McKaskle Family Farm operates over 3,000 acres in Braggadocio, Missouri, positioned just west of the Mississippi River in southeastern Missouri. McKaskle Family Farm cultivates a variety of crops, including popcorn, Basmati and long-grain rice varieties, soybeans, corn, cotton, and oats. Steve is passionate about the future of farming in the Mississippi River Valley and wants to see more landowners and farmers incorporate climate-friendly growing practices.
02 The Farmer
Steve McKaskle started farming in 1973 as a fifth-generation farmer. Steve wholeheartedly believes in regenerative agriculture and the benefits it will bring to the industry globally. This is demonstrated by his pioneering efforts in organic weed and pest control, developing groundbreaking cultivation techniques with the USDA and helping companies develop transitional rice programs. Steve’s farm is the largest domestic producer of organic aromatic and long grain varieties of rice, securing relationships with notable companies such as Chipotle, Whole Foods Market, United Natural Foods, KeHE and Hiland Naturals. Steve works tirelessly to ensure high-quality data collection and management. He passionately believes that you cannot effectively manage what you do not measure, and as such, the integrity of the data is his top priority.
03 The Ask
For Steve to financially benefit from his long-standing commitment to regenerative farming he needs AgriCapture’s expertise to successfully navigate previously unexplored market opportunities.
04 The Challenge
Carbon credits are based on additionality. Because Steve has practiced regenerative farming for some time, additionality will be harder for Steve to achieve which will make it more difficult to qualify for carbon credits. Like Steve, we believe he should be rewarded for being an early adopter in implementing Climate-Friendly practices, not penalized.
05 The Solution
AgriCapture will consult with Steve to continue evolving his growing design, emphasizing rice straw incorporation, reduced/low tillage, and sustainable field flooding management. Furthermore, AgriCapture will provide data management and analysis to prioritize the practices that generate the best results and provide the data that will be needed to apply for carbon credits.
AgriCapture will market McKaskle Family Farms’ products to capture climate friendly product premiums. Steve’s long-term efforts and focus on sustainable, regenerative practices add inherent value and should be priced accordingly.
Specifically, AgriCapture Supports Steve’s Efforts by:
- Consulting on regenerative farming practices
- Providing data management and analysis
- Establishing connections to corporate buyers
- Providing marketing and sales support
06 The Impact
For the environment: Carbon sequestration, GHG emissions reduction, water quality, and soil health
The climate-friendly growing design leads to:
- Reducing methanogenesis
- Returning carbon to the soil
- Avoiding greenhouse gas emissions
- Potential co-benefits including reduced water usage, improved air and nutrient-enriched soils which increase soil fertility, reduce the need for fertilizer application, and improve the decomposition process
For the landowner: New revenue streams and increased land value
- Carbon offsets and insets
- Climate Friendly product premiums
- Marketing rights fees
- Increased land value
“AgriCapture is making my farming operation more profitable by offering a turnkey solution to quantify and monetize my carbon offsets. Their team is also working with me to obtain a better price for my climate-friendly, sustainable rice and popcorn.”
Steve McKaskleMcKaskle Family Farm
