The Regenerative Finance R&D Lab
​FS6 identifies, investigates, and activates new and existing pathways for capital to support the transition to regenerative agriculture. This means:
  • Imagining new and different ways to help farmers, ranchers, and food businesses access the right type of capital and the right time in their journeys
  • Engaging with conventional capital providers to help them understand opportunities around regenerative agriculture
  • Making the case for shifts in agricultural economic policy at the local, state, and federal levels

Through the Regenerative Capital R&D Lab, we explore, identify, test, and develop new financial products and services that can help level the playing field between conventional agriculture finance and regenerative agriculture finance.

​This involves collaboration with many different stakeholders in the ecosystem who offer expertise in needed areas such as architecting financial products and educating investors. 

Changing the Culture of Capital

Imagine how farm finance might be different if lenders redesigned their policies to support the values inherent in regenerative agriculture. How  might an underwriter’s opinion of a potential loan deal change if soil were counted as a depreciating asset on the balance sheet? 

Would that underwriter’s opinion of a potential loan deal change if they knew that conventional farming methodologies were stripping soil away at a rate that would make that land unfarmable in 50 years?

​The result might be that a loan applicant promising to apply regenerative farming principles would suddenly be more attractive than a conventional farmer—precisely the opposite of current lending practice. 

The Regenerative Finance R&D Lab's
​current pilot projects include:

Loan Guarantees

Exploring loan guarantee models for impact driven loan funds servicing regenerative producers and the development of corresponding secondary markets

EQIP Bridge Loans

Piloting a bridge loan to help more producers access the NRCS EQIP program without having to make upfront capital expenditures

Wisconsin's PACE Amendment

Piloting the adoption of agroforestry practices in Wisconsin using its newly amended Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program that provides financing for stormwater and resiliency related improvements

Regenerative Input Financing

Piloting a financial program that assists producers with purchasing regenerative inputs from companies that do not provide long-term financing or “buy now, pay later” programs that are abundantly available in conventional agriculture

Dairy Heifer Grazing

Developing a financial mechanism that incentivizes and supports the adoption of dairy heifer grazing in lieu of feed-reliant rearing systems

Insurance

Exploring new developments and innovations in insurance and risk products to help producers who may lose access to Crop Insurance and Federal Subsidies make the transition to regenerative agriculture
We believe that partnership and diversity are key to creating the type of transformative change we want to see in our food system. To learn more about these programs, share your work, or explore ways to get involved:

Consulting


Regenerative agriculture touches on so many aspects of human and ecological health: climate, water quality, social equity, nutrition, and more. This means there are countless exciting opportunities to drive more impact and support a better food system for people and the planet. Because our food system encompasses so many different things, however, it can be difficult to know where to start, where to engage, and how to stay up-to-date on this fast-paced movement.

At FS6, we offer a variety of consulting services to support foundations, family offices, funds, and other capital providers with understanding how their engagement can make a difference. This involves everything from interactive discussions about what’s happening and where the space is headed to assisting with the development of philanthropic and investment strategies. To learn more about how FS6 can help, send us a message here.
FS6 Business Accelerator

In its initial iteration, FS6 was on a mission to support entrepreneurs that have economic and racial justice, environmental sustainability, rebuilding local food systems, and community health at the core of their solution. Its accelerator program prioritized working with frontline entrepreneurs – those who have not traditionally had access to funding and support – most of whom are working closely or within the communities that they serve. To learn more about FS6’s accelerator program, click the link below.