By Gerelyn Terzo, Global AgInvesting Media
Boston, Massachusetts-based Indigo Ag, which specializes in sustainable agriculture and biological solutions, has secured a ringing endorsement from Big Tech. In a first-of-its-kind agreement for the ag company, Indigo Ag has announced $1.5 million investment from search and AI giant Google for a new regenerative agriculture program. Proceeds will be directed toward scaling up the adoption of regenerative ag practices with a view to restore almost 1.5 billion gallons of water over the next seven years, including the strengthening of soil moisture and water retention on enlisted Oklahoma farms.
Through the launch of this co-branded program between Indigo Ag and Google, farmers gain access to incentives that are designed to bolster regenerative ag practices, like cover cropping and no-till farming. These systems are designed to bring about better soil retention while delivering a groundwater recharge and improving crop drought resilience, all of which lead to more sustainable farming ecosystems.
The water savings alone support Google’s target to replenish 120 percent of its freshwater consumption by 2030 across its facilities including AI-powered data centers while simultaneously bettering the lives of the communities in which it operates. Data centers are where the AI data processing magic takes place, and tech companies are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into them for innovation. According to Visual Capitalist, Google’s data centers consumed over 6 billion gallons of water in 2023, which it likens to the equivalent of just over 40 golf courses.
The regenerative ag program kicks off in the fall and will unfold through 2032. Through their efforts, Indigo Ag and Google intend to influence several thousand acres in watersheds for Google’s Data Center in Pryor, Oklahoma. Water replenishment is measured through a model that simulates the impacts of nature including weather as well as soil crop and land management practices on water quantity. Indigo Ag’s existing infrastructure, including a measurement reporting and verification (MRV) platform, data collection and farmer enrollment capabilities make it possible for the companies to hit the ground running
Indigo Ag CEO Dean Banks stated, “Our ongoing focus on quality and reliability, and working with our network of outstanding partners will enable us to quickly engage farmers to effectively meet Google’s needs. Our collaboration is another step toward verifiable positive impact on natural resources, the environment and climate through our robust and trusted mitigation strategies. We look forward to working with Google and other tech companies to ensure the environmental sustainability of data centers here and across the world.”
Google Head of Infrastructure Strategy and Sustainability Ben Townsend commented, “This collaboration between Indigo Ag and Google demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting healthy watersheds in the communities where we operate. By providing farmers with the necessary resources to adopt water-saving practices, we’re demonstrating how sustainable agriculture can create tangible, positive change for watersheds in Oklahoma.”
Indigo Ag Head of Sustainability Solutions Ewan Lamont said, “We are thrilled to work with Google in bringing agriculture to life as a water and climate solution and we believe this initiative can serve as a useful model to enable technology leaders to meet their climate and stewardship goals.”
The content put forth by Global AgInvesting News and its parent company HighQuest Partners is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only. All information or other material herein is not to be construed as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Global AgInvesting and HighQuest Partners are not a fiduciary in any manner, and the reader assumes the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information or other content on this site.