From Food Marketing Back to the Family Farm

Romuald Carrouge grew up on a family farm in France’s Champagne region, where centuries of agriculture have shaped the chalk-rich soils of Marne, but never expected to pursue that career. For ten years, he worked in food sales and marketing living in cities and surrounded by friends who constantly questioned him about agriculture. Why weren't more farmers using organic methods? Why were pesticides still so common? Romuald could explain the economic and practical constraints for why the food system is the way it is, but his friends’ questions lingered and sparked something deeper. His expertise in consumer packaging and branding would later prove crucial for bridging the knowledge gap between farmers and consumers who wanted to know more about their food.

Then, in 2020, Romuald’s mother called asking him to come home to the chalky soils of northeastern France and help with the harvest. What began as a temporary return to Ferme du Faubourg de Cloguenard quickly became a permanent commitment. "I will never forget the day when my mother called and asked me to give a hand during the 2020 harvest. Actually, it was a call to come back to the land." he remembers. Once back on the farm, Romuald saw an opportunity to use his marketing expertise to answer the questions his friends were posing and bridge the disconnect between urban consumers and rural producers.

C'Mon Pote Agri: Connecting Farmers and Consumers

Romuald created C'Mon Pote Agri ("This Is My Farming Guy"), a collaborative brand designed to build trust and transparency. "As there are fewer farmers year after year, fewer consumers have family connections to farms," he says. "Our aim is for consumers to know and appreciate the farmers behind their food."

The project puts farmers' faces directly on packaging, creating personal connections in an increasingly anonymous food system. Romuald regularly hosts farm tours, educational programs, workshops, and school visits to share the realities and possibilities of regenerative farming. He also organizes collaborative workshops bringing together farmers, agri-food companies, retailers, and the general public around regenerative practices.

Cooperation, Regeneration, and Rural Renewal

When he returned to the family farm, Romuald was met with old machinery, outdated infrastructure, and a struggling family operation. Instead of seeing dead ends, he saw opportunity.

Together with neighboring farmers, Romuald co-founded a CUMA (farm machinery cooperative) to share tractors, harvesters, and weeding tools. "We also share skills and mutual assistance from the field to the plate around our practices of regenerative farming," he explains.

Romuald's farm now spans 190 hectares and he is currently transitioning to regenerative management. He’s implementing no-till methods, cover cropping, composting, intercropping, and agroforestry. Currently, he uses conventional pesticides for 40% of operations but is reducing this usage through organic fertilizers and plant-based natural solutions. The changes are already improving soil organic matter, microbial activity, and erosion control.

Romuald also converted a disused barn into a local legume processing facility for lentils, creating a shared resource that serves multiple farms in the cooperative. The facility transforms old infrastructure into a modern food production hub, giving new life to both the farm buildings and the local food system while supporting the cooperative's mission of working together.

Advocacy for Agricultural Transformation

Beyond his own farm, Romuald advocates for systemic agricultural change through community initiatives focused on carbon reduction, biodiversity, and meeting societal expectations. "As farmers, we should be able to carry out research and development just like any other business." Romuald explains.

His plans include expanding the C'Mon Pote Agri farmer network, conducting on-farm research and development, and developing new applications for leguminous crops. He's also working to scale lentil production from 100 to 400 tons while continuing to communicate with various institutions about positioning farmers as solutions to environmental and social challenges. "Today, I'm proud of the change in my life. I'm able to communicate about farmers' commitment and meet the consumers I feed through my daily work."