Cargill supports farmer-led learning and soil health practices across key states

As farmers manage tight margins, volatile markets and unpredictable weather, practical, locally relevant support can make a real difference. Through the Success From the Ground Up program, farmers are learning from local peers and accessing hands-on support to adopt soil health practices that fit their farms.

Now in its fourth year, the Cargill program supports established local organizations across key agricultural states, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Ohio, that are already working closely with farmers. By building on the work of these state-based partners, the program helps expand local capacity and advance efforts already underway in farming communities.

Since launching in 2023, Success From the Ground Up has reached more than 193,000 people through workshops, field days, online resources and peer networks, with more than $3 million invested in 13 organizations across 10 states.

Through these partnerships, farmers gain access to education, mentoring and peer networks tailored to local growing conditions. Field days, workshops and farmer-to-farmer exchange create opportunities to learn from others facing similar challenges and to see how practices are working in their region. That local knowledge is critical when putting soil health practices into action.

Approaches like cover crops, reduced tillage and improved nutrient management are well established, but how they work can vary widely depending on soil type, weather and cropping systems. Through trusted local partners, farmers can assess what fits their farm and put approaches to work in ways that align with their operation.

“Farmers want to know what practices work on farms like theirs,” said Alayna Jacobs, Conservation Agronomist at Cargill. “These practices are well established, but how they work varies based on the site characteristics and details of each operation. By supporting local partners and farmer networks, we are helping turn proven approaches into practical solutions that fit each grower’s goals.”

Programs are led by local nonprofits, conservation groups and farmer networks with deep roots in their communities. Cargill is supporting and expanding local efforts that are already delivering value for farmers.

“Support from Cargill helps us meet farmers where they are on their own soil health journey,” said Lisa Holscher, Director at Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative (CCSI). “When farmers can see results locally and learn directly from other farmers who have ‘been there and done that’, they’re more confident – and successful - in making changes that can build economic and weather-related resiliency and profitability in their operations.”

“We’ve seen how soil health practices like cover crops pay off on our own operation, said Rodney Rulon, a corn and soybean farmer in Indiana. “That’s why we have been working with CCSI for over a decade to show other farmers how practices like cover crops and no-till make economic sense.”

Practices like cover crops and reduced tillage can help improve soil physical structure and water-holding capacity, reduce erosion, and support more efficient use of crop inputs. What sets Success From the Ground Up apart is its focus on scaling what already works by investing in local organizations and farmer-led networks to make these practices useful to growers at the field level.

Success From the Ground Up 2026 Grant Recipients

• Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District Foundation (Illinois)
• Conservation Technology Information Center (Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio)
• Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative (Indiana)
• Kansas Black Farmers Association (Kansas)
• No-Till on the Plains (Kansas, Oklahoma)
• Ohio No-Till Council (Ohio)
• Sand County Foundation (Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin)

Cargill is committed to providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. Sitting at the heart of the supply chain, we partner with farmers and customers to source, make and deliver products that are vital for living.

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