DECEMBER 2, 2021 – MORRISVILLE, NC – The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, announced today that the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund (USRCF) has been recognized as an Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) Innovation Sprint Partner. USRCF is an initiative of the Soil Health Institute, made possible with the generous support of the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation as the founding partner.
AIM for Climate is a joint initiative by the United States and the United Arab Emirates that seeks to address the climate crisis by accelerating investments in climate-smart agriculture. The selection of SHI’s fund was announced during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland on November 2, 2021.
“Being recognized on the global stage with a cohort of climate-smart initiatives raises awareness of this critical work and helps to accelerate adoption of regenerative agricultural systems,” said SHI CEO and President Wayne Honeycutt. “This will help advance our goal of drawing down one million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from the atmosphere by 2026. We are excited to be conducting this work that benefits farmers while simultaneously contributing to transformative climate action in the agricultural sector.”
About the Soil Health Institute
The Soil Health Institute is a global 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement. We bring together leaders in soil health science and the industry to help farmers, ranchers, and landowners adopt soil health systems that build drought resilience, stabilize yield, and benefit their bottom line. The Institute’s team of scientists, holding doctorates in various soil science and related disciplines, has developed highly effective soil health targets and standardized measurements to quantify progress at achieving regenerative and sustainable agricultural systems, and leads the cutting-edge fields of carbon sequestration and decoding the soil microbiome. Healthy soils are the foundation for rejuvenating our land. Together, we can create a secure future for all, mitigate the effects of climate change, and help agriculture and organizations meet production and environmental goals at scale.
Visit www.soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
About the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund
The USRCF is a unique, farmer-facing, science-based initiative that will support long-term, sustainable cotton production in the United States, with the goal of eliminating one million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from the atmosphere by 2026. The Fund is supported by a $5 million grant from the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation. Participating partners of the Fund currently include Cotton Incorporated, National Cotton Council, and Field to Market.
About AIM for Climate
The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate / AIM4C) is a joint initiative created by the United States and the United Arab Emirates. AIM for Climate seeks to address the climate crisis by uniting participants to significantly increase and accelerate investment in, and/or other support for, climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation over the next five years (2021 – 2025). AIM for Climate seeks to drive more rapid and transformative climate action in the agricultural sector, empowering agriculture to be part of the solution to address the climate crisis, build resilience to its impacts, and create co-benefits of climate action. Diversity, gender equity, and inclusion are critical to the success of the mission. AIM for Climate recognizes the wide range of participants necessary to achieve its goal and seeks to draw on diverse knowledge, experiences, and cultures. Participation in AIM for Climate is voluntary.
To learn more about the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund, visit https://soilhealthinstitute.org/usrcf/.
To learn more about AIM For Climate, visit https://www.aimforclimate.org/.
Contact:
Byron Rath, Soil Health Institute: brath@soilhealthinstitute.org (718.916.3822)
Laurent Lawrence, Ralph Lauren: Laurent.Lawrence@RalphLauren.com (914.262.3952)