International Farming’s Post

In a 2021 article from Agronomy Journal, researchers explained how shifting precipitation patterns—like prolonged dry spells and intense rainfall—can significantly impact crop yields. They also emphasized that farmers can effectively address these challenges with the right strategies. At International Farming (I.F.), we’ve embraced this proactive approach on our 6,000-acre farm near Quincy, Illinois, nestled in the Mississippi River flood plain. Historically, irrigation was deemed unnecessary in this region except during rare extreme droughts, but we decided to challenge that notion. Building upon the forward-thinking of the previous owners, we invested in continuing to increase our irrigated acres on the property. Leveraging data from a single, calibrated combine, we analyzed crop yields inside and outside the pivot circles across four pivots. The results were striking: yields under the pivots averaged 35.4 bushels per acre higher than those outside (230.4 bu/a vs. 194.1 bu/a). Moreover, nitrogen use efficiency improved by 19% under the pivots, despite applying the same amount of nitrogen both inside and outside the circles. This was just our first year of data analysis, and while weather patterns certainly play a role, the substantial yield increases have definitely captured our attention. Irrigation might just be a game-changer for mitigating climate risks and safeguarding yields in the Midwest. Stay tuned as we continue to explore and implement innovative farming practices to ensure food security and enhance agricultural productivity! 🚜🌱 #SustainableFarming #AgricultureInnovation #ClimateResilience #FoodSecurity * I.F. farm in northwest Illinois. Four pivots were selected for the evaluation since others had a different crop or a fair comparison could not be made.

On Earth Day we honor all who have served (and continue to serve) as thoughtful stewards of our planet and recommit to our founding promise to ‘leave the land better than we found it.’ “The Earth is what we all have in common, and it is up to us to take care of it.” - Wangari Maathai Wangari Maathai was a renowned Kenyan environmentalist, political activist, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She was the founder of the Green Belt Movement, an environmental organization focused on tree planting, conservation, and women's rights. Maathai was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace. She dedicated her life to environmental conservation, empowering women, and advocating for social justice and human rights in Kenya and beyond.

The future of our #foodsystem depends on the health of our #soil, and right now the indications are not favorable. 🍂 Two-thirds of the world is experiencing #desertification, the process where fertile land becomes desert (UN Food & Ag Org) 🍂 By 2050 it is estimated that there will be 1 billion refugees as a result of soil desertification (UN Food & Ag Org) 🍂 95% of our food is grown in the uppermost layer of soil, called #topsoil. At current soil loss rates, some estimates say we could run out of topsoil in 60 years (Kiss the Ground) 🙈 I.F. is working hard to do our part. Our firm continually collects data, runs tests, and proactively monitors nutrient levels and other dynamic soil properties to help optimize productivity, while promoting #BMPs that maintain or increase #soilhealth over time. These best management practices include #CoverCrops, #CropRotation, and #ConservationTillage. We also educate farmers about these practices and monitor the soil regularly to test for indicators of soil health. Cover Crops: (green manures) support the biology that keeps nutrients, water, and gases cycling through the soil profile and increase the potential for the long-term deposition of carbon. Crop Rotation: one of the most effective ways to maintain and build a resilient soil is to maintain a continuous year-round growing cycle (cash and cover crops). By growing crops year-round, roots continue to produce exudates that improve soil physical characteristics, increasing water-holding capacity while reducing the potential for erosion and strengthening the soil #microbiome. Conservation Tillage: repeated conventional tillage degrades soil structures and increases soil compaction, preventing roots from penetrating various depths in the soil profile and limiting access to nutrients and water. Reduced tillage or no tillage must be selected whenever possible to improve soil structure, conserve energy, and promote a healthier soil ecosystem. Top TrialsTM: We partner with #growers, industry professionals, and other collaborators to evaluate the latest product and technology advances via our Top Trials program. These Trials span a broad range of technologies, from new seed and genetic potential to pre-commercial herbicide and technology evaluations. Soil Testing: Our firm has implemented a biennial soil testing protocol across all farmland properties to evaluate nutrient levels, pH, and organic matter content. In cases where there is degradation, I.F.'s #Agronomy team works with growers to implement a remediation plan to preserve and improve soil health. To learn more about our efforts to keep soil healthy, we invite you to download our 2023 Sustainability Report here: https://lnkd.in/eUjhHgk4 #foodandagriculture #foodsystem #sustainability #sustainablefarming #foodandagriculture #agriculture #sustainableagriculture #sustainableag #assetmanagement #foodeconomy #ESG #esginvesting

Today is a national celebration and recognition of #womeninagriculture! As a firm with deep roots in #agriculture dating back to 1827, we recognize the vital role that women have played in the evolution of the field, and in our firm. 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 At our 3rd annual Food Summit this past year, we were proud to host some incredibly inspiring women in the field who dedicate their every day to improving our #foodsystem. Please join me in recognizing these amazing leaders! 🌿 Terri A. Long, Director for Education and Workforce Development with the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative 🌿 Michelle Schroeder-Moreno, Director at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and Professor of #agroecology at North Carolina State University 🌿 Jeannette and Joyce Martin, owners of a women-and black-owned Produce Company, J&J Martin Produce 🌿 Maggie Monast, Senior Director at the Environmental Defense Fund 🌿 Maggie Kane, Founder & Executive Director of the Raleigh-based pay-what-you-can nonprofit café, A Place at the Table We are proud to be in your orbit and look forward to future collaborations! #genderequity #gendermultipliereffect #femalefounders #femaleleaders #foodandagriculture #foodsystem #sustainability #sustainablefarming #foodandagriculture #sustainableagriculture #sustainableag #assetmanagement #foodeconomy #ESG #esginvesting

We are thrilled to share more about our #sustainability vision and initiatives through our firm's first formal #SustainabilityReport! 🌿 🍃 🍎 🍑 🍒 For calendar year 2023, we aimed to capture some of the highlights, including our Top Trials Program (where we trial 10-15 of the most relevant #agtechnologies annually), some of our key Industry and Community #Alliances, and more about our first #conservationeasement deal. While our focus is on what we have accomplished in 2023, these initiatives are part of a long history of effort to leave the land better than we found it. Founded in 2009, International Farming has been combining our extensive knowledge and relationships with innovative #tech, end-to-end solutions, and #assetmanagement to serve as a passionate champion for #foodtransparency and #landstewardship. We hope you enjoy reading more about how we are turning What I.F. into Reality! You can download the 2023 report here: https://lnkd.in/eUjhHgk4 #foodandagriculture #foodsystem #sustainability #sustainablefarming #foodandagriculture #agriculture #sustainableagriculture #sustainableag #assetmanagement #foodeconomy #ESG #esginvesting

Our CEO and CIO, Charlie McNairy, was quoted in U.S. News & World Report in an article focused on #farmlandinvesting! This article covers the opportunity for institutional #InvestmentManagers to manage financial outcomes alongside #sustainability. “Sustainable farming practices focus on using resources efficiently, reducing agriculture's economic impact, and aligning with environmental, social, and governance [#ESG] considerations,” McNairy says. "Sustainable farmland management can have positive social impacts by promoting fair #labor practices, supporting local #communities and contributing to #foodsecurity," he says. "#Institutionalinvestors increasingly prioritize investments that align with social responsibility goals, making #farmland an appealing option." The article also provides some insight on how #retailinvestors can invest in #farmland, including public #REITs, #crowdfundingplatforms, and Community Development Financial Institutions (#CDFIs). https://lnkd.in/eJs_Jzhw #foodandagriculture #foodsystem #sustainability #sustainablefarming #foodandagriculture #agriculture #sustainableagriculture #sustainableag #assetmanagement #foodeconomy #ESG #esginvesting

We are pleased to share that I.F. has been nominated for the third annual Agri Investor Awards in the “Deal of the Year” category for the closing of our Great Canal #conservationeasement deal in December 2023. Plans for the Fresno, California property include transitioning from the current mix of tomatoes, onions, and garlic into permanent crop development. The plan also includes a 63-acre #wetlandmitigationbank that supports an easement constituting 41 percent of the purchase price. The Agri Investor annual awards, determined through industry voting, recognize outstanding #managers, #investors, #deals, and #innovators. The awards span 40 categories across the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, with global winners also acknowledged. Vote here now through Feb. 7 at midnight (Please note, I.F. employees are not eligible to vote): https://lnkd.in/ekd6_q5y. #foodandagriculture #foodsystem #sustainability #sustainablefarming #foodandagriculture #agriculture #sustainableagriculture #sustainableag #assetmanagement #foodeconomy #ESG #esginvesting

We are proud of what we have accomplished as a firm in 2023 and look forward to furthering these initiatives in 2024 and beyond! We wouldn’t be where we are without a dedicated network of colleagues and partnerships ~ thank you for all that you do to advance #sustainable and #regenerativeagriculture! Strengthening Partnerships GIIN: In 2023, the firm joined The Global Impact Investing Network as a member; the GIIN is one of the largest membership organizations that focuses on #impactinvesting. Leading Harvest: Since 2020, 100% of our applicable Core Fund acreage has been certified under the Leading Harvest Certification Standard; the first scalable, industry-wide solution (informed by growers and agricultural experts) for urgent issues facing agriculture - from #climatechange to #biodiversityloss.   3rd annual I.F. Food Summit: On Dec. 4 & 5 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, our firm brought the food system's most pressing needs to the forefront during our annual Food Summit "The Future We Grow," now in its 3rd year. The Summit welcomed more than 100 industry experts, scholars, thought leaders, #farmers, and #innovators around meaningful discussions focused on grower practices, #soilhealth, #waterstewardship, #sustainability, and #transparency. Measuring and Improving Our Climate Impact Carbon Accounting: In 2023, we began our journey of tracking #carbonemissions for our Core Fund, starting with estimate data for #scope1, #scope2, and upstream #scope3 emissions. Carbon Capture & Storage: In 2023, our firm entered into a 10-year development agreement for a farm in California to develop a carbon capture and sequestration (#ccs) project (capturing CO2 from major industrial sources and injecting it into depleted underground reservoirs for permanent storage). Conservation Revenue & Water Our first #conservationeasement: In 2023, we were awarded funding for our first perpetual conservation easement deal on a property in California. The easement is expected to be completed in 2025. Additionally, a portion was entered into another easement and option to complete a #wetlandmitigation bank. The success of this property helps the firm make a broader economic case to permanently protect more agricultural lands across the tens of thousands of acres of land we own. Additional water expertise: We hired two full-time staff, Bryce McAteer and Nicholas Kenny, P.E., to help assess #waterrisks and opportunities as we grow our portfolio. Data & Technology CropTrak: In 2023, we strengthened our partnership with CropTrak, a leading #farmoperations workflow management software company. One of our Partners, Mohan Tavorath, joined as the firm’s CEO and will be further integrating this technology into I.F.’s operations over the coming months and years. Top Trials: Our farm management team conducted, or began trials, for 15 technologies related to improving resource use and efficiency across #water , #nutrient input, #soilhealth, and more.    

On Dec. 4 & 5 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, our firm brought the food system's most pressing needs to the forefront during our annual Food Summit "The Future We Grow," now in its 3rd year. The Summit welcomed more than 100 industry experts, scholars, thought leaders, #farmers, and #innovators around meaningful discussions focused on grower practices, #soilhealth, #waterstewardship, #sustainability, and #transparency. This year’s event left us optimistic about the opportunity our industry faces, as our panelists and guests showcased the innovation and passion that can be used to transform how we grow, with the potential to solve the global food crisis,” noted Charlie McNairy, IF's CIO & CEO. “As we continue our company’s mission to create a stronger, more #transparent food economy, it will be important to work closely with other forward-thinking organizations and thought leaders to ensure we are creating a better future.” The Summit featured notable speakers and panelists covering a wide range of topics. On Monday, the day kicked off with a spotlight on agriculture & education featuring Terri A. Long, director for education and workforce development with the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative, and Michelle Schroeder-Moreno, director at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and professor of #agroecology at North Carolina State University. Monday featured the event’s keynote speaker, Taylor Keen, founder of Sacred Seed (www.sacredseed.org), a nonprofit that aims to increase education and awareness around indigenous environmentalism. A member of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and the Cherokee Nation, Keen shared tribal wisdom on #Indigenousagricultural thought leadership, as well as the story of Sacred Seed. Other speakers included Maggie Monast, senior director of the Environmental Defense Fund, and the co-founders of women- and black-owned @J&J Martin Produce, Jeannette Horn and Joyce Bowden. The day ended with a focus on reconnection & #resiliency, including sessions with Matthew Kochmann, founder & CEO of Transcend, which strives to help redefine the world’s relationship with death through #treeburial, Maggie Kane, founder and executive director of the Raleigh-based pay-what-you-can nonprofit café A Place at the Table, and Martin S Crompton, #regenerative vineyard and project director of Union Grove Farm and Vineyard, an NC-based vineyard that created The Center for Regenerative Agriculture, a unique ed center and demo farm. The momentum continued on Tuesday, as attendees participated in sessions focusing on #soilhealth, #urbanagriculture, and #foodequity. The day included a special discussion about politics and agriculture featuring Steve Troxler, the North Carolina Secretary of Agriculture, and a spotlight on #urbanagriculture featuring Qiana Mickie, executive director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture. Thank you to all who helped make this year's event a success! We hope you will join us next year!