New industry roadmap supports farm advisors to scale regenerative practices
A new industry roadmap has been released to support the large-scale adoption of regenerative agriculture by strengthening the role of trusted farm advisors. The initiative was developed through collaboration between conservation groups and agricultural stakeholders to support farmers and improve environmental outcomes.
“For regenerative agriculture to truly scale, it must be embedded in everyday farm decisions —and that requires the buy-in and support of farmers’ most trusted advisors,” said Luke Petersen, farmer advisor strategy manager at The Nature Conservancy.
“This roadmap provides a framework for funders, policymakers, agribusinesses, and conservation leaders to invest more strategically and unlock the full potential of farm advisors to drive both farm profitability and positive outcomes for nature,” said Luke Petersen.
The roadmap focuses on private-sector farm advisors, including agribusiness professionals, independent agronomists, and certified crop advisors. These advisors play an important role in guiding daily farm decisions across millions of acres. Their influence makes them key partners in helping farmers adopt sustainable farming practices.
The report identifies several major challenges in slowing progress. These include limited workforce capacity, unclear business benefits for advisors and farmers, and gaps between public and private efforts. Addressing these barriers is essential for regenerative agriculture to succeed at a scale.
To overcome these challenges, the roadmap presents three connected pillars and nine practical recommendations. These actions focus on coordinated investments, workforce training, stronger alignment between sustainability goals and business needs, and improving access to technical support for farmers.
The roadmap emphasizes that regenerative agriculture must fit into everyday farming decisions. Supporting trusted advisors with training, tools, and clear value propositions can help ensure these practices are both profitable and environmentally sound.
Industry leaders note that advisors want to help farmers adopt regenerative practices, but solutions must make economic sense for everyone involved. The roadmap provides guidance to reduce risk, support innovation, and unlock new opportunities.
“Ag retailers and advisors want to help farmers adopt regenerative practices, but they must be able to do so in ways that make economic sense for both parties,” said Daren Coppock, president and CEO, Agricultural Retailers Association. “This roadmap provides a clear path de-risking innovation and aligning sustainability goals with emerging business opportunities.”
In addition, the roadmap partners will host a free public webinar on May 13, 2026. The webinar will share key findings, explain recommendations, and highlight ways stakeholders can participate. This ongoing collaboration aims to create a stronger, more sustainable agricultural future.
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