19 & 20 November
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Soy: The Blueprint for a Regenerative Future 1
Opening speech Lieven Callewaert,
President
of the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS)
Often seen as a driver of deforestation and environmental harm, soy has the potential to drive global regeneration. By embracing regenerative practices, soy can become a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, restoring ecosystems, combating climate change and protecting biodiversity.
To produce all the soy the world demands, we need vast amounts of land – around 125 million hectares. This scale presents both challenges and opportunities. As soy is grown on such a huge footprint, regenerative soy could sequester carbon, restore ecosystems, and support biodiversity on a global scale.
RTRS is pioneering this transformation. In 2023, we reached almost 7.5 million tonnes of certified responsible soy across over 2.2 million hectares of productive land, with over 77,000 certified producers. By setting rigorous benchmarks for regenerative practices, we are proving the feasibility of large-scale change.
Soy represents an opportunity to move beyond sustainability. Through methods like crop rotation and agroforestry, regenerative soy can rebuild soils, preserve water, and provide wildlife habitats. Through regenerative practices, soy could become a climate hero. The transition to regenerative agriculture globally could reduce global carbon emissions to pre-industrial levels within 20 years.
Watch the opening speech of the RTRS 2024 International Conference.
Read full article on the opening speech, available on the RTRS website
My vision is that one day, RTRS may no longer stand for the Round Table on Responsible Soy. Instead, it may represent the Round Table on Regenerative Soy – a global movement that redefines agriculture itself.
Lieven Callewaert, President of the RTRS
A
shifting landscape for soy 2
A shifting landscape for soy
A key theme at the Conference was the crucial role of regulatory frameworks and voluntary standards in achieving regenerative soy. Discussions centred on the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) – which aims to reduce global deforestation linked to commodity supply chains, including soy, palm oil, beef, coffee, and cocoa – and its implications for sustainability and deforestation-free supply chains. During the conference, experts highlighted the critical role of aligning global standards while dealing with the delay in EUDR implementation.
Session 1 – The emerging regulatory landscape for soy
Thesessionemphasisedtheimportanceof collaborationandshowcasedRTRS’sproactive measures,includingtheChainofCustodyStandard andanewEUDR-alignedmodule–OptionalModel IV:RequirementsforAlignmentwiththeEUDR–whichhasbeenspecificallydesignedtohelp companiesmeettheduediligencerequirementsof theEUDR.
WhilewelcomingEUDR,thesessionconcludedthat voluntaryinitiatives,suchasRTRScertification, continuetoplayapivotalroleinraisingsustainability standardsandensuringprogressgoesbeyondEUDR tocreatelastingpositiveimpact.
ModeratedbyMelanieFaithfullKent,CEOat TeamFarner,thesessionfeaturedpanelists:
• Duncan Brack, Environmental Policy Analyst Expert
• Antonie Fountain, Voice Network
• Bernhard Frey, EFRAG
• Karin Kreider, ISEAL Alliance
• Si Wei, China Agricultural University
Read the full article on Session 1
Voluntary Sustainability
Standards have been at the forefront of driving sustainability for decades. As regulations reshape the landscape, the value of these systems lies in their ability to innovate, collaborate, and build expertise across the supply chain. By working together, voluntary standards and regulations can catalyse meaningful, lasting impacts for people, businesses, and the planet.
Karin Kreider, Executive Director of ISEAL
The difference between compliance and conviction is what we’re exploring. How will companies use this extra year to prepare, and will they act with the urgency and conviction the situation demands?
Melanie Faithfull Kent, CEO, Team Farner
Session 2 – Toward a regenerative transition
Attention turned to insights into the collaborative efforts of the soy sector to support the sustainable transition of soy production. Various topics were discussed, including insights into advancing sustainability in the feed sector; the importance of certification; and a first-hand account of the realities of farming and compliance in Brazil.
This session also highlighted that, while compliance with the EUDR presents challenges, it will also create opportunities for transformative change. From innovative financing and strong certification systems to cross-sector collaboration, the soy sector is paving the way for a more sustainable future.
The session was opened by Lukas Vogt, ACT Group, with panelists:
• Róisín Mortimer, Cofco International
• Wei Peng, Louis, Dreyfus Company
• Olyn San Miguel, GMP+ International
• Katrien D’hooghe, Belgian Feed Association (BFA)
• Luiz Pedro Poletti Bier, Aprosoja
Soy as a regenerative pioneer
Amid growing concerns about climate change, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation, regenerative agriculture has emerged as a powerful framework for sustainable farming. Regenerative practices go beyond reducing harm – they seek to restore ecosystems, enhance soil health, and create resilience within agricultural systems.
At this year’s conference, this vision of a regenerative future for soy production took centre stage, with producers, researchers, and corporate leaders laying out a roadmap for how the soy industry can become a global leader in regenerative agriculture.
By embracing collaboration, innovation, and economic incentives, the industry can both address the environmental challenges of today and set the standard for sustainable and regenerative farming practices worldwide.
In his keynote speech, renowned sustainability strategist and author John Elkington highlighted the urgency and complexity of the transition, calling the next 10 to 15 years “challenging, exciting, and politically dangerous”.
Watch John Elkington’s keynote speech in full
Read full article on the keynote speech
Session 3 – Regenerative agriculture: views from the field
This session focused on regenerative agriculture at the field level. Experts from Brazil and Argentina shared experiences in regenerative farming practices, emphasising the role of soy in soil restoration and ecosystem conservation.
These practical examples and innovations highlighted how soy can play a key role in the transition to regenerative agriculture. Critically, they emphasised the need for collaboration and knowledge exchange among producers and experts to address environmental challenges and ensure a more sustainable future for agriculture.
Introduced by Gisela Introvini of Fapcen and moderated by RTRS Technical Unit Manager Ana Laura Andreani, the session featured speakers:
• Sebastian Malizia, ProYungas
• Roberto Acauan, SLC Agrícola
• Marcelo Beltran, Soil Institute of INTA Castelar
• João Carlos Moraes Sá, Ohio State University
Read the full article of Session 3.
“
Producers are making extraordinary efforts to transform their practices, but that needs to be reflected in the value of those efforts.
”
Sebastián Malizia, Executive Director, Fundación ProYungas
Session 4 – Regenerative agriculture: corporate action
The soy sector has a unique opportunity to lead the way in regenerative agriculture. But to support and scale regenerative agriculture, corporate strategies play a critical role in collaboration, innovation, and financial incentives.
A recurring challenge raised was the complexity of implementing regenerative practices across diverse farming systems and regions.
With so many definitions and practices across different farms around the world, there is a need for common standards and support.
RTRS has a pivotal role in driving the regenerative transition. By evolving certification standards to include regenerative practices, RTRS can help create profitable pathways for farmers and ensure environmental benefits – all while positioning soy as a global leader in sustainable agriculture.
Moderated by RTRS President Lieven Callewaert, the session featured leaders:
• Gerhard Adam, Bayer
• Gustavo Ranzani Herrmann, Koppert
• Rachel Bianchi, Unilever
• Michel Santos, Bunge
“This is the time to be net positive, to understand the value of biodiversity, and to view farmers not only as producers of food and energy but as key providers of environmental services that drive sustainable development for all societies.
Michel Santos, Senior Director, Bunge
Innovation and future vision
Day two of the conference started with an exploration of what the future holds for the soy sector. Sessions on the role of new technologies in driving regenerative practices across the soy supply chain and the long-term vision for responsible soy provided insights into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Industry leaders shared the innovative approaches that are reshaping the soy sector, from digital farming solutions and AI-driven traceability to emerging markets for soy in biofuels. Alongside this, key challenges were being discussed such as reducing emissions, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring food security.
Session 5 – Innovations transforming the soy industry
With technological advancements and market incentives reshaping the soy industry, this session saw experts discussing a range of innovations.
The importance of simplifying data and systems was highlighted, as well as exploring the opportunities to turn regulatory compliance, such as EUDR, into a competitive advantage. Emerging markets for soy were also raised – such as using soy for aviation and marine fuels – alongside the role of soy in decarbonising the chemical industry.
In conclusion, innovation is essential for driving regenerative practices and aligning the soy sector with sustainability goals in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.
Moderated by Yan Speranza Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Fundación Moisés Bertoni, featured panelists:
• Allison Kopf, Tract
• Matteo Cunial, xFarm Technologies
• Michelle Morton, specialist of biofuels and chemical markets
Read the full article on Session 5.
We all know that innovation is critical for any company or sector. But the question is: what kinds of technologies and pproaches truly make a difference?
Yan Speranza Gonzalez, Executive director, Fundación Moisés Bertoni.
Session 6 – Visions for the future
This session explored long-term visions for responsible soy, along with the critical role RTRS plays in advancing sustainability through its leadership in certification and fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Discussions emphasised sustainable financing, integrating conservation with production, and the market’s power to drive change. To ensure a sustainable future for soy, panelists highlighted the importance of economic resilience, digital traceability and monitoring, and addressing challenges like deforestation and child labour.
The session concluded with a call for collaboration, innovation and adaptability to address ongoing challenges and ensure a sustainable future for soy.
Moderated by James Allen, Executive Director at Olab, the session featured panelists:
•Juliana de Lavor Lopes, Amaggi
•Ariel Zorrilla, Preferred by Nature
•Taciano Custódio, Rabobank
“ Change doesn’t happen by chance –it’s made through action.
Juliana de Lavor Lopes, ESG, Communication, and Compliance Director, Amaggi
A collaborative force for change
Strengthening collaboration
During the Conference, RTRS and the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (ABIOVE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance sustainable soy production.
The MoU aims to benchmark sustainability standards, promote certification, and host workshops to improve economic, social, and environmental management for rural producers in Brazil.
The partnership between RTRS and ABIOVE within the AgroPlus program marks a critical step in supporting Brazil’s soy producers to meet stringent global sustainability demands. Thanks to the technical assistance and training, producers will be prepared for the international certification process, and those already certified will be supported to maintain their status. This will further elevate Brazil’s role in producing responsible soy for the world’s most demanding markets.
Raising standards
At an earlier meeting of the ABIOVE sustainability committee in October 2024, RTRS presented its updated Chain of Custody Standard, including the new Optional Model IV, aligned with the EUDR Chain of Custody requirements. ABIOVE praised RTRS’s proposal, stating that the new certification model is feasible for implementation and does not incur significant additional costs for the supply chain.
Read the full article on the signing of the MOU.
“It is a pleasure for ABIOVE to establish this partnership with RTRS to improve the operation of the Brazilian value chain. We are confident that this MoU will help support producers in obtaining certification, in addition to providing a new benefit to participants in the AgroPlus program. We trust this collaboration will bring positive results for all involved
Pedro Moré García, Sustainability Coordinator, ABIOVE
This Memorandum strengthens the joint commitment of RTRS and ABIOVE to promote the growth of sustainable agricultural production in Brazil. We believe in the value of synergistic work and will continue investing in the dissemination and awareness of our joint activities to foster sustainable soy supply chains.
Luiza Bruscato, Global Executive Director, RTRS
Our vision for responsible soy
Closing remarks
Luiza Bruscato, Global Executive Director, RTRS
In her first address as Global Executive Director, Luiza Bruscato outlined RTRS’s bold vision to move beyond certification and become a comprehensive solutions provider that empowers stakeholders with tools, data, and partnerships to achieve their sustainability goals. As part of this, Bruscato emphasised the need for greater collaboration, innovation, and data-driven strategies to tackle climate change, deforestation, and food security.
The path ahead requires courage, creativity, and connection. RTRS is set to transform into a dynamic, global network uniting farmers, governments, private sector players, civil society, and multistakeholder platforms. This bold vision, co-created with over 30 members during a strategic planning session in June 2023 in Lucerne, Switzerland, will shape the Association’s next chapter.
RTRS’s new 2027 Strategic Plan focuses on five key areas: Building a strong sustainability narrative; Accelerating transformation through collaboration; Expanding engagement across all sectors; Becoming data-driven and agile; and Scaling up with purpose.
Bruscato concluded, “The future of RTRS is in your hands. Together, we can lead the way for sustainable soy and global sustainability.”
Watch the closing remarks of the Conference.
Read full article on the closing speech.
The story of RTRS is one of resilience, innovation, and hope. As we embark on this next chapter, I invite all of you –members, partners, and allies – to join us in building a future that is both sustainable and inclusive. Let us transform bold ideas into concrete actions, drive systemic change, and lead the way for the soy industry and beyond.
Luiza Bruscato, Global Executive Director, RTRS
An
exploration of sustainable innovation
As a complementary and optional activity to the conference a field trip to Ghent and Waregem showcased sustainable practices in feed, grain, and biofuel production. Organised with the Belgian Feed Association (BFA), participants visited Leievoeders, Euro-Silo, and Alco Bio Fuel to see how they are integrating innovation and sustainability into their operations.
Family-owned Leievoeders, Belgium’s third-largest feed producer, demonstrated how modern businesses balance sustainability and growth. Leievoeders has expanded its operations to include logistics support for farmers, processing raw materials, and biogas plants that produce energy. President Rik Vandeputte is optimistic about the future of the sector, saying: “Good raw materials at a fair price are the foundation of our production.”
At the Port of Ghent, Euro-Silo specialises in bulk storage solutions and the handling of agricultural products, while Alco Bio Fuel processes 700,000 tons of corn annually into bioethanol and by-products. These two companies work in close collaboration, showing how interconnected the logistics, storage, and production sectors are in Belgium’s biofuel industry.
BFA also shared insights into Belgium’s feed sector, including its sustainability commitments like purchasing 500,000 soy certificates in 2024. “By 2027, 85% of all soy used by Belgian feed manufacturers will comply with the FEFAC Soy Guidelines and Deforestation-Free Criteria, with a target of 100% by 2030,” said BFA Managing Director Katrien D’hooghe, underscoring Belgium’s leadership in sustainable feed production.
These visits provided participants with invaluable insights into how European companies are driving sustainability through innovation and collaboration. By discovering sustainable practices first-hand, the group gained a clear understanding of how the sector is integrating sustainability across operations.
Read more about this year’s Field Trip or take a look at the photo gallery.
A special thank you to our sponsors
We extend our heartfelt thanks for their invaluable support and participation, which made this year’s event possible.
Let's stay in touch!
Stay tuned for the 2025 International Conference, as well as updates on this year's events. We look forward to continuing this journey together toward a regenerative and sustainable future. www.responsiblesoy.org
