From A Cycle of Debt to Regeneration

When Poland joined the European Union in 2004, Ciasnocha Family Farm saw an opportunity to transition away from a system of needing to borrow money in order to produce food, and instead run a cash-positive business. The accession to the EU provided a chance to make this vision a reality, in addition to opening up a whole host of other opportunities.

Mateusz has been part of this transformative journey over the last two decades, not only observing how policy influenced his family’s ability to run a successful farming operation, but also actively leveraging it for the business’s success. "In 2004, we managed to move from a negative to a positive cashflow situation," Mateusz explains. "Everything has changed since."

At just 30 years old, Mateusz has been instrumental in transitioning the family farm to regenerative. Today, he is a vocal policy advocate working to transform EU regulations to make it easier for farmers to implement regenerative practices.

Bridging Farms and Policy Tables

The Ciasnocha Family Farms spans 700 hectares in the Zuławy Wiślane Region of Poland, operating as a group of family-owned farms cooperating together.

Between 2004 and 2008, they began their transition to regeneration by switching to spring cereal varieties, implementing cover crops for winter, and maintaining a balanced rotation of 50% cereals with 50% oilseeds and legumes.

The pivotal moment in the transformation that has already started came in 2008 when they made the bold decision to convert to permanent grasslands – a move that even they doubted would succeed. "When we decided to change land use for positive impact, it felt like a huge gamble. This was totally new in Poland. Our family and even the farmers around us doubted whether or not it would work out,” Mateusz reflects.

Their bet paid off. Today, Ciasnocha Family Farms produces the highest-quality hay for both feed markets, as well as industrial uses like recycled paper production. They are now exploring how to expand into agro-forestry and creating biorefining for their biomass with support from EU grants.

Alongside hay production, the farm hosts 60 chickens, as well as a fruit and vegetable garden for family use. They welcome and support wild game, especially endangered species of birds that roam freely across the meadows. They’ve embraced renewable energy generation for heat and power, while envisioning wetland restoration. All of this to create both a carbon sink, a biodiversity hotspot, and an educational hub where policymakers, farm advisors and farmers alike come to meet each other, learn and co-create.

Since 2008, the farm has used no pesticides, though they still apply minimal nitrogen fertilizer. "For us to fully move away from synthetic fertilizer, we need to find a reliable customer base for organic hay,” Mateusz notes. "We’re working on building this market and speaking to a variety of potential customers.”

Bridging Farmers and Policymakers

Mateusz is now working to pave the way for more farmers to move from conventional practices to regenerative. He is a vocal policy advocate serving on the EU Soil Mission Board, which works to protect and restore soil health across Europe. He also sits on the Cool Farm Alliance Supervisory Board, helping farmers measure and reduce their environmental footprint in addition to Supervisory and Advisory Board roles with the Foundation of the Economy of Francesco, Laudato Si Action Platform, Holy See, and the European Commission.

In addition to living his mission through Ciasnocha Family Farms, he also channels his advocacy through two businesses: European Carbon Farmers and The Farm of Francesco.

European Carbon Farmers focuses on promoting carbon farming practices across Poland and the EU. The goal is to put farmers at the center of climate change mitigation efforts while ensuring profitable transitions to regenerative practices.

The Farm of Francesco operates as a global network of regenerative demonstration farms with vocational education programs, born from the Economy of Francesco movement in response to Pope Francis's call to address the cry of the Earth and cry of the Poor. Through this platform, Mateusz connects farmers worldwide to tackle agricultural injustices and promote regenerative agriculture with active projects spanning from Poland to Nigeria and Kenya.

Through these two businesses, combined with his policy work, he ensures farmer voices shape climate discussions at local, EU, and UN levels. He also plans to establish the Christmas Hay Foundation to promote Polish traditions while educating youth about meadow ecosystems.

“We’re part of the movement to transform Europe’s agrifood system,” Mateusz shares. “Our mission is to build farmer-centric bridges between agriculture and climate policy. It’s about creating the conditions for all of us to thrive.”