Regenerative Agriculture: The Future of Sustainability in the Food System
By Natalie Knottnerus
If you care about the health of the community and the environment, you should care about the soil.
By definition, soil is dirt with the added benefit of microorganisms and insects, which give nutrients to the soil and are vital to growing our food.1 Not only that, but healthy soil can absorb water protecting the land from flood or drought and increase nutrient density in crops. Last but certainly not least, healthy soil has the potential to sequester tons of carbon from the atmosphere, helping to restore CO2 balance and combat climate change.2
The current industrialized food system promotes dysfunctional ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, and degraded soil. Common practices like tilling and monocropping lead to release of carbon into the atmosphere, which exacerbates the effects of global warming.3 Chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers destroy soil’s microbiome, diminishing the capacity to produce nutrient dense crops, or really any crops at all.1 In fact, if current practices continue, the United Nations estimates that the world has only about 60 years of topsoil left.2
Something has to change. This is where regenerative agriculture comes in.
What is Regenerative Agriculture?
Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming that not only emphasizes soil health, but also encompasses animal welfare and fair treatment of farm workers to create healthier ecosystems, healthier animals, and a healthier community.1 It involves working with nature and fostering ecosystem processes that build soil microbiomes, resulting in maximal carbon sequestering and the production of nutritious food. It is important to note that these ideas are not new and in fact, these methods have been practiced by indigenous peoples for years.3
Principles of Regenerative Agriculture include:3
Minimize Soil Disturbance – Tilling, a common practice in the industrialized food system, involves removing dead plants to make room for new seeds. This practice disrupts the soil ecosystem and releases carbon into the atmosphere.2 Regenerative agriculture involves no till or low till practices that maintain the soil microbiome and foster the relationship between the soil and the crops.3
Keep the Soil Covered – Cover cropping is the practice of growing plants for the purpose of keeping the soil covered, even in the off season. This promotes water and carbon absorption and prevents soil erosion or nutrient loss.3
Maximize Crop Diversity – In the industrialized food system, monocropping is a common practice, which means the same crop is grown on the same land every year. Regenerative agriculture, however, rotates multiple crops which increases biodiversity and promotes soil health.2,3
No Synthetic Chemicals – Regenerative agriculture emphasizes a significant reduction or complete elimination of synthetic chemical use, which can kill microbes in the soil and has the potential to pollute bodies of water, the air, and the food that we eat.3
Planned Grazing of Livestock – This allows manure to act as fertilizer for the soil while also promoting fair treatment and optimal health of animals. Rotational grazing is another way that regenerative agriculture mimics normal ecosystem processes.3
Utilizing these principles allows for a sustainable food system that can help us save the planet, promote optimal health, and ensure that we can feed the population for years to come.
Take Action
So how can we as consumers support Regenerative Agriculture? Well, lucky for us there is a brand new Regenerative Organic Certification overseen by a nonprofit organization called Regenerative Organic Alliance. The certification encompasses the USDA Certified Organic guidelines as well as important criteria regarding soil health, animal welfare, and fair treatment of farmworkers.4 Visit https://regenorganic.org for more information and to shop ROC products.
Creating consumer demand for regenerative, environmentally-friendly produced food can help encourage big brands to make changes. General Mills has already pledged to shift one million acres of farmland to regenerative practices by 2030. In addition, Danone North America, the producer of brands like Dannon, Horizon Organic, and Silk, has announced their own soil health initiative and contribution of $6 million to soil research. Applegate Farms is currently producing and selling pork sausages sourced from farms that utilize regenerative practices.5
While creating consumer demand is important, in order to make large and lasting change in the food system, we have to think about policy. Dietitians are in a unique position in that they are experts in food and nutrition and therefore make trusted advocates for regenerative policies.3 Furthermore, dietitians have the opportunity to educate, spread awareness, and help people understand the critical connection between agriculture and health.
We need to look beyond what we eat, ask questions about how our food is produced, and seek to understand how this production is affecting the environment and our health. We are at a point in time where change is necessary. Our future depends on it. And the answer? Well, it may just lie right beneath our feet.
More Resources & Ways to Get Involved:
Kiss the Ground: a nonprofit organization that supports farmers worldwide to adopt regenerative practices and also offers ways for you to get involved. They also have a movie on Netflix!
Regeneration International: an organization that seeks to accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture worldwide through policy, network-building, and education. Their website is a hub of information and further reading on regenerative agriculture.
Dirt to Soil: In this book, farmer Gabe Brown accounts his successful transition to regenerative practices on his 5,000 acre property in North Dakota while offering solutions to other farmers. To Brown, the industrial agricultural model focuses on killing things- diversity, soil, and profit for family farmers. Now, he focuses on how he can get more life on the land. You can also watch his TED Talk.
About the Author
Natalie is a second-year MSN-DPD student at Bastyr University and aims to help people achieve optimal health through whole foods nutrition. She is passionate about taking action toward a sustainable food system that functions to benefit the land, the animals, and all people- now and for generations to come.
References:
1. Nargi, Lela. What is Soil and White Is It Important? FoodPrint. December 4, 2019. https://foodprint.org/blog/why-is-soil-important/
2. Chrisman, Siena. What is Regenerative Agriculture? FoodPrint. September 12, 2019. https://foodprint.org/blog/regenerative-agriculture-definition/
3. The dirt on climate change: Regenerative agriculture and health care. Health Care Without Harm. September 8, 2020. https://noharm-uscanada.org/regenerativeagriculture
4. Regenerative Organic Certified. https://regenorganic.org
5. Byington, Lillianna. Big Food turns to regenerative agriculture to meet sustainability goals. Food Dive. May 20, 2019. https://www.fooddive.com/news/big-food-turns-to-regenerative-agriculture-to-meet-sustainability-goals/552804/