Propagate

Propagate is a software, development and financing platform founded in 2017 that aims to increase the adoption of agroforestry practices in North America. The company provides tools and services to help farmers integrate fruit, nut and timber trees into existing crop and livestock operations. Propagate's Overyield software platform allows farmers to design agroforestry systems, calculate costs and projected revenues, and determine crop suitability based on soil and environmental factors. The company also offers on-the-ground implementation services to establish tree systems on farms.

Propagate focuses on three main crop categories: tree nuts like chestnuts and hazelnuts, fast-growing hardwoods for timber, and fodder crops for silvopasture systems that combine trees with livestock grazing. A key goal is to help farmers diversify income streams and improve farm resilience while also providing environmental benefits like carbon sequestration and improved soil health. The company aims to address major barriers to agroforestry adoption, including lack of awareness, technical knowledge gaps, and access to upfront financing.

To help overcome the financing challenge, Propagate partnered with Walnut Level Capital in 2022 to launch Agroforestry Partners, a fund that provides capital for establishing commercial agroforestry systems on leased farmland. This allows farmers to implement agroforestry without taking on debt, as the fund covers upfront costs in exchange for a share of future revenues.

Key customers and partnerships

Propagate works with individual farmers, farmland asset managers, and institutional investors to implement agroforestry projects. In 2022, the company launched a 130-acre pilot project at Hill Farms in Ohio, which expanded to about 1,800 acres over the following year. This project, focused on integrating chestnuts and hay production, is now one of the largest chestnut operations in the US.