CMI Orchards and Royal Family Farming’s joint venture, The Soil Center, is at the forefront of redefining agricultural sustainability. Breaking ground later this spring, TSC was established to repurpose agricultural byproducts — from orchards, row crops, dairy and beef operations — into carbon-rich soil amendments supporting healthy, robust crop production and reducing the need for synthetic soil additives.

Through innovative practices such as vermicomposting and biochar production, TSC is upcycling organic waste into valuable agriculture products such as garden soil blends, compost, worm castings and biochar. Rochelle Bohm, vice president of marketing at CMI Orchards said the company has made a zero-burn commitment for removed tree wood, opting to process and upcycle this wood in the world’s largest worm farm at Royal Family Farming in Royal City, WA. “Liquid cow waste is filtered through chipped orchard wood and converted by worms into nutrient-rich compost, closing the loop in our operations,” she said.

Beginning this year, TSC will process over 100,000 tons of dairy manure, chicken manure, culled fruit, and woody waste on an annual basis. Its three biochar reactors will transform more than 20,000 tons of woody biomass into biochar annually, sequestering an estimated 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent into the soil for generations to come. Biochar enhances soil structure, water retention and nutrient availability, while also reducing gas emissions from the soil.

“The Soil Center will support a full circle carbon economy leading to essentially zero organic waste for all our owners. We plan to break ground on the Soil Center and have a full estimate on carbon credits in just a couple weeks,” said Michael Hebdon, vice president of regenerative agriculture at Royal Family Farming and general manager of The Soil Center.

The carbon rich soil amendments created at The Soil Center will first be supplied to the CMI grower network, and eventually the larger agricultural community.  

CMI Orchards and Royal Family Farming (RFF) proudly served as Gold Sponsors of the , held March 25–27, 2025, in Chicago. The companies, who are also partners in The Soil Center (TSC), showcased their industry leadership and commitment to sustainability in agriculture with a goal to raise the bar for the industry, aiding other produce companies in their own efforts to build regenerative programs.

CMI's Bohm and RFF President Austin Allred recently led two fully booked roundtables focused on the implementation of regenerative practices on a commercial scale at the North America Regenerative Agriculture Summit. The sessions addressed key topics including consumer-driven demand for regenerative products and the development of profitable, sustainable farming models.

In further support of its regenerative agriculture goals, CMI Orchards hired Rose Vejvoda as sustainability manager. Vejvoda brings a master’s degree in climate science and solutions, along with certification in greenhouse gas accounting and a strong background in sustainability programming and reporting through higher education.

“I’m incredibly excited to contribute to a company that is already at the forefront of regenerative agriculture and sustainability. Our continued goal is to regenerate the health of our planet while bringing meaningful value to our growers and retail partners,” said Vejvoda.

"At CMI Orchards, our vision is to be the very best stewards of the planet in our industry — not because it’s marketable or financially beneficial, but because it’s the right thing to do,” said Bob Mast, president of CMI. “Our commitment to regenerative agriculture is rooted in our responsibility to care for the land and animals that sustain us, ensuring a healthier planet for generations to come."