Wouldn't it be great if your food was produced in a way that didn't damage the environment and treated animals with the respect they deserve?
Truth is, it's probably not.
Almost all the food we eat today is treated as an industrial product.
Most agriculture now is a low-margin, high-volume business, a bit like the auto industry. And it produces your food in a way that robs the soil of nutrients, gobbles up fossil fuels and contributes to climate change.
Why?
Because industrial agriculture relies on monocultures. Vast tracts of land that grow the same crop year after year, after year.
But those years are running out.
The United Nations now tell us we've just 60 years of food production left till our current agricultural system collapses.
Because – the simple fact is – industrial agriculture destroys the soil that produces 95% of our food.
And now we come to the climate change angle.
Soil acts as a giant carbon sink – locking up carbon and keeping it there. Especially in our grasslands, which store more carbon than all our forests combined.
But our agricultural soil is busy losing carbon at an alarming rate. And releasing it into the atmosphere.
This means food production sits right at the heart of the climate crises. And our only way out is to change the way we produce – and consume – our food. The good news is, there is a way. It's called Regenerative agriculture.
Regenerative agriculture delivers results
Regenerative agriculture is gaining traction as one of the simplest, most affordable, and scalable solutions to climate change mitigation. As well as a whole host of other problems.
It's just a simple, grassroots movement, led by farmers.
At heart, it's all about protecting the soil. It concentrates on improving the soil as the basis for cutting – or eliminating – pesticides and artificial fertiliser. And restoring biodiversity.
Think of it as nature-friendly farming. A way of farming that gives back just as much it takes out.
Regenerative agriculture is similar to organic, but without the rules.
Because it's all about principles, not practices.
Regenerative farming focuses on outcomes – real, measurable, improvements to soil health. And, as a consequence, the overall quality and health of the land...soil... water... plants... animals... and humans.
And, just as important, it takes carbon from the air and puts it into the soil.
Just five basic principles can pack a big punch.
- Don’t disturb the soil
- Keep the soil covered
- Keep living roots in the soil
- Grow a diverse range of crops
- Bring animals back to the land
Those rules are there because soil – just like humans – needs a varied diet to be healthy. And the healthier the soil the healthier the plants that grow in it. So it’s win… win… and win again – because healthy soil stores more carbon too.
And that's all down to what's called “soil organic matter”. Essentially, that’s a mix of roots, rotting vegetation and microbes. It may not sound like much, but it's important.
In fact, for every 0.1% increase in soil organic matter per hectare, an additional 8.9 tonnes of CO2 is sequestered. And that's important when you consider CO2 comprises just 0.04 percent of the atmosphere.
The benefits don't stop there:- Increased soil organic matter helps increase biodiversity.
- Healthier and more productive soil is more drought and flood-resilient.
- Decreased – or zero – use of chemical inputs and subsequent pollution.
- Cleaner air and water.
- Enhanced wildlife habitat.
Another feature of Regenerative agriculture is that it blends livestock with crops, in a balanced and sensible way. The crops depend on the livestock to help keep the soil healthy. And the livestock depend on the crops. It’s a virtuous circle.
Because, with properly managed grazing, animals can actually improve soil health. They stimulate deep rooted plants, aerate the soil and help to propagate seeds. This, in turn, increases biodiversity and stores more carbon.
And that's why we're convinced Regenerative agriculture is the way of the future.
It just makes sense.
