Field Notes: Kilter Rural sets sights on carbon positive ag; Paine Schwartz closes $1.7bn Fund VI; Ardian launches nature-based solutions strategy

Kilter Rural sets its sights on carbon positive ag, Paine Schwartz Partners closes $1.7 billion Fund VI, Ardian launches nature-based solutions strategy, Butterfly Equity hires Vishal Patel and more. Welcome to Field Notes, the start-of-the-week briefing from Agri Investor .?

Tips & feedback to Binyamin Ali or email [email protected] ??

First look

On tour with Kilter Rural

Agri Investor was recently a guest of Kilter Rural on a trip to Tocumwal, a town in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia.

The reason for our visit? To get a first-hand look at how the impact investor will go about executing on the strategy for its flagship open-end vehicle, the Kilter Agriculture Fund .

Read the full deep dive article here .

They said it

“The market doesn’t quite realize that carbon pricing is accelerating dramatically, and the reason the market doesn’t realize that is because there aren’t clear price signals”

MOMBAK CEO Peter Fernandez discusses how his firm has sold carbon credits for ‘more than $50’ amid the opaque transactions landscape on the VCM.

Fundraising?

Paine Schwartz closes Fund VI on $1.7bn

Paine Schwartz Partners has closed its Food Chain Fund VI on $1.7 billion, exceeding its $1.5 billion target. The fund had a $2 billion hard-cap.

It is the largest food and agribusiness vehicle closed by the New York-based fund manger, surpassing the $1.4 billion Fund V, which reached a final close in 2019.? Read the full story here .

SLM and Impact Ag Partners to launch agri carbon fund

Asset managers SLM & Partners and Impact Ag Partners are launching a joint regenerative agriculture and carbon vehicle that will invest in Australia.

The fund will acquire mixed farms in eastern Australia and implement regenerative practices such as rotational grazing, reduced tillage, cover cropping, integrating livestock with grain rotations, afforestation and environmental plantings of native vegetation. Read the full story here .?

Humble Growth comes to town with $312m

Humble Growth , a new growth equity firm based in New York, has launched with a $312 million debut fund. ?

The vehicle will focus on innovative consumer brands “that promote and empower consumers to lead healthier lives,” said a statement.

The vehicle is backed by food and health industry stakeholders including Nestlé Health Science , Verlinvest , and a host of entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals.

Trailhead VC fund closes on $50m

Venture capital firm Trailhead Capital has closed its inaugural regenerative agriculture vehicle on $50 million. More details here...

Natural capital

Infrastructure GP moves into nature

Ardian , a leading asset manager best known for its investments in the infrastructure asset class, has launched Averrhoa Nature-Based Solutions, a platform dedicated to large-scale nature-based projects that will positively impact the climate, biodiversity and local communities.

The firm has launched Averrhoa in partnership with aDryada , a French operator of forest restoration and biodiversity projects, and the platform will deploy around €1.5 billion of capital worldwide, mainly in emerging markets and developing economies. It will invest in long-term forest, mangrove and wetland restoration projects, aiming to sequester around 150 million tonnes of carbon.

The strategy will be an Article 9 impact fund according to European SFDR regulations and will be managed by Ardian France, with aDryada acting as adviser.

In a joint statement, the firms said they expect the market for carbon credits to grow by a factor of ...Read more

Regenerative ag

The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform Australia has launched a globally aligned definition of regenerative agriculture with the backing of its 170 members, which includes heavyweights such as 雀巢 , 达能 , 联合利华 and 百事 .

The non-profit’s Regenerating Together global framework focuses on the four impact areas of soil health, water, biodiversity and climate. ?

The outcomes-based methodology has a series of principles and practices that are designed to establish an aligned approach to agriculture that aims to mitigate and adapt to the impact of climate change, improve soil health, support biodiversity, retain water in the soil and reduce its consumption while keeping farming businesses viable.

Other SAI members include 嘉吉 , 麦当劳 , Syngenta and Kellogg Company , among others.

Last week, a report from research and investor group FAIRR found that 64 percent (32 out of 50) of global agri-food companies that publicly report on regenerative agriculture as an....read more

People moves

Butterfly Equity adds a new partner

Butterfly Equity has hired Vishal Patel as partner.

VC fundraising

Kern Tec , an Austrian food waste start-up, raised a €12 million Series A funding round led by Telos Impact , with participation from the PeakBridge Growth II Fund and the European Innovation Council Fund.

Ergos, an Indian grains marketing start-up, has raised $10 million as part of its Series B round led by Abler Nordic , with participation from Aavishkaar Capital , Chiratae Ventures , and Trifecta Venture Debt Fund.

Scentian Bio , a New Zealand-based biosensor start-up, raised $2.1 million in a seed funding round led by Finistere Ventures and Toyota Ventures , with participation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , Icehouse Ventures and OurCrowd , among others.

LocalCoho , a New York-based RAS aquaculture startup that raises premium Coho salmon, received a “multi-million-dollar” capital injection from aquaculture investment firm Cuna del Mar .

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#agribusiness #regenerative agriculture #naturalcapital #infrastructure #carboncredits