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Pastoral empowers farmers for sustainable livestock farming, certifies their products, and offers UK consumers premium net-zero animal proteins and dairy.
About
Pastoral is an AgTech startup on a mission to revolutionise sustainable farming in the UK. We equip farmers with innovative technology and insights to transition to regenerative livestock farming, enabling them to achieve net zero emissions. Our approach promotes Planned & Mob grazing techniques, subdividing pastures into numerous rest areas and a few grazing sections. This method boosts the soil's carbon sequestration ability so significantly that we typically see a 30% reduction in the farm's greenhouse gas emissions. Essentially, we're using the farm's land as a carbon sink that offsets emissions from their animals. Moreover, these practices lead to a roughly 40% increase in biodiversity, further benefiting the environment and enhancing soil quality. Our product suite comprises four primary components. The first is Animal Sensing: we deploy solar-powered IoT sensors that track animals, provide health data, and introduce virtual fencing. The second component consists of giving knowledge about regenerative farming, including patterns for selecting rest and grazing areas and using local weather patterns and seasonal data to adjust pasture lengths and sizes. Thirdly, we work with the British remote sensing company "Loamin" to measure, verify, and report improvements in biodiversity and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Lastly, we certify the milk and meat products from animals tracked by our IoT sensors and are part of our prescribed grazing routines as "Low Carbon" or "Net Zero" at the point of sale to a wholesaler. This certification has tremendous market potential, as we project the "Low Carbon" stamp to become a significant industry trend in 2023 and 2024. Already, farmers and producers in New Zealand are selling these certified products at premium prices. This aligns with the consumer trend of reduced meat and milk consumption, but they are willing to pay a premium for low-carbon alternatives when they consume these products. Recent news from the University of California indicating that alternative meat sources can lead to up to 25 times more greenhouse gas emissions than traditionally farmed meat and milk reinforces the value of our approach. Regeneratively farmed products, backed by our certification, emerge as some of the lowest-carbon animal proteins and milk products currently available.
Key Benefits
Regenerative Farming: Pastoral empowers farmers to adopt regenerative farming practices, improving soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Technology and Data Insights: Using IoT sensors and AI tools, Pastoral provides valuable insights about animal health and location, enabling early detection of potential issues such as sickness, pregnancy, or predator attacks. Operational Efficiency: By implementing virtual fencing and providing data-driven insights, Pastoral helps farmers improve their operational efficiency. This could lead to increased productivity and cost savings. Sustainability Verification: Pastoral's partnership with the remote sensing company "Loamin" allows for third-party verification of improvements in biodiversity and reductions in GHG emissions, adding credibility to farmers' sustainability efforts. Premium Market Access: Pastoral's "Low Carbon" or "Net Zero" certifications allow farmers to sell their products at a premium, catering to consumers willing to pay more for sustainably-produced, low-carbon dairy and meat products. Consumer Trust: For consumers, Pastoral's certification provides a reliable way to identify and purchase low-carbon, regeneratively-farmed products, supporting their commitment to sustainability. Environmental Impact: By promoting practices that increase soil carbon sequestration and biodiversity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Pastoral contributes to the broader goals of environmental conservation and climate change mitigation.
Applications
Livestock Management: Pastoral's technology provides real-time insights into the health and location of livestock, improving animal welfare and reducing loss due to illness, injury, or predation. This enables farmers to manage their livestock more efficiently and effectively. Sustainable Farming Practices: By promoting regenerative grazing techniques and providing farmers with the tools and knowledge to implement these methods, Pastoral plays a crucial role in shifting farming practices towards sustainability. Certification and Verification: Pastoral's third-party verification service provides credible certification for low-carbon and net-zero products, helping farmers market and sell their products at a premium and allowing consumers to make more informed, sustainable choices. Environmental Conservation: The regenerative farming techniques that Pastoral supports not only improve soil health and biodiversity but also help mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Data-Driven Farming: Using data from animal sensors and remote sensing technology, Pastoral enables farmers to make more informed decisions about grazing strategies, animal health, and overall farm management. Supply Chain Transparency: By certifying and tracking products from farm to table, Pastoral enhances transparency in the food supply chain, which is increasingly valued by consumers and retailers alike.