Mars has called for stronger policy action to expand climate-smart agriculture across Europe, citing both progress and persistent barriers faced by farmers adopting regenerative practices.
Over the past year, Mars has partnered with agricultural suppliers and technical organisations including Agreena, Biospheres and Soil Capital. More than 300 farmers in its European supply chain have introduced practices such as cover cropping and no-till cultivation across 60,900 hectares. Farmers report early signs of improvement in soil structure, water retention and resilience to drought and heavy rainfall.
Antony, a farmer in South East England participating in a Mars-supported programme, said: “We are much less concerned about water logging as infiltration rates are better, and we don’t worry so much about drought as water holding capacity is much improved… the crops look better and profitability is returning even in challenging years.”
Farmers’ experiences varied across regions, but several emphasised that scaling such practices requires financial stability and technical training. Izabela, a farmer in northern Poland, said regenerative measures had led to “increased water retention,” adding: “Policy based on the results of specific agricultural practices supports the development of agriculture… strict regulations detached from real needs and weather patterns can only harm farmers, the soil and crops.”
Norbert, a farmer in southern Hungary, said improved soil structure after adopting regenerative techniques meant sudden rainfall could drain more quickly: “The better soil structure and surface coverage usually results in a spectacular difference.”
Mars said systemic change requires stronger public–private cooperation and called on European policymakers to:
- expand partnerships that provide training, technical support and financial incentives;
- adopt outcome-based frameworks that recognise regional differences;
- harmonise measurement standards with global benchmarks such as SBTi and the GHG Protocol.
Paolo Rigamonti, Regional President Europe Pet Nutrition at Mars, said: “Europe’s farmers play a vital role in improving soil health… Mars is investing to help farmers adopt these practices – but they can’t do it alone. We need the right conditions in place, and policies that accelerate what is already working.”
Industry partners echoed the call for enabling policy. Agreena CEO Simon Haldrup said scaling regenerative farming “demands genuine collaboration,” while Biospheres CEO Sébastien Roumegous noted uneven adoption across Europe due to varying levels of local support. Soil Capital CEO Chuck de Liedekerke added that policymakers must “scale what’s already working across Europe’s diverse farm realities.”
Mars said expanding climate-smart agriculture remains central to its net-zero strategy and its target to deploy regenerative practices across more than one million acres globally by 2030.
