Regenerative agriculture
- Also known as
- regenerative farming, regen ag
Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming that aims to improve soil health and the wider environment over time, rather than simply sustaining them, through practices such as minimal tillage, cover crops, diverse rotations and integrating livestock. It has no single legal definition.
What is regenerative agriculture?
Regenerative agriculture describes farming systems intended to rebuild soil and ecosystem function, not just avoid degrading it. The term is widely used by farmers, food companies, researchers and policymakers, but there is no single legal or scientific definition. Definitions tend to fall into two groups:
- Practice-based definitions, which describe what farmers do.
- Outcome-based definitions, which describe results, such as increased soil organic carbon, improved water infiltration or greater biodiversity.
Common practices
Most descriptions include some combination of:
- Minimizing soil disturbance, through no-till farming or reduced tillage.
- Keeping soil covered, with residue and cover crops.
- Diversifying crops, through rotations and multispecies cover crops.
- Keeping living roots in the soil for as much of the year as possible.
- Integrating livestock, for example grazing cover crops.
- Reducing reliance on synthetic inputs, in some definitions.
These closely match the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s principles for soil health.
Why it matters
Advocates see regenerative practices as a way to improve soil organic matter, water holding, resilience to drought and heavy rain, and biodiversity, and in some cases to store carbon in soil; see soil carbon sequestration. Food and agricultural companies increasingly set regenerative sourcing goals, which has increased interest in measuring outcomes.
Measurement and debate
Because definitions vary, so do claims. Outcomes such as soil carbon change slowly and are costly to measure accurately, and results depend on soil, climate and the starting point. Several certification and verification programs exist, each with its own standards.
Frequently asked questions
No. Organic farming is a legally defined certification that restricts synthetic inputs. Regenerative agriculture focuses on soil and ecosystem outcomes and practices, and may or may not be organic.
Soil health describes the condition and function of the soil. Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming that aims to improve soil health and related outcomes.
Sources
- Soil health principles, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Defining regenerative agriculture: a review of definitions, Peer-reviewed literature (e.g. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems)