting sustainability.

Farming near the border of the Kaliningrad Oblast presents unique difficulties. Jonathan Humphrey runs a farm spanning more than 1,000 hectares in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. His main challenges include:

1. A shorter growing season due to the northern location.

2. Labour shortages, making it hard to maintain large-scale operations.

3. Poor initial soil health with low organic matter content (<1%) and high acidity (pH ~4).

Intensive farming was not an option; instead, he's had to focus on improving soil health. Over the past 27 years, he has continued this commitment to soil care.

“It’s an evolution, not a revolution. Every year, I learn something new about my land. Farming isn’t about making the soil look neat after plowing it 30 cm deep. It’s about considering if it makes sense.”

Humphrey avoids traditional ploughing. Instead, he uses no-till farming, which minimises soil disturbance and preserves its structure. This approach reduces erosion and enhances water retention.

“It's not the right thing to do plough, to move soil six inches left or right just for the sake of killing all the natural structure. It’s not the right way to treat soil,”

Planting cover crops helps maintain continuous biological activity in the soil. These crops protect the soil from erosion and improve its organic matter content.

Humphrey enriches the soil with natural turkey manure compost. This method improves soil fertility and provides essential nutrients without relying on chemical fertilisers.

To promote biodiversity, Humphrey leaves parts of his land out of production. These areas attract bee colonies and other beneficial wildlife, fostering a healthier ecosystem.

“We get flocks of birds in our fields that the neighbours don’t. Why are they on my fields? I don’t know. Maybe they’re warmer. There’s something there that attracts them"

Despite initial poor soil conditions, Humphrey has observed that yields have become more consistent, while his soil's resilience during dry periods has meant that in years with low spring rainfall, his crops perform better than they did before adopting regenerative methods.

The primary benefits of regenerative practices, according to Humphrey, include stable yields on plots that initially had poor consistency and resilience during 'weaker' years. This is particularly evident in sandy areas susceptible to water stress during the spring growth period.

“In years with low rainfall from March to June, the condition of wheat on lighter soils wasn’t ideal, but it was much better than in the early years. People keep telling me, oh, there’s a drought. I say, okay, there’s a drought. Why is the forest growing? Because the forest holds water."

AgreenaCarbon is Europe’s leading soil carbon programme for farmers. It aligns with scientific research and market expectations to provide high-integrity carbon credits.

Farmers like Humphrey can join the programme to:

• Access support in transitioning to regenerative agriculture

• Reduce their greenhouse gas emissions

• Generate and earn income through carbon credits

For companies, partnering with farmers engaged in regenerative agriculture offers:

ESG alignment: By investing in sustainable farming, companies are supporting farmers to restore soil health, biodiversity and water retention, while providing farmer and community benefits.

Supply chain resilience: Establishing relationships with farmers enables companies to accurately account, report and claim Scope 3 emission reductions and work towards net zero targets.

Carbon mitigation opportunities: Beyond value chain mitigation through purchasing carbon credits, while supporting agricultural sustainability.

Jonathan Humphrey’s story demonstrates how regenerative farming can overcome harsh conditions and improve long-term farm sustainability. The AgreenaCarbon programme plays a crucial role in this transformation, offering farmers financial incentives and companies a chance to actively play a role in creating positive climate impact.

Learn more and explore how your company can accelerate net zero ambitions with regenerative farming partnerships.