"We see an incredible opportunity to impact one of the most chemical intensive and soil degrading systems of agriculture - growing cotton - by directly supporting cotton farmers to transition to regenerative agriculture"
- Ryland Engelhart Co-Founder Kiss the Ground
The name, “Kiss the Ground" Cotton will let consumers know that products they purchase are being made with cotton that has being grown on farms engaged in regenerative agriculture practices. The program will work directly with farmers in the United States and abroad supporting their growth, education, and adoption along the continuum of regenerative agriculture. This partnership will benefit the Kiss the Ground non-profit organization with endowments for each pound of cotton produced to support the broader regenerative agriculture movement.
Regenerative agriculture is one of the greatest tools in our fight against climate change and our battle against the effects of global warming. Regenerative farming has been proven to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increase organic matter for a healthier soil, by sequestering carbon through increasing photosynthesis. The regenerative agriculture practice of building and maintaining living soils full of beneficial biology makes food available for the crop, thus removing the need for synthetic inputs. There are several different methods and techniques that make up regenerative agriculture.
Kiss the Ground, together with Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA), a regenerative farming consultancy company with 15 years' experience in the regenerative farming industry, have designed a program to work with farmers to grow cotton regeneratively. The program supports farmers in their practices to be efficient regenerative farmers and reap the benefits that come from a healthier soil with year after year improvements. Help will include teaching the farmers how to adopt the best regenerative farming methods and practices. Financial help for farmers may come in different ways – from help in acquiring necessary equipment and biological materials, to the cost of testing the crop, to price subsidies. The “Kiss The Ground" Cotton program will be monitored to assure compliance. We believe that based on location, soil structure and other factors as well, no two farms are exactly alike and must be treated accordingly. That is why we will take an individual approach with each farm to determine and create how we best support the path to healthier agriculture.
We invite all to join our journey to a regenerative future!