Microsoft invests in regenerative agriculture through Farmland LP investment
Published: October 11, 2024
Category: Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative ag is getting a major push from tech software giant Microsoft’s investment in Farmland LP (https://www.farmlandlp.com)—a fund manager that converts conventional commercial farmland to sustainable production. Microsoft dollars will go to Vital Farmland III, the fund’s $250 million real asset-based fund supporting the regenerative approach to climate-smart farming.
One of the largest U.S. farm managers, Farmland LP oversees 18,500 acres across Washington, Oregon, and California. Its technological investments include satellite imaging, electronic monitoring, and automated harvesting.
In this deal, Farmland LP will develop soil carbon credits and expand the market for them; it will develop protocols defining how regenerative ag and carbon sequestration practices are managed, measured, and verified. These protocols will help farmer monetize their sequestered carbon. It will use Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard, the most widely used greenhouse gas crediting program.
Miicrosoft will purchase all carbon credits Farmland LP generates, as well as develop carbon credit projects on future Fund III acquisitions. “Microsoft’s investment in Fund III….will demonstrate to other growers that generating carbon credits from regenerative agriculture is feasible,” said Farmland LP’s Eoin Doherty.
Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund has earmarked $1 billion to speed up creation of protocols and innovations requiring capital to gain scale. The company aims to be carbon negative by 2030.
Farmland LP’s third fund was launched in August 2023, with the goal of transforming conventional farms into sustainable and organic operations.
Source: Global AgInvesting Media
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Organic & Non-GMO Insights October 2024
