Regenerative agriculture is the next big thing in food. But what on earth makes farming ‘regenerative’? And is it legit – or just greenwashing? Ellen Rykers explains.
I’m keen to eat food that’s better for the planet, and I keep seeing this phrase ‘regenerative agriculture’. What’s up with that?
You’re right: regenerative agriculture (or regen ag, for short) is growing fast into the next big food trend. It’s got grassroots popularity with farmers. It’s percolating through the food industry: a cult fave LA vegan eatery copped flak earlier this year when they announced that regeneratively grown meat and dairy would be added to the menu. School Strike 4 Climate is keen: they listed a regen ag fund as one of their five demands in 2023. And now consumers – in New Zealand and overseas – are cottoning on too.
The reason behind all this excitement? Regen ag could make a big dent in some of our biggest, gnarliest issues: polluted freshwater, declining native biodiversity, food security, the wellbeing crisis in rural communities, and climate change.
Whoa. So, what is it?
Regen ag is a holistic, ecological approach to farming. It aims to halt and reverse negative impacts on the environment from agriculture. The goal is to keep soils, water, animals, native biodiversity and people healthy for future generations to come. For some, it’s not just an alternative farming system – it’s a philosophy, or a “continuous improvement” mindset that’s constantly questioning the status quo.
That sounds great. But also vague. And how is this different to organic farming?
Yep, regenerative agriculture is broad and amorphous – but deliberately so. By being less prescriptive, farmers can tailor regen ag to suit their specific landscape and context. That’s part of why farmers like it so much – it’s not top-down, it’s not all-or-nothing. There are no hard and fast rules. That’s also what makes it different to the organic label, which minimises or excludes stuff like pesticides, synthetic fertiliser, antibiotics and comes with a bunch of requirements.
No rules, eh. What does a regenerative farm look like then?
That depends on the farm! But a core part of regen ag is healthy soil, and there are a heap of ways farmers can nourish that life-giving dirt: apply compost or biochar. Always keep the soil covered and filled with living roots. Reduce or stop churning up the soil with tilling. Sow a diverse range of crops or grasses. Mix cultivating plants with raising livestock, because that animal manure is gold for your topsoil. Reduce reliance on synthetic fertilisers or pesticides – or phase them out altogether.
Diversity is also a big focus. Nurturing the soil can boost a diverse population of soil microbes – a bit like human gut health relies on thriving microorganisms. Planting natives and other non-crop plants can help keep insects and other pests in check by boosting the diversity of their natural enemies.
All of these – and more – can be part of a regenerative farm. It just depends on what makes sense for a specific farm, and farmer.