A coalition of 40 major food and agriculture organizations has signed a declaration supporting a new regenerative agriculture framework designed to create greater consistency across global supply chains, marking one of the largest coordinated industry efforts around regenerative farming to date.

According to a Reuters report on the initiative, companies including Nestlé, Mondelēz, Diageo, Carlsberg, FrieslandCampina, and other food and agricultural firms have signed a shared declaration supporting the rollout of the Regenerating Together Programme developed by SAI Platform.

The announcement comes as food companies, processors, grain buyers, and agricultural suppliers continue looking for ways to measure regenerative outcomes consistently across different crops, climates, and production systems. Reuters reported that the framework is intended to help address challenges involving climate resilience, biodiversity, soil degradation, and long-term agricultural productivity while providing greater alignment across supply chains.

Industry Moves From Pilot Projects Toward Wider Adoption

The framework follows a multi-year pilot phase that tested regenerative agriculture implementation across numerous production systems and geographic regions.

According to Reuters reporting on the pilot program, the initiative operated across 25 countries and involved companies including Nestlé, Louis Dreyfus Company, and McCain. The goal was to determine whether a common framework could function across different agricultural sectors while remaining flexible enough for local farm conditions.

Reuters quoted Axelle Bodoy, Global Head of Regenerative Agriculture at Louis Dreyfus Company, who said:

“(It’s) a way to move away from every company having their own initiatives.”

The challenge has been a familiar one for producers. Different buyers, sustainability programs, and food companies often use different definitions and reporting requirements when evaluating regenerative agriculture practices.

Why Standardization Matters to Farmers

While regenerative agriculture has expanded rapidly across food and agriculture markets, definitions have often varied among companies, programs, and regions.

According to the SAI Platform’s Regenerating Together Programme documentation, the framework is intended to help producers and supply-chain partners translate regenerative agriculture concepts into measurable actions at the farm level. The program focuses on outcomes involving soil, water, biodiversity, and climate.

Reuters quoted Brigid McAleer, communications director at SAI Platform, describing the framework’s flexibility:

“It’s for the farmer to decide what they want to do and what they think is best for their land, from their own observations, from their own experience.”

That farm-level flexibility has become increasingly important as regenerative agriculture expands into row crops, dairy, beef, specialty crops, and mixed farming systems.

Carbon Markets Continue Creating Additional Incentives

The growing focus on common standards also arrives as private investment in regenerative agriculture continues to expand.

Earlier this year, Reuters reported that Microsoft agreed to purchase 2.85 million soil carbon credits from Indigo Carbon in what was described as the largest voluntary soil-carbon credit transaction announced to date.

Reuters reported that the credits are generated through regenerative agricultural practices including reduced tillage, cover crops, and managed grazing systems that increase soil carbon storage while improving water retention and soil function.

The transaction highlighted how regenerative agriculture is increasingly intersecting with carbon markets, creating potential additional revenue opportunities for participating producers beyond traditional commodity sales.

Supply Chain Expectations Continue to Evolve

Food manufacturers and agricultural buyers continue to face increasing pressure from investors, consumers, and reporting frameworks to demonstrate measurable environmental outcomes.

According to a Reuters analysis of emerging agricultural climate-reporting standards, new accounting frameworks are creating more rigorous requirements for measuring agricultural emissions reductions and environmental outcomes.

The report noted that the lack of consistent accounting standards has historically created uncertainty for companies investing in regenerative agriculture. Industry participants believe clearer frameworks could improve transparency and comparability across agricultural supply chains.

What Producers Are Watching Next

The immediate focus will be the formal launch and implementation of the Regenerating Together Programme and whether major food companies begin incorporating the framework into sourcing programs and supplier initiatives.

For farmers, ranchers, and agricultural cooperatives, the broader question is whether common standards reduce reporting complexity while improving access to incentive programs, supply-chain partnerships, and emerging environmental markets.

The initiative does not create a single mandatory definition of regenerative agriculture. Instead, its supporters say it provides a shared structure that can be adapted to local conditions while giving food companies and producers a more consistent way to measure outcomes.

Related Resources

• Reuters: Global Food and Beverage Giants Join Forces on Regenerative Agriculture
• Reuters: From Pilots to Practice — A New Bid to Scale Regenerative Agriculture
• SAI Platform Regenerating Together Programme
• Reuters: Microsoft in Record Deal for Soil Carbon Credits