What is Regenerative Agriculture?

Regenerative agriculture is the new buzz word in sustainable farming. Moving beyond organically produced foods, regenerative organic certified foods are coming to your supermarket aisle. Learn more about this sustainable food movement.

There is so much buzz in the food world about the sustainability of our current food system. As the needs of our planet change, both locally and globally, our food system must adapt in order to provide healthy food both today and in the future, while considering social, environmental, and economic needs. That’s no small task, especially given the issues of modern, conventional agriculture, which has led to many negative conditions, such as poor soil quality, increased greenhouse gas emissions, overuse of land and water, eutrophication, and pollution. People are working hard to find a solution that addresses these serious issues. Regenerative agriculture is built around principles that are sustainable and protective of the soil, land, and climate, with a goal to improve them. Regenerative agriculture moves beyond neutral farming applications to actually regenerating the earth through highly sustainable, restorative practices. This eco-minded style of farming is the next frontier for agriculture and the future of our planet. 

What is Regenerative Agriculture? 

Regenerative agriculture is a style of farming that emphasizes farming principles to rehabilitate and protect the ecosystem using practices that mimic nature. It focuses on issues like water management, fertilizer use, and soil health to ensure the world will be able to continue to feed the growing population. Some of the key techniques these farmers use are low or no-till farming, planting a variety of crops, rotating crops, composting, using little to no fertilizers that could potentially damage the soil, and well-managed animal grazing practices. These practices help ensure the retention and replenishment of nutrients in the soil, prevent erosion, improve water absorption, and avoid fuel and chemicals from leaching into the soil, water, and air—all of which contribute to the reversal of climate change and the regeneration of fertile, healthy soil, which results in nutrient dense crops, greater crop yield, and healthier communities for the long term. 

Conventional Farming vs. Regenerative Agriculture

Conventional, or industrial farming, which became popular in the 1970s, was seen as a way to help feed the growing population, since it produces more crop yields. However, it relies heavily on synthetic pesticides and chemicals, which are harmful to the soil and waterways and can lead to loss of aquatic diversity and the environment overall with the release of greenhouse gases. Confined animal feeding operations and genetically modified organism crops are other practices of conventional farming. Although industrial farming has been beneficial in some forms, this style of farming is not sustainable for the long run to support the current and future generations.  

Regenerative agriculture includes practices that rebuild and restore soil and the environment with the intention of not only ensuring the sustainability of the land but its improvement, leading to the production of high-quality food to nourish communities and their economies. There are many different types of regenerative agriculture practices, including aquaculture (the farming of fish), agroforestry (trees grown around crops to enhance the productivity of the land), composting, and silvopasture (deliberate integration of trees and grazing livestock on the same land). A shift toward these practices has many potential benefits, such as feeding the world, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, revitalizing local communities through family farming, and nurturing biodiversity. 

Regenerative Farming Movement

Regenerative agriculture is becoming more mainstream all the time. Your local farm is likely using some regenerative farming practices. Family farms and small farms all over the world see the plight of the soil and the repercussions of what is happening now and in years to come if change is not put into motion. And many have chosen to become part of the solution. There are organizations worldwide to help promote regenerative agriculture and to help farmers incorporate it. The goal of these organizations is a global transition to this way of farming and land management to end world hunger, restore climate stability, and rebuild the social, eco, and economic systems surrounding food. The organizations are made up of consumers, educators, policy makers, business leaders, and farmers—anyone who wants to help. 

Regenerative Organic Certified™

In 2018, Rodale Institute introduced a new holistic standard for regenerative agriculture certification. Regenerative Organic Certified™ (or ROC) is overseen by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, a non-profit made up of experts in farming, ranching, soil health, animal welfare, and farmer and worker fairness. ROC uses the USDA Certified Organic standard as a baseline and incorporates the three major pillars of regenerative organic agriculture into one certification.

Three Regenerative Agriculture Certification Pillars

• Soil Health: Use of regenerative practices like cover crops, crop rotation, and conservation tillage. Builds organic matter and promotes biodiversity with no synthetic inputs. Excludes soil-less systems.
• Animal Welfare: Protects the five freedoms: grass-fed, pasture-raised, no CAFOs or extensive transport, suitable shelter.
• Social Fairness: Ensures fair payments and living wages for farmers and farmworkers, safe working conditions, capacity building and freedom of association.

Source: Rodale Insitute

Support Regenerative Agriculture!

There are regenerative farms of all types in every U.S. state and in countries all over the world. Chances are you have access to at least one in your area, even if at the local farmers market or through a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscription. Still relatively new, the Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) food label is something you can look for in markets and online markets to support these producers. 

Check out this regenerative farm map to connect you with one in your area. Here’s a quick peek at a few examples:

• Capay Hills Orchard is a family-run farm in California that grows almond trees, mandarin and naval oranges. They sell unpasteurized almonds, almond butter, and smoked almonds from their roadside stand and website. Among their regenerative farming practices, they harvest on tarps, rather than the orchard floor, and host research and farm educational outreach programs. 
• Salamander Springs Farm in Kentucky produces vegetables, grains, dry beans, fruits, nuts, mushrooms, flowers, herbs, and more. They dry fruits, herbs, and produce teas in a solar food dehydrator. The farm is solar-powered and off the grid. It uses regenerative techniques including no-till, crop rotations, and natural building.
• Deep Roots Farm in New York is a 40-acre organic farm that produces fruits, vegetables, and microgreens, as well as a line of pickled products sold at farmers markets and CSAs. Their regenerative farming practices include cover cropping to keep nutrients in the soil, organic pest management, and reducing food waste by preserving produce. 
• Rainbow Roots Farm in Iowa produces organic fruit, vegetables, and eggs to the community through a CSA. The farm works closely with the community including teaching school children where their food comes from and providing healthy snacks. Among their regenerative practices, they sequester carbon, fertilize naturally, and attract native pollinators. They also are committed to staying local by not selling outside a 50-mile radius.  

Written by Michelle Naragon, dietetic intern with Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN

Photos: Sharon Palmer 

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Start a Climate-Friendly Victory Vegetable Garden Today!
The Western Diet, Disastrous for the Environment
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