Regenerative Agriculture Can Benefit Farmers and the Planet, Too

In 1894, Dr. George Washington Carver (1864-1943) was the first African American to earn a Bachelor of Science degree. He later earned his Master of Agriculture degree and accepted a position at Tuskegee University. Dr. Carver first used the term “Regenerative Agriculture,” and Robert Rodale (1930-1990), a publisher and proponent of organic farming, later popularized it as “Regenerative Organic Agriculture.” The term is an approach to farming that prioritizes soil health and a holistic view of agroforestry. There are several basic tenets to regenerative agriculture: conservation tillage, crop rotation, and restorative grazing.

Conservation tillage advocates low or no-till farming. No-till farming mitigates the effects of climate change by sequestering carbon in the soil, making the farm a so-called “carbon sink.” Carbon is released into the atmosphere during tilling, and there are other methods to achieve similar effects of tilling (more on that in a minute). According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), no-till farming reduces soil erosion, increases biological activity, and increases soil organic matter. Not only are there ecological benefits, but farmers save time and money by not tilling. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) estimates that continuous no-till farmers could save 282 million gallons of diesel fuel annually by switching to this practice. They also estimate that a farmer who plows 15 acres per hour would save roughly 67 hours of work with each eliminated pass over a 1,000-acre field by adopting no-till. This is substantial and can save farmers thousands of dollars per year.

The second approach is rotating crops and incorporating cover crops. Crop rotation is the practice of planting different crops sequentially on the same plot of land. For instance, staple crops like soybeans are nitrogen-fixing, but corn is nitrogen hungry, meaning that fertilizer usage can be reduced by simply rotating the location of the crops. As nutrients cycle throughout the soil, farmers will notice improved physical properties associated with higher yields. Similarly, incorporating a mix of cover crops like alfalfa, barley, rye, and clover and inoculating the soil with compost has numerous benefits. These benefits include crowding out weeds, controlling diseases and pests, preventing soil erosion, increasing biodiversity, retaining soil moisture, and restoring microbial communities. For those looking for an additional boost, farmers can add biodiversity strips to the margins of fields or trees to establish pollinator habitats. This will attract beneficial pollinators to farmland and harbor other favorable insects, making the farm more resilient and prioritizing soil health.

Lastly, restorative grazing is an old technique utilized for many years before livestock production changed in the second half of the 20th century. Allowing livestock to graze can achieve similar benefits as tilling without negative results. Rather than using fertilizers, ranchers and farmers can rely on their livestock’s manure to keep the soil healthy. When the livestock trod over the land and graze cover crops and crop residue, they add organic matter to the soil, provide a gentler form of tilling, and prepare the ground for the next round of seeding.

To recap, there are many positive effects of regenerative agriculture:

• Reduces the reliance on synthetic outputs, which saves money on the recurring cost of applying fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, etc.
• Mitigates the effects of climate change by sequestering carbon in the soil.
• Makes the farm more resilient to extreme weather and pests.

If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of restorative agriculture or would like a consultation about your farmland, reach out to Ag Services Manager Brandon DuRant ([email protected]).