By Blake Jackson
A new initiative is taking shape to support regenerative agriculture in the American Midwest. The TransCap Initiative, backed by the Walton Family Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation, has launched Stage 2 of its systemic investing prototype. This phase focuses on creating a "capital orchestrator" — a financial platform designed to align and manage different types of funding toward sustainable farming goals.
This orchestrator will bring together investments from various sources and direct them into critical areas for regenerative agriculture. Unlike traditional funding approaches, it will act as a backbone organization, supporting long-term agricultural transformation in the region.
To guide this process, a Design Council of 20 organizations has been formed. The council includes groups such as Practical Farmers of Iowa, Minnesota Farmers Union, Funders for Regenerative Agriculture, and the University of Minnesota Forever Green Initiative. It also includes nonprofits, technical experts, investors, and food companies like PepsiCo.
“Capital is flowing into regenerative agriculture, but it’s often fragmented and uncoordinated,” said Ivana Gazibara, the TransCap Initiative’s Director of Prototyping. “The capital orchestrator is a shared platform to move from one-off solutions to coordinated investment portfolios that reflect the complexity and ambition of the agricultural transition we need.”
“Agriculture and business both need to be sustainable to be successful in the long run,” said Morgan Snyder, Senior Program Officer, Walton Family Foundation. “We’re proud to support this effort to design a financial architecture that’s shaped by the people who know the land, the communities, and the challenges firsthand.”
“Regenerative agriculture isn’t just good for the soil — it’s good business,” said Anne Schwagerl, Vice President at Minnesota Farmers Union. “Done right, it can build a thriving, resilient, and profitable agricultural economy that benefits farmers, rural communities, and the environment. This collaboration is about ensuring money flows to make that vision a reality.”
This six-month collaboration builds on earlier research that identified key challenges and opportunities in the region. The Design Council will now decide what kinds of capital should be included, how the orchestrator will be governed, and how to meet both investor and farmer needs.
This marks a major step toward a stronger, greener, and more resilient farming system in the Midwest.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-zoran-zeremski
Categories: Minnesota, Business