Our Model
Our Vision, Mission, and 2030 Goals
Vision
Healthy soils that protect water and mitigate climate change impacts are necessary to support farm families and our communities. Our vision is a U.S. food and agricultural system that is part of a healthy environmental ecosystem and is economically viable for all.
Mission
The Midwest Row Crop Collaborative tests and demonstrates solutions that promote the widespread adoption of regenerative, science-based approaches that benefit the environment and shares learnings that support scaled adoption across the supply chain.
2030 Goals and Measuring Progress
MRCC has three goals aligned with its shared ambition for a more regenerative agricultural system, and the scale and urgency that is needed to achieve it.
- Ensure 30 million acres in the Midwest employ practices that support improved outcomes for soil health, greenhouse gases, water quality and use, biodiversity, or farmer livelihoods. At least 1 million of these acres will demonstrate multiple measurable regenerative outcomes.
- Reduce net on-farm greenhouse gas emissions in the Midwest row crop supply chain by 7 million metric tons.
- Directly support at least 30,000 Midwestern farm operations in the transition to regenerative agriculture.
As a collaborative platform, MRCC helps catalyze impact across the work its members do in the region. The goals reflect the collective desired impact from individual members’ work supporting regenerative agriculture in the region and are made possible by the commitments and efforts of each member.
Members
The Midwest Row Crop Collaborative is comprised of leading companies and nonprofits that span the full food and agriculture value chain. We understand that partnerships are vital for catalyzing the innovation needed to drive transformational change. Our members share an ambition for system-wide impact and the belief that collaboration and continuous learning are key elements to realizing the future we need.
Partners
We know that systemic change is only possible with the work of many, and our approach to developing collaborative solutions is reflective of that reality. We intentionally align our strategic focuses to operate in tandem with the work of other, similarly-positioned organizations advancing conservation within the food and agricultural systems.
Governance
Members engage one another through a variety of work groups and convenings, offering opportunities for an insider’s view of practice and strategy implementation and space for creative problem-solving. The MRCC Steering Committee provides guidance for the collaborative’s strategy and activities, shares insight into each member’s emerging priorities, and identifies alignment between members.
Our Story
The Midwest Row Crop Collaborative was formed in 2016 by a small group of corporate members invested in ambitious goals and driven by strategic action. MRCC developed a boundary-pushing vision and innovative model that leveraged each founding member’s assets. Today, it serves as a space for members to refine strategies and incubate solutions to one of the most pressing issues of our time in a region of global environmental and economic significance.