Is 2024 the Year Regenerative Agriculture Takes Root?

/by

In 1942, J.I. Rodale first popularized the term organic in the U.S. with the launch of Organic Farming and Gardening Magazine. Some 45 years later, in the 1970s, J.I.’s son Robert Rodale introduced the phrase “regenerative organic.” Robert’s goal was to describe an approach to farming that combined organic practices with a more holistic approach to land management and a focus on rebuilding soil health. Yet it’s only been in the past few years that the term has gained more widespread traction.

With the release in 2023 of two full-length feature documentary films, Common Ground and Organic Rising, along with increased adoption among farmers and producers, awareness of regenerative agriculture is set to gain ground in the coming year among large-scale food manufacturers, policymakers, researchers, the general public and more. Today, advocates of regenerative agriculture say it is the best way to produce healthier food and promote local and rural economies.

KEEP READING ON PRESENCE

 

Press Release – Class Action Lawsuit Against Genetically Modified Corn in Mexico

/by
  • Great triumph against Monsanto in the defense of native corn, and against glyphosate.
  • Collegiate Court postpones the proposed resolution of the magistrate Ricardo Gallardo Vara on the injunction in favor of glyphosate and that favors transnational companies.
  • They recognize the precautionary principle and the precautionary measure against the planting of genetically modified (GM) corn, in view of the probable damage caused by cancer and in favor of the defense of health and biodiversity.

The Collective plaintiff against genetically modified corn celebrates the vote against the resolution of an injunction trial in favor of the Bayer-Monsanto company against the presidential decree for the progressive substitution of the use of glyphosate and prohibition of transgenic corn, presented by the magistrate Ricardo Gallardo Vara, who insists on determining that there is no danger associated with transgenic corn.

In a discussion held yesterday, Thursday, January 4, 2024, magistrates Patricio González Loyola and Jean Claude Tron Petit, mentioned arguments that the plaintiff Collective has presented during the ten years of our legal process, and that support our position of defending the right of present and future generations to the biodiversity of native corn in our country.

Judge Jean Claude Tron Petit highlighted aspects in the draft resolution that need revision, for example, that glyphosate is a deep-acting herbicide that kills the plants with which it comes into contact, which is why genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been developed that are resistant to its effects.

He highlighted that the Decree not only has to do with the limitation or regulation of glyphosate, but also with biodiversity and highlighted the resolution of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation of October 13, 2021, which recognizes the effects on biodiversity.

Likewise, the magistrate emphasized that there is scientific evidence that contradicts the information presented by Magistrate Gallardo Vara, such as that of the U.S. Environmental Office, which in 2023 resolved that glyphosate did not represent a serious risk in terms of carcinogenic effects, which in 2023 resolved that glyphosate did not represent a serious risk in terms of carcinogenic affections, a situation that was questioned by interested sectors and which led to a sentence issued by the Federal Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit of that country, ordering said Agency to rectify its considerations, since it did not take into account each and every one of the elements involved. He also highlighted the restriction of the German Parliament in the year 2023 for the use of glyphosate.

He mentioned several lawsuits filed against Bayer-Monsanto by people who have developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that is a consequence of the use of the herbicide, such as the case of Edwin Hardeman, who won a lawsuit for 25 million dollars.

With respect to the decision of the European Commission authorizing the use of glyphosate for ten more years, the result of a controversial vote, he clarified that the use of glyphosate in public spaces was prohibited and that its use is not allowed for the drying or harvesting of vegetable products, especially for food use.

On the other hand, he mentioned studies that confirm the presence of glyphosate in people, particularly in children, in the states of Jalisco and Campeche, and commented on the cases of 10 to 15 countries that have restricted and even banned the use of the herbicide.

Finally, he made a call to be aware of the problems of glyphosate and the damage to native corn and commented that in situations of uncertainty or doubt such as the present one, it is better to apply the principles of prevention and precaution.

Judge Patricio González Loyola, focused his participation on the impact on the environment and health related to this draft resolution, such as the precautionary principle, which he mentioned, is justified, since it forces us to be careful in situations in which the risk may be the factor behind the action in question, in this case, the Decree that Judge Gallardo Vara has insistently tried to attack.

This, because they considered that the Decree is not a prohibition, but a restriction to reduce its use as a precautionary measure in view of the possible effects that glyphosate causes on people’s health and biodiversity.

It is important to have in mind that what is valid in other countries is different from Mexico, since in our country there is a connection between the effects on corn and traditional cornfield crops, which may have a different impact in other countries and cultures.

In Mexico, the consumption of tortillas and other corn products is high, so the impact that glyphosate may have on people deserves to be investigated, taking into account factors that correspond to our socioeconomic reality and our culture, highlighting that this is not present in the evaluations presented in the draft resolution.

It is essential to take up again the statement of Judge González Lozoya in the sense that the issue is controversial, but that the carcinogenic quality of glyphosate by the WHO means that certainty cannot be demanded in cases of presumption of irreversible damage.

Therefore, the Fourth Collegiate Court decided to withdraw the proposed resolution and reconsider it, considering the series of arguments presented by Justices Tron Petit and Gonzalez Loyola, all under the resistance of Justice Gallardo, who had to assume the reconsideration of the resolution.

As the plaintiff collective, we consider that this resolution represents a great triumph for the millions of corn consumers in Mexico, Mesoamerica and the world, by placing the human rights to health, to a healthy environment, to adequate and safe food above all else.

Unfortunately, the Collective has not been considered as a third party interested in the discussions on transgenic maize, however, we will continue to defend the great diversity of native maize in our country, against the purely economic interests of transnational companies, which do not take into account the damage that their genetically modified organisms and toxic agrochemicals cause us.

We will be watching the new project of the magistrate Gallardo Vara, to prevent him from continuing with the logic of favoring companies that are predators of life, the environment and biodiversity and that only seek profit, as is the case of Bayer-Monsanto.

Official press release (in Spanish)

“We are grains of corn from the same ear, we are one root, from the same path.” Otomi poem

‘the Wildlife That Has Come Is Phenomenal’: The Uk Farmers Holding Off Floods the Natural Way

/by

The streams, or becks, that run through James Robinson’s Lake District farm used to be cleaned out regularly – with vegetation yanked out and riverbeds dredged, or even completely filled in.

“The becks on our farm have suffered from overmanagement. We’ve got these elevated becks on some of our farm as well as some that have been cleaned up and cleaned out – it’s been a bit rubbish for ecology and for flood management,” he says now.

His family had run the farm for generations, but Robinson was already rethinking the way that things had been done, and had taken the farm organic 20 years earlier. And as flooding started to hit the farm more frequently, he began to wonder if changes could be made to the landscape that could make it more resilient.

KEEP READING ON THE GUARDIAN

A Comparative Analysis of Organic Farming and Regenerative Farming: Cultivating Sustainability

/by

Organic farming is a system of agriculture that avoids the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

It aims to promote soil and water quality, biodiversity, and human health by following a set of standards and regulations. Organic farming has been growing in popularity and demand, as consumers seek more natural and healthy food options. However, organic farming also faces some limitations, such as higher costs, lower yields, and potential nutrient deficiencies.

Regenerative farming is a process of restoring degraded soils using practices based on ecological principles.

It goes beyond organic farming by not only avoiding synthetic inputs, but also actively enhancing the natural ecosystems of the land. Regenerative farming seeks to improve soil health, carbon sequestration, water retention, and biodiversity by employing techniques such as cover cropping, crop rotation, no-till farming, agroforestry, and livestock integration.

KEEP READING ON LINKEDIN

…Organic Rising, a Film Featuring Ronnie Cummins, Was Released

/by

On October 1, 2023, Organic Rising came out.

So many of our organic heroes are in this film! In addition to our very own Ronnie Cummins who the director dedicated the film, Organic Rising includes:

Keith Freitas, an organic lemon farmer, on pesticide drift.

Jim Goodman of Northwood Organic Farm, on life over profits.

Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food and Water Watch, on water pollution from industrial agriculture.

Dr. Don Huber, Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology, Purdue University, on glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup.

Winona LaDuke of the Ojibwe White Earth Reservation, on the genetic modification of wild rice and food as medicine.

Jeff Larkey of Route 1 Farms, on the basic principles of organic.

Dr. Kris Nichols, when she was the Chief Scientist at the Rodale Institute, on why farmers should let nature work for them.

Glenn Roberts of Anson Mills, on the flavor of grains milled the old fashioned way and the problems with genetic modification.

Dr. Vandana Shiva on Monsanto’s trick to make us doubt scientists like Dr. Don Huber.

Dr. Michael Skinner, professor and biological scientist at Washington State University on obesity and DDT.

Mark Smallwood, when he was Executive Director of the Rodale Institute, on the differences between organic and conventional farming, from soil health to yields.

Eva Worden of Worden Farm, on the number-one reason people buy organic.

The film has a beautiful original score arranged by composer and producer Matthias Gohl, composed by Mark Stewart and Toddy Renolds, and performed by Mark Stewart, Jerry Douglass, Dave Mackay, Jamey Haddad, Toddy Renolds, and Gregg August.

Watch the Trailer

Watch Organic Rising

Africa’s Deep Disappointment At The Stagnation Of Negotiations On Agriculture At COP 28

/by

The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), which represents 37 African networks and organizations representing 200 million Africans, welcomes the first steps taken at COP 28. The agreement on the operationalization of the agreement on loss and damage, the signing of the “Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action” by 134 world leaders, as well as the COP 28 Presidency’s focus on transformation of food systems, with all its drawbacks, and the global agreement to reduce methane production by 30% by 2030, are among the notable results.

However, AFSA expresses its deep disappointment and concern over the stalled negotiations on the Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on Agriculture and Food Security (SSJW). Despite the critical importance of these issues, negotiations on joint work on agriculture and food security at COP 28 are at an impasse, confirming the lack of progress noted at the body’s meeting subsidiary SB58 which was held in Bonn in June.

KEEP READING ON AFSA

Put People, Nature, and Livelihoods at the Forefront of Climate Action

/by

As the world grapples with various crises, including conflicts, disease, and hunger, Africa faces multiple challenges compounded by the escalating impacts of climate change ranging from cyclones and floods to prolonged dry spells.  The effect on agriculture, a significant contributor to African nations’ livelihood and economy, poses a severe threat to Africa’s population.

We acknowledge Decision 3 CP/-27: Joint work on the implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security acknowledging the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, which expose millions, particularly small-scale farmers, low-income households, indigenous peoples, women, and youth in developing countries, to acute food and water insecurity. It also recognizes that farmers, including smallholders and pastoralists, play a crucial role as stewards of the land. Their vulnerability to climate change presents challenges in fulfilling this role.

It is however regrettable that the decision does not address the diverse impacts of different agricultural and food system models on the environment and climate change.

KEEP READING ON AFSA

From GMOs to Regenerative Agriculture: A Scientist’s Journey

/by

It’s not often that a scientist will transition from the narrow-focused science of genetically modified crops to the natural systems approach of regenerative agriculture. But that’s what happened to Laura Kavanaugh, who worked as a scientist for biotech company Syngenta for 12 years helping to develop GMO crops. Today, she is the new chief science officer for Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA), which works with farmers to help them transition to regenerative agriculture.

While working at Syngenta, Kavanaugh began to see the problems with the GMO approach.

“We create something as a GMO to try to overcome something in nature, but nature never sleeps,” says Kavanaugh, who has a PhD in genetics and genomics from Duke University. “There are billions of microbes, billions of everything that are eventually going to eventually crack that (GMO) code.”

She realized that the GMO approach wasn’t a good long-term solution because it produces a short-term impact.

KEEP READING ON BIOECO ACTUAL

Understanding the Context in Regenerative Agriculture

/by

Here, the term “regenerative” refers to restoring land, ecosystems, and communities to optimal health, with a focus on soil health, biodiversity, ecosystem functions, human well-being, and the climate. Rooted in Indigenous and peasant knowledge from all over the world and supported by modern science, regenerative agriculture practices involve cultivating an understanding among producers and land stewards, emphasizing soil care and interconnections.

By adopting practices like cover cropping, crop rotation, intercropping, reduced tillage, integrating livestock, and increasing biodiversity, farmers are rebuilding soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and water retention while making their farms more resilient. The benefits extend beyond individual farms, potentially revolutionizing food production, and fostering collaboration between farmers, scientists, and policymakers to promote innovation.

It’s a movement that unites ecosystems, producers, chefs, scientists, and conscious consumers alike. Each blog post in this series peels back the layers of regenerative agriculture, revealing the ten guiding principles of regenerative agriculture that drive Regeneration Canada’s mission.

KEEP READING ON REGENERATION CANADA

A Bold Return to Giving a Damn

/by

Why did you write the book?

“As I approached 40 years of age my view of how I should treat my land, my herd, and my community radically evolved… in ways that I would never have expected. My perception of what is good land stewardship. and what is good animal welfare, and what is good community service turned upside down. Good land management came to mean giving up utilizing harmful industrial reductionist science tools like pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Good animal welfare came to mean moving from merely not treating animals with cruelty to allowing them to express their instinctive behavior.

Good community development came to mean evolving my hometown [Bluffton, Georgia] from a literal ghost town into a delightful little village. I realized that what I had done was good, and important, and highly replicable. I understood that if I could tell my story to other farmers and ranchers, they too could find the courage to step outside the horribly damaging commodity agricultural production system.I wanted to share my 30-plus-year journey with others who might decide to make the same choice.”

KEEP READING ON WHITE OAK PASTURES