From Sowing to Growing: Cultivating Value in Regenerative Agriculture (Rothschild & Co)

Summary

• Over 90% of the world's soils could be degraded by 2050 on current trends.p.2
• Wildfarmed grain is used by over 1,000 food businesses from bakeries to Michelin-starred kitchens.p.2
• An early study estimated the annual cost of soil degradation in England and Wales at £1.2 billion.p.3
• England's Sustainable Farming Incentive provides up to £163/ha for cover cropping, totaling over £45,000 a year for a 200-hectare farm.p.4
• In 2026, 40 of the world's largest food and agriculture companies signed a joint declaration supporting the SAI Platform's Regenerating Together Programme.p.6
• A June 2026 FAIRR report revealed that corporate spending on farmer transition financial support amounts to just 0.01-0.05% of revenue.p.6

Key insights

1. Global research shows cover cropping can increase soil water infiltration by around 35%.p.3
2. A field trial with Wildfarmed demonstrated a 36% improvement in water infiltration, followed by a 3.8x uplift in in-field plant diversity.p.3
3. Six major companies pay Wildfarmed growers a premium because reduced chemical runoff lowers water treatment costs at the source.p.3
4. The Sustainable Farming Incentive in England pays £73/ha for no-till, £129/ha for winter cover crops, and £163/ha for summer cover crops.p.4
5. The share of 78 surveyed global food companies with quantified regenerative targets dropped from 35% in 2023 to 28% in 2026.p.6
6. The proportion of global food companies actively measuring regenerative outcomes increased significantly from 16% to 54%.p.6