Farmers
Paying farmers for sustainable farming outcomes
Cefetra Ecosystem Services in collaboration with Soil Capital has launched an innovative farming programme designed to pay farmers for meaningful improvements in carbon emissions, soil health, water management, and biodiversity. The programme is initially available only in the United Kingdom and Ireland. During 2025 we expect to announce expansion into European and non-European geographies.
At Cefetra, we prioritize outcomes over prescribed practices. We understand that each farm is unique, and we trust farmers to know what is best for their soil. Our programme is intentionally flexible, focusing on measurable results rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. By empowering farmers to choose the methods that work for them, we reward sustainable practices that deliver real, positive outcomes for soil, water, and biodiversity.
We go beyond traditional yield payments by offering farmers additional rewards for their sustainable efforts. Thanks to our unique position in the supply chain and strong relationships with farmers, we serve as a comprehensive one-stop shop where farmers can receive incentives for sustainable practices, access essential inputs, and sell their grains.
Carbon reduced farming
Carbon-reduced farming focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sequestration in the soil to build organic matter creating more resilient soils. This approach benefits the environment by mitigating climate change and promoting biodiversity. By adopting practices such as cover cropping and reduced tillage, farmers can enhance soil health, improve water retention, and boost biodiversity on their land.
Economically, carbon-reduced farming can lead to cost savings and new revenue streams. Healthier soil reduces the need for synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, lowering input costs. Additionally, participating in the Cefetra farming programme provides financial incentives to participating farmers by paying them per tonne of CO2 reduced and/or removed.
The outcomes from carbon-reduced farming are then marketed by Cefetra to our customers in the food, animal nutrition, drink, and energy industries.
“Regenerative farming, in my view is looking after your soil, your soil structure, and just good practice”
Thomas Todd, Cefetra Ecosystem Services Farmer
Soil health is the outcome, carbon is the currency
Our programme is built on a fundamental belief: soil health is the end goal, and carbon is the currency that facilitates this transformation. We partner with farmers to promote sustainable practices, offering financial rewards based on measurable reductions in CO2e emissions. While carbon payments are the established metric today, they serve as a practical tool to advance a broader mission, building resilient farming systems that can endure the challenges of the future.
Our commitment extends beyond carbon. We recognise the critical roles that water management and biodiversity play in fostering resilient ecosystems.
By focusing on improving soil health, we aim to create agricultural landscapes that are not only more productive but also more sustainable. Our programme provides the financial incentives necessary to support this transition, ensuring that farmers are rewarded for their efforts to build healthier soils, protect water resources, and enhance biodiversity. Through this approach, we are driving meaningful change in agriculture, positioning resilience as the ultimate measure of success.
Driving Innovation
With Premium Crops
We are committed to driving innovation through the incentives offered by the Cefetra Ecosystem Services farming programme. By rewarding farmers not just for production yields and grain quality but also for nature uplifts, we create strong incentives for sustainable innovation. Our numerous partnerships with industry stakeholders further drive this progress, with one of our leading collaborations being with Premium Crops.
Founded in 2001, Premium Crops are the UK’s leading specialist arable merchants – supplying seed, buy-back contracts and crop marketing winter and spring linseed, canary seed, borage and added-value oilseed rape.
Cefetra acquired Premium Crops in 2018, diversifying with specialty grain and oilseed supply chains.
Premium Crops hold annual crop, variety and plant protection products (PPP) trials to monitor performance, identify market and support our team of Specialist Company Agronomists to refine their advice to growers. In 2024 alone, over 1000 trial plots were sown.
The discovery of increased crop performance in spring linseed and canary seed following autumn sown cover crops led to a co-operative business venture with Cefetra Ecosystem Services.
Bespoke cover crop mixes, tailored to light, medium or heavy soil types, were introduced to aid farmers in SAM2 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFi) application, retaining soil health and cropping benefits.
The cover crop species and plant populations were strategically chosen to optimise carbon sequestration and storage. This allows farmers to further optimise cover crops in their rotation, allowing additional income through carbon schemes like the Cefetra Farming Programme.
For more information on Premium Crops click here
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Here, you will find a list of frequently asked questions along with their answers. If you have any additional inquires, please do not hesitate to fill our the form at the bottom of the page.
The SFI and Cefetra Ecosystem Services farming programme are compatible, allowing you to be enrolled in both, as they are designed to complement each other. This compatibility extends to other public and private programmes as well. However, Cefetra Ecosystem Services is mutually exclusive with other carbon programmes. We maintain strict standards to prevent participation in programmes that would results in double claiming.
Carbon-reduced commodities are produced using practices that fall under the “regenerative farming” umbrella. These practices include cover cropping, implementing crop rotations, reducing synthetic inputs such as fertilisers, using organic inputs, and integrating livestock, among others. At Cefetra we believe that farmers have the best understanding of their own farms. Hence, while we may encourage them to adopt various regenerative practices, our programme is non-prescriptive, giving farmers complete flexibility in managing their operations. Implementing changes incurs costs and has an economic risk for farmers. The programme compensates for this.
Our Agronomists and Farm Teams collaborate with farmers to create long-term plans that align with the unique circumstances of each farm. Moreover, our Account Managers help you estimate the earning potential of these practices and provide any additional support needed.
To support you in adopting climate-positive practices, we offer a range of tools, resources and mechanisms to enable change. Premium Crops, a division of Cefetra Ltd, offers a variety of cover crops and companion crops under the Cefetra Ecosystem Services brand, for farmers in our programme. Additionally, our Cefetra inputs business supplies farmers with seeds and fertilisers, offering less carbon intensive alternatives to synthetic options.
The market prices a large premium on recent removals/reductions of carbon. This implies that if you decide to “bank” the certificates, the potential increase in their overall value would be offset by the recency requirement of buyers.
For farmers who have begun their transition to regenerative agriculture, Cefetra applies a regional baseline to measure their improvement. Farmers whose baseline assessment show that they are already sequestering carbon overall, the difference between the GHG balance will be compared to a fixed regional reference and some of the difference between the annual performance and this regional reference will be translated into certificates.
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How can we help you? Feel free to get in contact with us!
Send an email to ecosystemservices@cefetra.co.uk or fill in the contact form.