Salvatierra Farms is a regenerative poultry operation that combines hazelnut trees and poultry production to reforest the land and reintroduce poultry to its natural habitat.
New Country. New Operation.
A beginning farmer, Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin immigrated to the United States with a goal of establishing a farm and encouraging fellow immigrants to engage in agriculture. With degrees in agroecology and business management, Regi has combined his passion for sustainable agriculture and feeding the world and to start Salvatierra Farms.
Salvatierra Farms is a regenerative poultry operation that combines hazelnut trees and poultry production to reforest the land and reintroduce poultry to its natural habitat.
“I’m passionate about working within nature, within the systems that generate the proper conditions for us to have healthy food, to eat healthy and lead healthy lives,” Reginaldo said.
A Helpful Hand
As a new citizen of the United States, Reginaldo struggled to finance his poultry operation.
“I hadn’t built credit or built farm history, so I couldn’t go into a lot of the normal routes,” Regi said.
With the help of Compeer Financial’s Emerging Market program, Regi received the financing that helped him start his business.
“We have a program called Emerging Markets, which was designed to provide credit to farmers who market their product directly to consumers or participate in value-added agriculture. Under the program, our initial loan for Regi was a microloan to start his first chicken production unit,” Compeer Financial Loan Officer Sai Thao said.
Growing Others
As Salvatieer Farms grew, Regi began developing his model of regenerative poultry production and using it to teach other chicken producers how to reintroduce chickens to their natural habitat.
“Regenerative poultry production is a process by which nature can actually recapture and restore the energy that is being taken out of a space,” Regi said.“He’s a visionary and he’s very passionate about agriculture, community and economic development, and so that was what impressed me. The whole idea of regenerative poultry is really bringing the chicken back to its natural environment,” Sai said.
Through interactive courses and mentorship Regi has mentored and encouraged other poultry producers join the collective of regenerative poultry practiioners.
“As farmers, it is our duty to take care of the land and water, give dignity to our livestock and bring food to our communities,” Reginaldo said.
Into The Future
Looking forward Reginaldo hopes to continue growing his operation and teaching other poultry producers about his model of regenerative poultry solutions.
“Nothing beats farming. I’m just pursuing happiness,” Reginaldo said.
