Exploring the connections between Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture

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Food security is one of a human being’s most basic needs, and the threat of food insecurity causes primal anxiety. Food insecurity is among the main causes of climate-related migration and, in turn, one of the main causes of the growing insecurity of nations.

With these vulnerabilities so raw, it’s no wonder people worldwide are questioning their food supply or that worldwide concern is surging about an industrial food system that feeds climate change and causes political instability – not to mention a system that weakens our immune systems and Nucauses serious nutrition-related health conditions and diseases.

It should also be no surprise that there is rapidly scaling curiosity about alternative food systems that don’t ride roughshod over human rights; about systems that keep people and the planet safe and healthy. And yet it can be confusing to understand the similarities and differences between these alternative systems. Let’s take a look at two approaches: Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture.

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Food Sector Making “More Promises Than Progress” on Regenerative Agriculture

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A ground-breaking study of 79 global agri-food firms has found that 50 (63%) publicly refer to the potential of regenerative agriculture as a solution to the climate and biodiversity crises. However, of these 50 companies, 64% (32/50) including Chipotle, Domino’s and Bunge have not put in place any formal quantitative company-wide targets to achieve those ambitions. The report will be discussed at a private investor-only event being held today at New York Climate Action Week.

Key findings include:

  • 64% (32/50) of agri-food companies that publicly report on regenerative agriculture as an opportunity do not put in place any formal quantitative company-wide targets to achieve those ambitions
  • Only 8% (4/50) of companies that publicly report on regenerative agriculture as an opportunity have financial commitments in place to support farmers in their supply chain to incentivise uptake of regenerative agriculture
  • Regulatory risk: new laws in EU and UK, and new TNFD framework, put revenue, value and reputation at risk with EU-based firms facing fines of up to 4% of revenue if marketing is judged to be misleading
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Unlocking the True Potential of Vegetables

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Want to boost your immune system, increase the nutrient content in your food, improve your mental health and detox your body? Fermented vegetables are for you!

Fermentation is the process that occurs when the natural bacteria in a vegetable break down the food’s complex elements into more digestible forms. When fermentation occurs, vegetables become easier to digest, allowing your body to work less, while reaping more benefits. And those benefits include higher levels of available nutrients, and live cultures of pro-biotic bacteria (kind of like the good stuff in yogurt). These pro-biotic bacteria can improve your digestion, boost your immune system, improve your mental health, and detox your body.

Worried that fermenting is risky? No need! Fermented veggies are actually safer than raw vegetables, because the fermentation process actually kills off any unwanted or dangerous bacteria that may exist on the food prior to fermentation. According to the USDA, there has “never been a single case of food poisoning reported from fermented vegetables.”

Fermented foods have been around for eons. Fermentation is an ancient art that pre-dates writing and agriculture.  It’s often considered to be the practice that first ushered our ancient relatives from the natural world, into a culturally driven world. In fact, the word ‘culture’ is another word for fermentation. Sandor Katz, who has written several books on the subject, calls it “a health regimen, a gourmet art, a multicultural adventure, a form of activism, and a spiritual path, all rolled into one.”

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Prime, grass fed — bird friendly? Audubon Society label coming to a meat aisle near you

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Labels that read “prime” or “grass fed” are likely to catch your eye in the meat aisle. What about “bird friendly?”

Beginning this winter, some Minnesota-raised beef will begin featuring a green and white label from the Audubon Society that says just that.

The bird conservation group is expanding a ranch certification program it started in the West in 2017 to the Midwest. It hopes to create consumer demand for bird-friendly ranching practices and, in turn, incentivize ranchers to maintain bird habitats.

Matt Maier was one of the first Minnesota farmers to sign up. He said the conservation ranching program aligns with what he’s already doing with his land in Clearwater, Minn.

When a lot adjacent to his boyhood farm went up for sale, Maier said he jumped at the opportunity to give his kids the kind of childhood memories he cherished.

“And what I witnessed when I moved back to the land [was] insects and birds and butterflies and frogs were non-existent. All the things that I wanted them to experience were not there,” Maier said. “So I’m like, OK, I want to do something about this.”

That something is Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed, a cattle ranch that taps 1,000 acres of grazing land — 120 of it Maier’s own — to raise cattle in a way that mimics roaming bison.


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Regenerative Farms vs Organic Farms: What’s the Difference?

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In the realm of sustainable agriculture, both regenerative and organic farming practices stand as beacons of environmentally conscious food production. While they share common goals of minimizing harm to ecosystems and promoting healthier food, these approaches diverge in their methodologies and overarching philosophies. Let’s delve into the differences between regenerative farms and organic farms:

CORE OBJECTIVES

  • Regenerative Farms: The primary goal is to revitalize and enhance the natural ecosystems of the land. Regenerative practices aim not only to sustain current conditions but to actively regenerate soil health, biodiversity, and overall ecosystem resilience.
  • Organic Farms: Organic farming primarily focuses on avoiding synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to promote soil and water quality, as well as human health. The emphasis is on preventing harm rather than actively restoring ecological balance.
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Phytonutrients in Meat and the Nutritional Difference Between Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed

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Dr. Stephan van Vliet joins Chris on Revolution Health Radio to discuss his emerging research on the nutrient profiles of beef raised by various farming methods, including grass-fed grazing, grain-fed, and grain-finished. Dr. van Vliet explains how the nutrient profiles differ between grass-fed and grain-fed cattle, particularly with regard to omega-6 to omega-3 ratios and phytonutrients, what this cutting-edge research means for human health and nutrient density, and how this emerging evidence supports a shift toward more sustainable agriculture.

In this episode, we discuss:

How different grazing practices affect the nutritional composition of meat

The relationship between agricultural sustainability and the nutrient density of meats

The results of Dr. van Vliet’s work in the Beef Nutrient Density Project, which studies the relationship between farming methods and the omega-6 to omega-3 ratios of meat

The types of nutrients that are diminished in feedlot beef vs. grass-fed beef

Whether it is possible to consume phytonutrients, secondary plant compounds, in any significant amount from beef

Factors affecting the ability of the body to absorb phytonutrients from animal sources and what that means for people on carnivorous or vegan diets

How the principles of food synergy and nutritionism demonstrate the body’s preference for nutrients from whole foods

The state of Dr. van Vliet’s research in this field and where it is headed

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Atrazine, an Endocrine-disrupting Herbicide Banned in Europe, Is Widely Used in the U.S.

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Atrazine is the second-most widely used weed killer in the United States, with more than 70 million pounds are applied across the nation each year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It is an endocrine disruptor and also linked to various cancers, premature birth and birth defects.

The herbicide has been banned for use in the European Union since 2004. In the U.S., it is one of the most commonly reported contaminants in groundwater and public drinking water, according to the EPA.

While atrazine is applied to a wide range of crops, it is primarily used on sugarcane, soy, sorghum, and corn; the USDA notes that more than 65 percent of all corn crops in the U.S. have been treated with the herbicide. It is also a weed killer for golf courses, fields, and residential and commercial lawn spaces across the United States.

Atrazine is among the most prevalent herbicides used in Canada and Australia, as well.

The primary manufacturer of atrazine is Syngenta, a Swiss-based corporation owned by the Chinese state-owned company ChemChina.

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Regenerating Rural Opportunities

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I have been given this amazing opportunity to travel Canada and interview agricultural producers about regenerative agriculture for the Rural Routes to Climate Solutions podcast. I’ve never done anything like this before, so when this opportunity came knocking about six months ago, turning it down didn’t cross my mind. I recognize most people don’t get opportunities like this. Heck, I’ll probably never get another one like this. I thought while I am on the road for the podcast, I could and maybe even should share with folks what I am seeing in terms of regenerative agriculture across the country.

This podcast series is part of a larger project called Stories of Regeneration led by Regeneration Canada. Over the summer, Regeneration Canada is hosting farm-to-table events (Alberta, yours is coming up on September 23) and creating short films on the same producers I am interviewing for the series.

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A 4th-Generation Farmer’s 3 Tips For A Farm-Like Lifestyle Wherever You Live

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While growing your own produce and raising livestock surrounded by fresh air and acres of open space sounds like a dream, it’s not a reality for many of us. But according to Will Harris, a fourth-generation farmer and owner of White Oak Pastures—a family farm utilizing regenerative agriculture and humane animal husbandry practices—it is possible to follow a farm-like lifestyle wherever you reside.

City dwellers, take note! On this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, Harris shares helpful tips to take ownership of your personal food system and live a healthier life. (As a result, we may even shift the future of agriculture.)

1. Choose grass-fed meat, if you’re able

If you can, Harris recommends always opting for grass-fed meat. Now, grass-fed has become a bit of a buzzword in health and well-being conversations, but Harris provides some thought-provoking insight into the cattle-raising process: On Harris’ farm, it takes cows about two years on the pasture to reach what he calls their “slaughter weight,” which is about 1,200 pounds.

“The life of an industrial creature is very, very different,” he explains. “It is all about how fast you can grow the animal and how cheaply you can do it.” In the industrial model, he says it takes around 18 months for the cow to reach 1,500 or 1,600 pounds. “It produces an unnaturally obese creature that would never occur in nature,” he explains.

And unnaturally obese creatures have a much shorter life expectancy: Says Harris, the average natural life span of a cow is around 20 to 24 years, but if you left an industrial cow to live out its days in that feedlot, “[it] wouldn’t live to be much older than that 24 months old,” Harris notes. “The creature is dying of all the diseases [from] obesity and lack of exercise that kill most of us.”

 

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When Discussing Flora and Fauna, Don’t Forget ‘Funga’

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Fungi. They grow between toes, on bread and in the shower. But the organisms also produce food and medicine and act as ecosystem maids by decomposing dead matter — benefits that are sometimes overlooked (SN: 11/17/20). That’s why the Fungi Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to fungi education and conservation, advocates for adding “funga” to the popular phrase “flora and fauna.”

The mushrooming movement is also backed by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, which in August called for the addition of “a third ‘F’ — funga — to address the planetary challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.” More than 20 countries already use the term, including Australia, Iceland and Brazil.

Historically, fungi have been left out of most conservation discussions and plans, says mycologist Giuliana Furci, founder of the Fungi Foundation, which was created in Chile and is now based in the United States. While flora refers to an area’s plant diversity and fauna its animal diversity, fungi don’t fit into either category.

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