But Wiersma says the warm, humid weather in the Midwest can be a challenge. The term regenerative is not regulated, however, so people can (and do) put that label on foods that don't qualify, Chapman laments. Unhealthy soil will lead to food shortages that threaten food supply and raise food prices. Our soils have gone from 2% organic matter to 8% in the last 20 years. That shift would likely entice some of his neighbors to add oats to their rotations, and it could carve out a niche for Iowa oats in the specialty foods sector. Can Regenerative Agriculture Improve the Nutritional Content of Food? Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. And it buys a lot of oatsfrom Canada. Fourth, the mushrooming of different regenerative standards can derail the credibility of the regenerative agriculture movement and affect smallholder farmers. September 13 - Soils should look like black cottage cheese, says North Dakota farmer Gabe Brown. In recent years, however, Oatlys sustainability goals have led it to explore sourcing more of its necessary ingredient from the Midwest. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calls nutrient pollution "one of America's most widespread, costly and challenging environmental problems." But it's not just an environmental problem - it's a business one. Depleted and chemically-managed soils also lead to nutrient deficient food and pesticides in our food. Iowa farmer Plagge wants oats to work for more of his neighbors. Willer said the price of anhydrous fertilizer was anywhere between $300-$500 for a ton. NEWARK, Del. When the soil properly infiltrates water, our freshwater sources are replenished, bringing water back to springs and rivers. the power to revolutionize American soil & the food supply chain. Then they would go back with a tiller and turn over the topsoil before planting corn, soybeans, wheat and oats. And shoppers increasingly care about the environmental impact of their food choices, which is propelling some people to advocate for policy changes that could make growing oats more viable. NRDC works to safeguard the earthits people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. We can also reverse desertification by covering our ground on rangelands and using cover crops on all farmland. General Mills does not buy directly from farmers. Farm Credit Can Make or Break Farms. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Much of today's fruits and vegetables contain 90% fewer nutrients than at the start of this century, while 92% of the US population suffer from vitamin deficiencies leading to a multitude of chronic diseases. Major NYC Environmental Advance: City Council to Pass Universal Organics Collection Law, Expanding Peer Learning Opportunities for Cities, Model Executive Order Helps Cities Lead by Example on Food Waste, Regenerative Agriculture: Farm Policy for the 21st Century - Report (PDF), Regen Farm Bill Recommendations - Summary (PDF). He said the USDA has a trust and treaty responsibility to make sure that it is working flexibly with tribes to give them access to USDA programs. Support WUSF now by giving monthly, or make a one-time donation online. Sarah Carden, a senior policy advocate at Farm Action, an advocacy group opposing corporate influence in agriculture, said the industry is set up to support conventional farming, which disincentivizes alternative practices. Jesus, it makes you wanna puke, his brother John Glenn said. If we can get some private investment, she said, and a company that is using those oats in a product, to also invest in the region, all the better.. Its one of several regenerative farming methods that help farmers fertilizer stay in fields and not run off into nearby waterways. Regenerate America is an unprecedented coalition of farmers, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals from every corner of our country and all political stripes. And currently we only own half of that, so we still today do not have the full control of our homelands, he said. These excess nutrients wash into the Gulf of Mexico, creating a dead zone where fish and shrimp cannot live. Rice said high costs and current profit margins discourage farmers from applying more than the recommended amount. When soil is healthy and living it acts like a sponge. In recent years, no-till farming has been improving soil health and reducing erosion. 1. Heavily degraded and rapidly eroding soils are causing worsened flooding, drought, and fires; exacerbating extreme temperatures; depleting our fresh water systems; and threatening the potential collapse of our agriculture and food supply. Back when we were young buckaroos, we would plow and disc and get a crop of weeds to come up [and then] knock them down, Glenn said. Converting rangelands to regenerative grazing practices will restore bird populations, create habitats for abundant pollinators, and clean the waters they rely on. Leslie has a free Electric Fence Training Guide for Goats athttps://grazingwithleslie.com/fencetrainingTo learn more about her regenerative farming practices, visit her blog https://grazingiwthleslie.com, which has many resources on raising, grazing, and marketing meat goats. Since then, the tribe has started a farmers market, a seed library, new greenhouses and gardens and is even looking into a foraging and permaculture project. Melanie Caffe leads the program at South Dakota State University. The cost of fertilizer is still less than the amount farmers are going to make from selling their crops. A whole bunch of things change for the better, he added, when a small grain joins the rotation. NRDC works with growers, ranchers, and community. Theyve already seen an impact on their soils, Blake says. Lack of water infiltration also means underground aquifers and springs are not recharged, causing further water scarcity. Learn how your comment data is processed. Change can be hard, especially if they are farming alongside their older relatives. To promote, facilitate and accel. By, Connected Coastlines reporting initiative. Instead of going massive, the answer lies somewhere in between, he says, and an acknowledgement that small farmers are just as needed in the ecosystem. The majority of U.S. soils are extremely degraded, with topsoil loss occurring at a rate of 5.6 tons per acre/year on agricultural land. Brown runs a 5,000-acre farm and ranch, but he is far from a typical midwestern farmer. Oatly, the Swedish company that took North America by storm in 2017, is one of more than half a dozen companies selling oat milk in the U.S. Oatlys Kunen said the company is learning a great deal from the pilot and will make the written case study available to the public soon. The farmers we interviewed taught us how regenerative agricultures decision-making framework, its principles, and practices can help transition agriculture into a climate solution. Were thinking about building a mill for food-grade oats, he said, to supply the higher-end consumers that want the sustainability story, the high-quality product, and [the] domestically sourced product.. Today, the Glenns are still running their family farm in Columbia, growing corn, soybeans and hay. But I think were headed in the right direction with these practices.. Oh and by the way, were dairy farmers. He saw the benefits of cover crops after that first year as it helped his soil and decreased runoff. Eva Tesfaye covers agriculture, food systems and rural issues forKCURandHarvest Public Mediaand is aReport For Americacorps member. At the time, Blake says he had to unlearn much of what he had been taught in school on agriculture. New oat varieties might help, but few scientists are breeding them. Tribes are already sharing regenerative practices with each other. As a young boy in the late 1950s, Frank Glenn knew the soft, freshly-tilled brown dirt lining his familys fields signaled the start of another planting season. Our interest is in trying to pivot to a regenerative supply, said Julie Kunen, Oatlys director of sustainability for North America. Also in this weeks Field Report, a deeper look at the global fertilizer cartel, and the political battle over SNAP continues. After four years we have definitely come to understand that cost share alone, or guaranteed payment alone, is not enough to overcome the barriers that exist, she said. Frank and his younger brother John would hop on the tractor and start pulling their blue plow through the fields in February and March. Ang from Axe & Root Homestead has tons of tips and amazing insight on navigating these quirks and creating an amazing integrated system that allows for animals and plants to thrive together!Visit her website for an abundance of resources. Help us keep this support free with a donation! The Forum for the Future report says that there have been some positive shifts in the last few years, around policy change, valuation of ecosystem services, alternative types of financial flows, demonstration of the business case and coalition-building amongst farmers, but these shifts are still nascent. This leads to improved food quality, as our food can become more nutrient-dense for everyone and we can reduce chemical inputs. The solution is to replicate our model, and have smaller farms across the country.. Farmers can reduce input costs: Better soil fertility, soil testing, and management decisions lead to reduced input costs and irrigation expenses. Regenerative practices have gained popularity as more farmers recognize that dependence on pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and machinery robs the land of its natural organic matter. "Regenerative agriculture" is a set of practices for restoring soil health and maximizing the soil's ability to draw down carbon from the atmosphere. He cut back on the amount of fuel he uses, but he still has to buy seed, pesticide and must spend time planting the cover crop. Due to soil degradation and erosion our lands lack resilience, making them more susceptible to damages and therefore leading to bigger and more frequent catastrophic events. Having such proof points is helpful in trying to affect change at a policy level, says Patel. She added that other goals include breeding for better milling efficiency and nutritional quality. Kunen says Oatly and other stakeholders are pushing for more support for regional infrastructure and lower barriers on crop insurance in the 2023 Farm Bill in hopes that both will help U.S. farmers grow more oats. Then, she discusses the type of fertilizer they are using, the amount, application times and if they are using cover crops. Reduce input costs of 25% for all farmers and ranchers by 2025. Stephanie notes that their land has geese, elk, bald eagles, and salmon in the creeksall as a result of their chemical-free approach which includes wild open spaces. WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7 | Oat Informations Strychar said that can be a challenge without a lot of groundwork and price comparisons. Even though were managing millions of dollars annually, it doesnt mean we are making that kind of money. (Thats) an unheard of amount, he says. April 15, 2020 Cortney Ahern Renton Claire Huntley Lafave Katie Sierks Topics: Impact Investing Land Conservation Public Policy In Brief To foster regenerative practices, regional support networks are emerging to train farmers in these practices' science, costs, benefits and timelines. Similar to the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraskas changes to its farming practices, one of the driving forces behind these efforts was giving the community access to fresh healthy foods, to improve the health of the tribal members, in addition to the health of the ecosystem. We've only got 12,036 acres within the reservation. This story is part ofThe Price of Plenty,a special project investigating fertilizer from the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications and the University of Missouri School of Journalism, supported by the Pulitzer Centers nationwideConnected Coastlines reporting initiative. It became easier and more profitable to grow only corn and soybeans. If anything, were looking every week at how to cover our costs., So far, theyve largely self-funded the company with support of agricultural loans, Stephanie explains. Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals. Alexandre Family Farm chose to distinguish themselves in one more way: offering A2 organic milk, based on research from New Zealand which makes the case that A2 milk is more gut-friendly for human consumption. Inspired by what our 100+ interviewees told us, NRDC identified potential policy solutions to help spur on the transition to regenerative agriculture in the United States, including: Every person has an important part to play in our food system: From visiting a farm or a ranch and getting to know the people who grow your food, to asking your local supermarket to buy from local farmers, to calling elected leaders and advocating for policy changes, there are plenty of ways we can all help transition our agricultural system toward a regenerative one that fights the climate crisis. Listen to learn about the movement and how you can join! Farmers also must factor in other input costs like seed, pesticide, equipment and fuel. The Gulf hypoxia situation thats not something that any farmer would want to cause, Rice said. Amazon-owned Whole Foods called it the number one food trend in 2020. Oats like a cool spring and dont mind frost, but they do not do well come summer if the temperature gets too hot before harvest. General Mills, Unilever, PepsiCo and Nestle are among the major food companies pledging large-scale support for this type of farming, which emphasizes soil health, biodiversity and avoids the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Spellcaster: The Fall of Sam Bankman-Fried, The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson, The joe gardener Show - Organic Gardening - Vegetable Gardening - Expert Garden Advice From Joe Lamp'l. By implementing a regenerative agriculture program for farmers who provide crops for Unilever and PepsiCo the former for use primarily in Hellmanns mayonnaise a certain amount of de-risking for those farmers can be achieved. There are rumblings that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is alert to the need to adapt. His goal would be to process about a million bushels of oats per yearenough to support about 15,000 acres. Importantly, they suggested that current agricultural policy did not always work well for their operations. Youll receive your first NRDC action alert and update email soon! XtremeAg Panel Discussion with farmers Garrett, Miles, and Rhodes who shared their regenerative agriculture trials and triumphs. Most of western Canada, probably about 90%, moved to conservation tillage back in the 90s, she says. If you were hearing about oat milk shortages a couple of years ago, it wasnt the lack of oats, he said. A mill would likely cost several million dollars. https://www.bluemountainfarms.net/fiber-mill.html, Creating Symbiotic Systems - Agroforestry, Sheep & Agritourism with All for One, One for All Farm. They do the math and calculate whats best for business. In the process, though, theyre learning something else that Iowa farmers have long understood: Few elevators or grain millsthe critical link between farms and food companiesare buying oats these days. According Randy Strychar, president of the market research firm Oat Information, sales have climbed almost 45 percent in the past year. Rhodd said just a few years ago they used the same row cropping practices as the rest of the Midwest. Iowa soil, for instance, was once among the most fertile on the planet, but is now rapidly being depleted. Oats once were ubiquitous in Iowa, with 6.5 million acres planted in 1950. Getting that tall rye out of the field was a challenge, as it wrapped around his planter shaft and damaged the bearings on his equipment. Regenerative Agriculture Is a Philosophy At its core, regenerative agriculture is farming and ranching in harmony with nature. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. But no one told us this in college., When some of his classmates pursued the route of building large scale industrial farms, he says he opted for something very different, asking, How do we make a living in this environment by the coast, while protecting the land?, He had grown up on a dairy that milked 150 cows daily. Alexandre Family Farm wants to show that regenerative organic can be done at scale here in the U.S.and that too with dairy. When you sign up, youll become a member of NRDCs Activist Network. It becomes a lot riskier for a farmer to participate in alternative forms of production, Carden said. Plagge is one of a handful of farmers who have been taking part in an oat-growing pilot program launched in Minnesota and Iowa in 2019.
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