OMAHA, NEBRASKA, US — Scoular is offering soybean producers a new program with financial incentives for following sustainable farming practices.

The per-acre incentives are offered through a national “Climate-Smart” program funded by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Scoular’s participation is part of its sustainability efforts that include trialing emissions-reduction technology to launching a regenerative agriculture pilot program.

The Climate-Smart program rewards producers in certain regions for implementing practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote carbon sequestration, and improve soil health. The soybeans Scoular will source through the program will be marketed to brands and retailers, passing the sustainability benefits through the supply chain.

“Sustainability is important for our company and is crucial for the agriculture industry,” said Eric Kresin, a general manager in Scoular’s Grain Division. “We are excited we can support producers in their sustainability efforts. This program highlights our commitment to building a more sustainable and resilient agricultural system for generations to come.”

Producers in the new program must use one of the following practices to be eligible for incentives: conservation crop rotation; no-till; cover crop; nutrient management; and reduced till.

Scoular recently processed its first Climate-Smart soybeans at its grain cleaning facility in Andres, Illinois, US.  

Jake Willrett, a sixth-generation family farmer in Malta, Illinois, US, who works with Scoular, grows soybeans that have qualified for the Climate-Smart program and says his family has used sustainable farming practices for decades. The program’s financial incentives are helpful, he said, but what is most important to him is that it promotes sustainability.

“I’m a steward of the land,” he said. “It’s my job to take care of it.”

The Climate-Smart effort is known officially as the Transforming the Farmer to Consumer Supply Chain project. The USDA funding is through Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities and represents a pioneering collaboration between industry partners led by Carbon A List.