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Food buyers, farmers partner for regenerative agriculture adoption in pears

A partnership in West Michigan is helping food companies and farmers adopt more regenerative agriculture practices.

Oceana Conservation District Manager Laura Ackerman tells Brownfield a new Regenerative Pear Growers Network is paying farmers to improve soil health.

“For the past few years, we have had a series of long stretches without rain that is an incredible pressure on all of our growers,” she shares.

Apple buyers like John Halverson say investing in the practices is part of a broader effort for the Bel Group to protect the orchards they source from.

“We’re seeing it in all of our sourcing regions where we’re having these longer dry periods,” he says.

The company started a similar pilot for apple growers in 2024 for their GoGo Squeeze products.

Over the next year, they’re partnering with Gerber, Michigan State University, and growers to start transitioning practices in pear orchards.

Brownfield interviewed Ackerman during the Farming for the Future Field Day on Thursday, hosted at Michigan State University AgBioResearch West Central Michigan Research and Extension Center in Hart.