Is Regen Ag the silver bullet for farming woes?
Regenerative Agriculture has been proposed as a solution not only for transforming on-farm processes, but as a driver of change for the global food system, addressing big issues such as climate change, food security and biodiversity loss.
It is also seen as a solution to social and financial uncertainty experienced by our farming communities.
Advocates say Regen Ag practices are adaptive and seek to optimise farm performance for multiple benefits simultaneously. These include;
Improvement in water quality
Less chemical and pesticide inputs mean less chemical pollution impacting ground and surface water, while improved water efficiency from better soil health leads to better soil water holding capacity. Greater ground cover all year round means less surface erosion and less sediment loading in our rivers.
Nutrient-rich food
Regenerative farming uses fewer chemical additives that are toxic to soil, plant, and animal life. Its protagonists claim it also promotes better cycling of essential macro- and micro-nutrients. Hence regenerative farming might produce more nutritionally dense food with considerably less risk of residual toxins.
Increased biodiversity
There are stories of a rise in bird, insect (including bees!), and earthworm populations, as well as richer and more diverse plant life – all signs of ecosystems returning to health.
Better mental health and wellbeing
We've heard how Regen Ag is bringing back joy to farmers. They say they have more free time working with nature instead of against it, and they are happier seeing earthworms return to their soil.
Anecdotal evidence for the benefits of regenerative agriculture in New Zealand is growing.
Regenerative practitioners are recording their observations and sharing them via social media and on-the-ground, farmer-led events.
But so far, little research has been conducted to show if, or how, Regen Ag delivers the multiple benefits people claim in New Zealand. That research is just beginning.There is high demand for scientific testing of these observations and reported benefits.
Dr Gwen Grelet, Maanaki Whenua Senior Researcher
Most importantly, we are designing experiments that have scientific rigour so they will be able to better describe what regenerative farming systems look like on the ground. Regenerative Agriculture emphasises management strategies that are constantly adapting and are context specific, not "one-size-fits-all".
Our ultimate aim is to test the anecdotal evidence and find out what is true or not.
The top five priorities for researchers are:
Where do we begin when it comes to researching Regen Ag?
Our researchers are starting from the ground up - literally.
They are digging into the ground to remove deep soil core samples. These are then measured against 20 indicators, including;
The researchers are comparing farms that have adopted a Regen Ag system with those that haven’t. They are trying to understand which practices are included in the regen ag systems. They are testing whether there are measurable differences between Regen Ag farms and others.
Most importantly, they are deploying rigorous scientific methodologies to test if claims made about Regen Ag are true.
The guiding principles of Regen Ag
It's all about the soil!
But context matters - there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution so each farmer will use practices that reflect their personal kaitiakitanga of their land.
There are, however, some principles that guide understanding how regenerative agriculture works.
Soil cover
Use plants to keep the soil covered. This minimises erosion and helps retain moisture - it's like a skin for the soil
Limited disturbance
Till as little as possible so you can build soil aggregates or ‘clumps’, pore spaces, soil biology and organic matter.
Living roots
Keep the plants growing throughout the year to feed the soil. Cover crops can add carbon to the soil providing a great food source for micro-organisms.
Diversity
Try to mimic nature and use cool and warm season grasses and broad leaf plants as much as possible with three or more crops and cover crops in rotation. Grassland and cropland plant diversity increases soil and animal health.
Integrating livestock
Autumn and winter grazing of cover crops and crop residue improves livestock nutrition at a time when pasture forage quality can be low, it also increases the soil biological activity on cropland, and improves nutrient cycling.
Regen Ag in practice: Meet Nigel Greenwood
I'm a fourth generation mixed arable farmer from Southbridge in Canterbury.
I'd been looking for a new way to farm for about 15 years.
There's been an industry geared to justify the current agricultural system, which yes, it does work, but they haven't looked at the collateral damage, which we're starting to see at the moment - the phosphate and nitrates. It has been overdone and it's been led by industry, and the poor old farmer's the scapegoat.”
The farm's now run with full cover cropping, no tilling and, after I had a chemical fertilizer health scare, it is spray-free.
Our fertilisers include fish, kelp, magnesium, peppermint oil (to scare away the aphids) and molasses.
I have what I call “learning seasons”, which have shown companion planting of cover crops in autumn work well. Planting phacelia attracted the bees to the delight of beekeepers in the area, also grazing animals tramp in dung and urine so there is greater biodiversity in the soil.
I'm not having to irrigate as much. I'm not having to use as much agrochemical. I'm not having to use as much fertilizer, because the system is starting to feed itself.
See all the worms?
That’s a great indication of soil health.
My next experiment will be to see if cedar tree oil works as a successful deterrent to slugs!
Farming has become fun again since I started using Regen Ag principles on the farm. I find I've got a really, really good work-life balance, and that's important to me. You can put yourself in an early grave trying to do everything.
