InVivo speeds up the transition to regenerative agriculture with the SAI Platform

From 19 to 21 May, the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI) organized its annual event in France. The InVivo Group, a partner in this coalition of 190 members worldwide, took the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to regenerative agriculture, a key cultivation method for meeting the challenges of climate, economics and agronomy. With its subsidiaries Soufflet Agriculture, Moulins Soufflet and Soufflet Malt, InVivo has set up innovative partnerships to deploy these agricultural practices. 

Restoring soil health and biodiversity: the promise of regenerative agriculture 

Regenerative agriculture aims to restore and sustainably improve soil health, using agronomic practices based on reduced tillage, permanent plant cover and crop diversification. This systemic approach makes farms more resilient in the face of climate change, by improving water retention in the soil, enriching biodiversity (particularly in soils, which are home to 60% of the world's biodiversity), reducing their carbon footprint, while guaranteeing good economic performance. 

When deployed on a crop rotation scale and backed by long-term contractual models, regenerative agriculture creates both environmental and economic value. The SAI Platform has developed a framework for disseminating these practices on an international scale with its Regenerating Together Program. Today, 1.3 million tons of wheat and barley are already under the SAI certification, or the equivalent: 1 million for malting barley and 300,000 tons of responsible wheat. 

Scaling up crop rotation to massively deploy regenerative agriculture: a vision for the future for InVivo 

"At InVivo, we are convinced that supporting farmers at farm and crop rotation level is essential for a sustainable future and the widespread deployment of regenerative agriculture. Thanks to the expertise and commitment of our Soufflet Agriculture, Moulins Soufflet and Soufflet Malt businesses throughout the agri-food value chain, we have the unique ability to promote this innovative approach. By integrating regenerative agriculture and working towards multi-channel outlets that make the most of the entire crop rotation, through our Sowing Sense approach, we can accelerate the transition towards more responsible, resilient and sustainable farming practices." 

Olivier Clyti, Director of Strategy, CSR & Digital. 

For example, Soufflet Agriculture, Lesieur and Saipol (Avril) have signed a multi-year rapeseed and sunflower marketing contract covering the period from the 2024 to 2027 harvests. These multi-year contracts give farmers greater visibility and security. Internationally, Soufflet Malt is working with Bairds Malt, Scotsgrain to co-construct their "Dalmunach Growers" programme with Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard) in Scotland. This programme supports a pilot group of farmers in adopting regenerative practices over several years. 32% of Soufflet Malt's barley supply already comes from sustainable sources, with a target of 80% by 2030. Lastly, the proportion of Moulins Soufflet's flour derived from sustainable sources Semons du Sens has increased 20-fold in 14 years, and now stands at over 450,000 tonnes.