Dive into what regenerative agriculture means to certain groups and discover that farmers and consumers have more in common than either group may realize.
When talking about trending topics and terms in agriculture, few are more prevalent today than the idea of regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is one of those terms that seems to mean something different depending on whom you ask. In some crowds, it is synonymous with being environmentally friendly, anti-“big ag,” and against the use of pesticides. Other people hear regenerative agriculture and think about raw milk, healthier organic food, and pasture-raised cattle. Farmers may think of regenerative agriculture as being related to soil health, natural resource conservation, and practices such as cover crops and crop rotation.
When searching for a set definition, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines regenerative agriculture as follows:
“Regenerative Agriculture is a conservation management approach that emphasizes natural resources through improved soil health, water management, and natural vitality for the productivity and prosperity of American agriculture and communities.”
It is important to note that while the USDA provides this explanation, regenerative agriculture is not formally codified in any certification standards. That means if you see this term on food labels, it is not a standard recognized by the USDA or Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Regenerative agriculture remains one of those buzzwords that consumers use to signal they care about the environment, their food, and natural resources. A problem arises when consumers start using terms like regenerative agriculture in a way that sets it up as the better option compared with “conventional farming,” without understanding that modern farmers have been implementing practices that fall under the umbrella of regenerative agriculture for decades. This, however, presents an opportunity for farmers and agriculturalists to engage with consumers on this topic and share firsthand experience and knowledge about what regenerative agriculture really is.
Connecting where it matters
At the core, consumers and farmers care about the same things. Both groups desire a healthy environment, access to a thriving and diverse food system, and protection of our natural resources. The idea of regenerative agriculture is not a new concept to those in farming. Farmers have been implementing regenerative practices for decades because they care about people, the environment, and access to safe food. Consumers are passionate about regenerative agriculture now because they care about people, the environment, and access to safe food. See the connection? Farmers and consumers often have the same values but communicate about them very differently. This can be attributed to more than one thing, but a big factor is a lack of engagement between groups on the topic of regenerative agriculture.
From a personal standpoint, I have seen both sides of the coin. I’ve seen consumer groups passionate about protecting natural resources bash farmers for how they farm. I’ve seen farmer groups passionate about protecting natural resources bash consumers for their lack of knowledge about farming. In a world where division drives many conversations, farmers and agriculturalists must do their part to intentionally stop the divide from widening. I’ve written before about why farmers must engage consumers, and the hot topic of regenerative agriculture is just another reason to support that.
When consumers use the term regenerative agriculture, it can be easy to brush off. My encouragement to you, the farmer and agriculturalist, is to instead meet that consumer where they are. If you are in the farming and agriculture industry, I guarantee you have more expertise to communicate about this than you may realize. Here are some topics to keep in the back of your mind you can share with consumers when they bring up regenerative agriculture:
- Cover crops
- No-till farming
- Crop rotation
- NRCS programming
- Water recycling on livestock farms
- Waste management practices on livestock farms
- Pesticide use, specifically safety and how little is used
- Conservation easement programs
- Biofuels
- Grazing land conservation
The answer to engaging in current issues or hot topics is rarely to avoid them. The more people feel brushed off, the more natural it is for them to assume the other party is hiding something. Transparency matters to everyone and being transparent about the great practices farmers implement to safeguard our environment is an easy way to connect with consumers.
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