Google it: Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative agriculture looks not just to do no harm, but to actively heal the harm done already
What is it, and why is it a trend?
Regenerative agriculture is a holistic practice that improves the resources it uses, rather than destroying or depleting them. It goes beyond ‘sustainable’ and ‘organic’, to a more cyclical, natural regenerative process of the ecosystem. It focuses on closed loop nutrients (recycling of all nutrients and organic matter back to the soil it grew in), greater biodiversity, and fewer annuals and more perennial plants (annuals are those that grow from seed, bloom, produce seeds and die in one annual season, such as corn and soybeans. Perennials live for more than two years, and continue to grow until they reach maturity, such as apple trees and alfalfa. Their deeper roots provide higher soil stability).
The issue is multifaceted. Practices adopted by today’s industrial, chemical-based farming have decreased biodiversity in landscapes and soils, resulting in falling productivity — the failing crops are not just hurting the livelihood of farmers and economic resilience, but our food is increasingly deficient in nutrients. Factory farming and overproduction of meat means more animals are grain-fed rather than grass-fed, which in turn increases the demand for maize, a crop that is not great for soil. Excessive extraction and use of water to maintain fields and livestock, coupled with increasing deforestation, have caused soil depletion and increased its salinity. All this adds to climate change, which in turn causes an increase in extreme weather conditions like droughts, floods and fires that further exacerbate the soil issue. The vicious cycle is overwhelming and the toil its taken is starting to show.
Regenerative agriculture and crop rotation focus on long-term health of soil, but also have a host of other benefits that help stem climate change (a key reason behind the growing interest in regenerative agriculture), as well as to improve the welfare and wellbeing of animals, farmers, and consumers. By increasing carbon sequestration and avoiding the nutrient runoff in the soil, we get far more productive crops — both in terms of quantity and quality. Healthier soils are able to hold more water and require less to be added. And by avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides, we reduce the volume of pollutants entering our water systems and food chains.
“From CBD to Climate Day, the regenerative movement is here to stay. Business as a force for good, the time is now it’s understood”
That’s how this year’s Natural Product Expo song, #OnlyAtExpo, goes. It is clear that the industry is starting to catch on. Earlier this month, General Mills — one of the largest US food companies — announced a plan to regenerate 1 million acres of farmland by 2030. Pernod Ricard, a beverages giant, is taking steps to develop regenerative agriculture pilot projects and expand learnings to more than 5,000 farmers. The founder of Blue Apron, a meal kit service, has launched Cooks Venture, selling frozen chicken (veg coming soon too) direct to consumers, whose purpose is to “defeat global warming through regenerative agriculture and build a better food system”. Milkadamia, a plant-based milk company, also uses “holistic farming techniques that rebuild the soil health” and is starting to promote regenerative agriculture on its packaging. Even Patagonia, an outdoor gear retailer, who launched its first beer two years ago (check out my previous post on the “Wellness beers” trend), is now releasing a new beer made from kerzna, a perennial grain that is grown using regenerative agriculture practices.
Will it last?
Greta Thunberg, the 16-year old environmental activist, said in her speech: “to panic, unless you have to, is a terrible idea. But when your house is on fire and you want to keep your house from burning to the ground, then that does require some level of panic”. And she’s right — I don’t think we have a choice at this point other than to adopt regenerative agriculture at least in some shape or form. Our current practices have pushed us to a point where ‘stopping’ is not enough, and even healing the soil may not be sufficient. Consumption practices — both what we consume and how much of it — are in a serious need of overhaul.
It is true that supply will follow demand, and it is down to consumers to buy the products that support such practices. But in fact, it is incredibly difficult to know where our food comes from — let alone how regenerative the practice was to produce it!
What will help make this mainstream is, in my opinion, better communications. Firstly, we need clearer and more widespread standards by which we can judge farming practices. These need to be clearly displayed on product labels to indicate whether, or how much, that product was born out of regenerative agriculture (much like the “organic” and “non-GMO" labels that are now widespread) so that consumers can make a more informed choice. And secondly, organizations, farmers and brands that are healing the soil need to tell their stories in a simpler way for more people to better understand the issue, as well as the solution. “What is regenerative agriculture” is the top related search term query around this topic, indicating consumers are still early in their adoption journey. It is a complex and often divisive problem spreading wide and deep into every aspect of our food chain. As such, it requires careful, simple and enticing storytelling in order to land.
It’s time to save the house. Happy Earth Day!
