Brazilian pork and chicken processor BRF will pay a 2% premium from market prices for soybeans produced through regenerative agricultural practices, Reuter reported, citing the consortium leading the project on Tuesday.

Regenerative agriculture aims to promote health and increase soil productivity through techniques such as crop rotation and organic fertilization.

The initiative is being organised by the consortium, which BRF is part of together with Germany's Bayer AG and other Brazilian companies, as well as a local research group.

Produzindo Certo, a firm that sets up sustainable agriculture supply chains and is part of the consortium, expects the project to include 30 soy farms within a year, producing over 200,000 metric tons of verified regenerative soy, said the company's Chief Executive Aline Locks.

Meatpackers such as BRF use soymeal to feed their animals.

Under the project, Bayer will be responsible for providing tools to measure the gains farmers get through regenerative agriculture practices, the consortium said.