Regenerative agriculture

{{short description|Conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}

'''Regenerative agriculture''' is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems. It focuses on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity,<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is Regenerative Agriculture? |url=http://www.csuchico.edu/sustainablefuture/aginitiative/description.shtml |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170311184654/http://www.csuchico.edu/sustainablefuture/aginitiative/description.shtml |archive-date=2017-03-11 |access-date=9 March 2017 |website=California State University, Chico |language=en |department=Our Sustainable Future}}</ref> improving the water cycle,<ref>{{Cite web |author1=The Carbon Underground |author2=Regenerative Agriculture Initiative |date=24 February 2017 |title=What is Regenerative Agriculture? |url=http://regenerationinternational.org/2017/02/24/what-is-regenerative-agriculture/ |access-date=9 March 2017 |website=Regeneration International}}</ref> enhancing ecosystem services, supporting biosequestration,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Teague |first1=W. R. |last2=Apfelbaum |first2=S. |last3=Lal |first3=R. |last4=Kreuter |first4=U. P. |last5=Rowntree |first5=J. |last6=Davies |first6=C. A. |last7=Conser |first7=R. |last8=Rasmussen |first8=M. |last9=Hatfield |first9=J. |last10=Wang |first10=T. |last11=Wang |first11=F. |date=1 March 2016 |title=The role of ruminants in reducing agriculture's carbon footprint in North America |journal=Journal of Soil and Water Conservation |language=en |volume=71 |issue=2 |pages=156–164 |doi=10.2489/jswc.71.2.156 |issn=0022-4561 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2016JSWC...71..156T }}</ref> increasing resilience to climate change, and strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil.

Regenerative agriculture is not a specific practice. It combines a variety of sustainable agriculture techniques.<ref name=":03">{{Cite journal |last1=Schreefel |first1=L. |last2=Schulte |first2=R.P.O. |last3=De Boer |first3=I.J.M. |last4=Schrijver |first4=A. Pas |last5=Van Zanten |first5=H.H.E. |date=1 September 2020 |title=Regenerative agriculture – the soil is the base |journal=Global Food Security |language=en |volume=26 |bibcode=2020GlFS...2600404S |doi=10.1016/j.gfs.2020.100404 |issn=2211-9124 |doi-access=free |article-number=100404}}</ref> Practices include maximal recycling of farm waste and adding composted material from non-farm sources.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Regenerative Agriculture |url=http://regenerativeagriculturedefinition.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103095841/http://www.regenerativeagriculturedefinition.com/ |archive-date=3 November 2020 |access-date=7 March 2017 |website=regenerativeagriculturedefinition.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Regenerative Agriculture |url=http://regenerativeagriculturefoundation.org/regenerative-agriculture/ |access-date=9 March 2017 |website=Regenerative Agriculture Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Definition — The Carbon Underground: The Carbon Underground |url=https://thecarbonunderground.org/definition/ |access-date=7 March 2017 |website=thecarbonunderground.org |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Regenerative Organic Agriculture {{!}} ORGANIC INDIA |url=https://us.organicindia.com/our-stories/regenerative-agriculture |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313113750/https://us.organicindia.com/our-stories/regenerative-agriculture |archive-date=13 March 2016 |access-date=9 March 2017 |website=us.organicindia.com |language=en}}</ref> Regenerative agriculture on small farms and gardens is based on permaculture, agroecology, agroforestry, restoration ecology, keyline design, and holistic management. Large farms are also increasingly adopting regenerative techniques, in particular "no-till" and/or "reduced till" practices.

As soil health improves, input requirements may decrease, and crop yields may increase as soils are more resilient to extreme weather and harbor fewer pests and pathogens.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moebius-Clune |first=B. N. |date=2016 |title=Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health – The Cornell Framework |url=https://soilhealth.cals.cornell.edu/manual/ |access-date=17 April 2021 |website=Cornell University |department=Cornell Soil Health Laboratory |version=Version 3.2}}</ref>

Regenerative agriculture claims to mitigate climate change through carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere and sequestration. Carbon sequestration is gaining popularity in agriculture from individuals as well as groups.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perroni |first1=Eva |date=16 May 2018 |title=18 Organizations Promoting Regenerative Agriculture Around the Globe |url=https://foodtank.com/news/2018/05/organizations-feeding-healing-world-regenerative-agriculture-2/ |access-date=8 October 2023 |website=Food Tank}}</ref> However, such claims have also been subject to criticism by scientists.<ref name="auto" />

[[File:Hoverfly January 2008-6.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Hoverfly at work]]

== History == thumb|300px|right|Rodale Institute, Test Garden

=== Origins === Regenerative agriculture is based on various agricultural and ecological practices, with a particular emphasis on minimal soil disturbance and the practice of composting.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Bread from stones: a new and rational system of land fertilization and physical regeneration|last=Hensel|first =Julius|author-link=Julius Hensel|year=1996|orig-date=1917|publisher=Planet Pub. House|isbn=0-665-79105-4|oclc=1083992856}} Republished by Acres USA, Austin, Texas, 1991</ref> Similar ideas focus on "sea minerals"<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sea energy agriculture|last=Murray |first=Maynard |date=2003|publisher=Acres U.S.A|isbn=0-911311-70-X|oclc=52379170}} (originally published 1976).</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Building soils naturally - innovative methods for organic gardeners.|last=Nauta |first=Phil |year = 2012|publisher=Acres U.S.A. |isbn=978-1-60173-033-6|oclc=1023314099}}</ref> and innovations in no-till practices, such as ''slash and mulch'' in tropical regions.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The one-straw revolution: an introduction to natural farming |last=Fukuoka |first=Masanobu |date=2010|publisher=New York Review Books|isbn=978-1-59017-392-3|oclc=681750905}} and {{Cite book|title=The natural way of farming: the theory and practice of green philosophy|last1=Fukuoka|first1=Masanobu |last2=Metreaud|first2=Frederic P. |date=1993|publisher=Bookventure|isbn=978-81-85987-00-2|oclc=870936183}}</ref><ref name="Hamaker, John D 1982">{{Cite book|title=The survival of civilization depends upon our solving three problems--carbon dioxide, investment money, and population: selected papers of John D. Hamaker|last=Hamaker|first=John D.|date=1982|publisher=Hamaker-Weaver Publishers|oclc=950891698}}</ref><ref>Whatley, Booker T. ''How to Make $100,000 Farming 25 Acres''. Emmaus, Pennsylvania, Regenerative Agriculture Association, 1987. 180 pages.</ref> Sheet mulching is a regenerative agriculture practice that smothers weeds and adds nutrients to the soil below.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Lasagna gardening: A new Layering System for bountiful gardens: no digging, no tilling, no weeding, no kidding.|last=Lanza |first=Patricia |date=1998|publisher=Emmaus, PA|isbn=978-0-87596-795-0|oclc=733752184}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Sepp Holzer's permaculture: a practical guide to small-scale, integrative farming and gardening|last=Holzer |first=Sepp|date=2011|publisher=Chelsea Green Publishing|isbn=978-1-60358-370-1|oclc=1120375143}}</ref>

In the early 1980s, the Rodale Institute began using the term 'regenerative agriculture'.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=AFSIC History Timeline|url=https://www.nal.usda.gov/programs/afsic|access-date=9 March 2017|website=Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, United States National Agricultural Library, USDA|language=en}}</ref> Rodale Publishing formed the Regenerative Agriculture Association, which began publishing regenerative agriculture books in 1987 and 1988.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-agricultural-production-systems/organic-production|title=Tracing the Evolution of Organic / Sustainable Agriculture (TESA1980) {{!}} Alternative Farming Systems Information Center{{!}} NAL {{!}} USDA|last=|first=|date=|website=|language=en|access-date=9 March 2017}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|text=By marching forward under the banner of sustainability we are, in effect, continuing to hamper ourselves by not accepting a challenging enough goal. I am not against the word sustainable, rather I favor regenerative agriculture.|sign=Robert Rodale|source=}}

However, the institute stopped using the term in the late 1980s, and it only appeared sporadically (in 2005<ref>{{Cite web|title=A truly regenerative agriculture|url=http://rodaleinstitute.org/a-truly-regenerative-agriculture/|access-date=9 March 2017|website=Rodale Institute|date=7 January 2005|language=en}}</ref> and 2008), until they released a white paper in 2014, titled "Regenerative Organic Agriculture and Climate Change".<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=Regenerative Organic Agriculture and Climate Change|url=https://rodaleinstitute.org/regenerative-organic-agriculture-and-climate-change/|access-date=9 March 2017|website=Rodale Institute|language=en}}</ref> The paper's summary states, "we could sequester more than 100% of current annual CO₂ emissions with a switch to common and inexpensive organic management practices, which we term 'regenerative organic agriculture.'" The paper described agricultural practices, like crop rotation, compost application, and reduced tillage,<ref name=":7" /> that are similar to organic agriculture methods.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 July 2017 |title=A history of regenerative farming |url=https://www.savills.co.uk/blog/article/348322/rural-property/a-history-of-regenerative-farming.aspx |access-date=2 August 2024 |website=www.savills.co.uk |language=English}}</ref> thumb|Newly planted soybean plants are emerging from the residue left behind from a prior wheat harvest. This demonstrates crop rotation and no-till planting.

In 2002, Storm Cunningham documented the beginning of what he called "restorative agriculture" in his first book, ''The Restoration Economy''. Cunningham defined restorative agriculture as a technique that rebuilds the quantity and quality of topsoil, while also restoring local biodiversity (especially native pollinators) and watershed function. Restorative agriculture was one of the eight sectors of restorative development industries/disciplines in ''The Restoration Economy''.<ref name="Cunningham, Storm 2002">Cunningham, Storm. ''The Restoration Economy''. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2002. 340p.</ref>

=== Developments (since 2010) === Regenerative agriculture has appeared in academic research since the early to mid 2010s in the fields of environmental science, plant science, and ecology.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Web of Science - Please Sign In to Access Web of Science|url=https://login.webofknowledge.com/error/Error?Error=IPError&PathInfo=%2F&RouterURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.webofknowledge.com%2F&Domain=.webofknowledge.com&Src=IP&Alias=WOK5|access-date=6 March 2021|website=login.webofknowledge.com|archive-date=14 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214083848/https://login.webofknowledge.com/error/Error?Error=IPError&PathInfo=%2F&RouterURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.webofknowledge.com%2F&Domain=.webofknowledge.com&Src=IP&Alias=WOK5}}</ref> As the term expands in use, many books have been published on the topic and several organizations started to promote regenerative agriculture techniques. Allan Savory gave a TED talk on fighting and reversing climate change in 2013. He also launched The Savory Institute, which educates ranchers on methods of holistic land management. Abe Collins created LandStream to monitor ecosystem performance in regenerative agriculture farms.<ref>Collins, Abe. "Growing Deep Soil Watersheds" (PDF). ''Harvard Forest''. Retrieved 19 August 2019.</ref> Eric Toensmeier had a book published on the subject in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|date=15 January 2017|title=Book Review: The Carbon Farming Solution|url=https://www.ecolandscaping.org/01/developing-healthy-landscapes/climate-change/book-review-carbon-farming-solution/|access-date=7 May 2021|website=Ecological Landscape Alliance|language=en-US}}</ref> However, researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands found there to be no consistent definition of what people referencing "regenerative agriculture" meant. They also found that most works on this topic were instead authors' attempts to shape what regenerative agriculture meant.<ref name=":03"/>

In 2011, the (not for profit) Mulloon Institute was founded in New South Wales, Australia, to develop and promote regenerative practices to reclaim land as water-retentive areas by slowing the loss of water from land.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mulloon Institute |url=https://themullooninstitute.org/ |access-date=13 January 2024 |website=Mulloon Institute |language=en-AU}}</ref> The members of the Institute created a 22-weir in-stream project with neighbours over 2 kilometers of Mulloon Creek. A study indicates that the outcomes were positive but relatively unpredictable, and that suitability of ground conditions on site was a key for success.<ref>Hickson, Oliver. (2017)''[https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1144&context=thsci "Surface water and alluvial groundwater connectivity at Mulloon Creek and the implications for Natural Sequence Farming"] (University of Woollongong Research Online)'' Retrieved 13 January 2024</ref> Bottom-up change in the context of Australian regenerative agriculture is a complex set of narratives and barriers to change affecting farmers.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kenny |first1=Daniel C. |last2=Castilla-Rho |first2=Juan |date=23 August 2022 |title=What Prevents the Adoption of Regenerative Agriculture and What Can We Do about It? Lessons and Narratives from a Participatory Modelling Exercise in Australia |journal=Land |language=en |volume=11 |issue=9 |page=1383 |doi=10.3390/land11091383 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2022Land...11.1383K |issn=2073-445X}}</ref> A West Australian government-funded survey of land hydration was conducted by the Mulloon Institute in June 2022, which concluded that water retention projects supported the regeneration of native plant species.<ref>[https://www.regenwa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-June-LandscapeRehydrationinWA.pdf Landscape Rehydration in Western Australia, A Review] (June 2022), Retrieved 13 January 2024</ref>

Founded in 2013, 501(c)3 non-profit [https://kisstheground.com/ Kiss the Ground] was one of the first to publicize the term to a broader audience. Today, the group runs a series of storytelling, education, farm and policy programs to raise awareness around soil health and support farmers who aim to transition from conventional to regenerative land management practices.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://kisstheground.com/about-us/ | title=About Kiss the Ground }}</ref> The film ''Kiss the Ground'', executive produced by Julian Lennon and Gisele Bündchen and narrated by Woody Harrelson, was released in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kissthegroundmovie.com/|title=Kiss the Ground Film {{pipe}} Official Website|website=Kiss the Ground Film}}</ref> A follow-up documentary, ''Common Ground'', premiered in 2023 and was the recipient of the 2023 Human/Nature Award at the Tribeca Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Common Ground {{!}} 2023 Tribeca Festival |url=https://tribecafilm.com/films/common-ground-2023 |access-date=31 December 2024 |website=Tribeca}}</ref>

Not all regenerative systems emphasize ruminants. In 2017, Reginaldo Haslett Marroquin published "In the Shadow of Green Man" with Per Andreeason,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Haslett Marroquin |first1=Reginaldo |title=In the Shadow of Green Man |date=2017 |publisher=Island Press |isbn=978-1-60173-138-8}}</ref> which detailed Haslett Marroquin's early life as a campesino in Guatemala and how these experiences led him to develop regenerative poultry agroforestry systems that are now being practiced and expanding in the United States and elsewhere.<ref>{{cite web |title=Regenerative Agriculture Alliance |url=https://www.regenagalliance.org/ |access-date=26 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Poultry-centred Regenerative Agriculture Systems |url=https://regenerationinternational.org/poultry-centered-regenerative-agriculture-system/ |website=Regeneration International |access-date=26 January 2023}}</ref>

Several large corporations have also announced regenerative agriculture initiatives in the last few years. In 2019, General Mills announced an effort to promote regenerative agriculture practices in their supply chain. The farming practices have received criticism from academic and government experiments on sustainability in farming. In particular, Gunsmoke Farm partnered with General Mills to transition to regenerative agriculture practices and become a teaching hub for others. Experts from the area have expressed concerns about the farm now doing more harm than good, with agronomist Ruth Beck stating that "Environmental marketing got ahead of what farmers can actually do".<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Charles |first1=Dan |title=A Giant Organic Farm Faces Criticism That It's Harming The Environment|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/05/03/989984124/a-giant-organic-farm-faces-criticism-that-its-harming-the-environment|access-date=7 May 2021|website=NPR.org|date=3 May 2021 |language=en}}</ref> More recent debates highlight concerns that corporate actors may be co-opting regenerative agriculture, invoking the term for marketing purposes while neglecting its substantive practices<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schreefel |first1=Loekie |last2=Steenman |first2=Emile |last3=Adler |first3=Fabian |last4=Buffara |first4=Ricardo |last5=Freundt |first5=Stephan |last6=DeClerck |first6=Fabrice |last7=Duncan |first7=Jessica |last8=Giller |first8=Ken E. |last9=Koster |first9=Howard |last10=van Zanten |first10=Hannah H. E. |date=2025-11-05 |title=Beyond the buzz: analyzing actors promoting regenerative agriculture in Europe |journal=npj Sustainable Agriculture |language=en |volume=3 |issue=1 |page=59 |doi=10.1038/s44264-025-00100-1 |issn=2731-9202|doi-access=free |bibcode=2025npjSA...3...59S }}</ref>.

In February 2021, the regenerative agriculture market gained traction after Joe Biden's Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack made reference to it during his Senate Confirmation hearing. The Biden administration wants to utilize $30 billion from the USDA's Commodity Credit Corporations to incentivise farmers to adopt sustainable practices.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Newburger|first=Emma|date=12 February 2021|title=Biden's climate change strategy looks to pay farmers to curb carbon footprint|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/12/bidens-climate-change-plan-pay-farmers-to-cut-carbon-footprint.html|access-date=6 March 2021|website=CNBC|language=en}}</ref> Vilsack stated in the hearing, "It is a great tool for us to create the kind of structure that will inform future farm bills about what will encourage carbon sequestration, what will encourage precision agriculture, what will encourage soil health and regenerative agricultural practices."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Agriculture Secretary Confirmation Hearing {{!}} C-SPAN.org|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?508411-1/agriculture-secretary-nominee-tom-vilsack-confirmation-hearing|access-date=6 March 2021|website=www.c-span.org|language=en-us}}</ref> After this announcement from the Biden administration, several national and international corporations announced initiatives into regenerative agriculture.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":11" /><ref name=":10" /> During the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture's first hearing on climate change, Gabe Brown, a proponent of regenerative agriculture, testified about the role of regenerative agriculture in both the economics and sustainability of farming.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Latzke|first=Jennifer M.|title=House Ag Committee hears how agriculture may play role in mitigating climate change|url=https://www.hpj.com/latzke/house-ag-committee-hears-how-agriculture-may-play-role-in-mitigating-climate-change/article_34327a00-7cf6-11eb-8cc6-bf584cbfa705.html|access-date=6 March 2021|website=High Plains Journal|language=en|archive-date=9 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309233617/https://www.hpj.com/latzke/house-ag-committee-hears-how-agriculture-may-play-role-in-mitigating-climate-change/article_34327a00-7cf6-11eb-8cc6-bf584cbfa705.html}}</ref>

In 2021, PepsiCo announced that by 2030 they will work with the farmers in their supply chain to establish regenerative agriculture practices across their approximately 7 million acres.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Peters|first=Adele|date=20 April 2021|title=PepsiCo is scaling up regenerative agriculture on 7 million acres of land|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90626895/pepsico-is-scaling-up-regenerative-agriculture-on-7-million-acres-of-land|access-date=7 May 2021|website=Fast Company|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite web|date=20 April 2021|title=PepsiCo announces 2030 goal to scale regenerative farming practices across 7 million acres|url=https://www.agriculture.com/news/pepsico-announces-2030-goal-to-scale-regenerative-farming-practices-across-7-million-acres|access-date=7 May 2021|website=Successful Farming|language=en}}</ref> In 2021, Unilever announced an extensive implementation plan to incorporate regenerative agriculture throughout their supply chain.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web|title=Unilever Bets (Part of) the Farm on Regenerative Agriculture|url=https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/unilever-regenerative-agriculture/721661|access-date=7 May 2021|website=www.triplepundit.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=How we will grow our ingredients in harmony with nature|url=https://www.unilever.com/news/news-and-features/Feature-article/2021/how-we-will-grow-our-ingredients-in-harmony-with-nature.html|access-date=7 May 2021|website=Unilever global company website|language=en}}</ref> VF Corporation, the parent company of The North Face, Timberland, and Vans, announced in 2021 a partnership with Terra Genesis International to create a supply chain for their rubber that comes from sources utilizing regenerative agriculture.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|title=Timberland, Vans, The North Face to develop regenerative rubber supply chain|url=https://www.edie.net/news/12/Timberland--Vans--The-North-Face-to-develop-regenerative-rubber-supply-chain/|access-date=7 May 2021|website=edie.net|date=27 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Regenerative Agriculture, Coming Soon to a Timberland Shoe Near You|url=https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/regenerative-agriculture-timberland/722251|access-date=7 May 2021|website=www.triplepundit.com}}</ref> Nestle announced in 2021 a $1.8 billion investment in regenerative agriculture in an effort to reduce their emissions by 95%.<ref>{{Cite web|title=$3.5 billion net-zero plan at Nestle gets shareholder approval|url=https://fortune.com/2021/04/15/nestle-net-zero-plan-shareholders-approve-3-5-billion/|access-date=7 May 2021|website=Fortune|language=en}}</ref>

Several days before the opening of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, a report was published, sponsored by some of the biggest agricultural companies. The report was produced by [https://www.sustainable-markets.org/ Sustainable Markets Initiative], an organisation of companies trying to become climate friendly, established by King Charles III. According to the report, regenerative agriculture is already implemented on 15% of all cropland. Despite this, the rate of transition is "far too slow" and must be tripled by the year 2030 to prevent the global temperature passing the threshold of 1.5 degrees above preindustrial levels. Agricultural practices must immediately change in order to avoid the damage that would result. One of the authors emphasised that "The interconnection between human health and planetary health is more evident than ever before." The authors proposed a set of measures for accelerating the transition, like creating metrics for measuring how much farming is sustainable, and paying farmers who will change their farming practices to more sustainable ones.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rushe |first1=Dominic |title=Big agriculture warns farming must change or risk 'destroying the planet' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/03/big-agriculture-climate-crisis-cop27 |access-date=11 November 2022 |agency=The Guardian |date=3 November 2022}}</ref>

== Principles == Several individuals, groups, and organizations have attempted to define the principles of regenerative agriculture. In their review of the existing literature on regenerative agriculture, researchers at Wageningen University created a database of 279 research articles on regenerative agriculture.<ref name=":03"/> Their analysis of this database found that people using the term regenerative agriculture were using different principles to guide regenerative agriculture efforts.<ref name=":03" /> The 4 most consistent principles were found to be, 1) enhancing and improving soil health, 2) optimization of resource management, 3) alleviation of climate change, and 4) improvement of water quality and availability.

=== Notable definitions of principles ===

==== The Carbon Underground ==== The organization The Carbon Underground created a set of principles that have been signed on to by a number of non-profits and corporations including Ben & Jerry's, Annie's, and the Rodale Institute, which was one of the first organizations to use the term "Regenerative Agriculture".<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|title=Regenerative Agriculture Definition|url=https://thecarbonunderground.org/our-initiative/definition/|access-date=7 May 2021|website=The Carbon Underground|language=en-US}}</ref> The principles they've outlined include building soil health and fertility, increase water percolation and retention, increasing biodiversity and ecosystem health, and reducing carbon emissions and current atmospheric CO₂ levels.<ref name=":12" />

==== Terra Genesis International ==== Terra Genesis International, an environmental regenerative design firm working to mesh economics with ecology, promotes a holistic definition of regenerative agriculture practices built on four principles. First, regenerative agriculture practices must continually work to better entire agroecosystems, specifically in their biodiversity and soil and water quality. Second, each farm should make intentional designs and decisions that reflect its core values and circumstances. The third principle involves the development of fair and equal roles and interactions of all stakeholders of the farm. Lastly, regenerative agriculture practices must constantly progress on the individual, farm, and community levels in order to maximize all potential benefits.<ref name=":9">Soloviev, E. and Landua, G. Levels of Regenerative Agriculture. Terra Genesis International, High Falls, NY, 2016.</ref><ref name=":1" />

==== Philip Loring ==== Instead of focusing on the specifics of food production technologies, human ecologist Philip Loring suggests a food system-level focus on regeneration, arguing that it is the combination of flexibility and diversity in our food systems that supports regenerative ecological practices.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Loring |first1=Philip |title=Regenerative Food Systems and the Conservation of Change |journal=Agriculture and Human Values |date=2022 |volume=39 |issue=2 |pages=701–713 |doi=10.1007/s10460-021-10282-2 |pmid=34776604 |pmc=8576312 }}</ref> Loring argues that, depending on the relative flexibility of people in the food system with respect to the foods they eat and the overall diversity of foods being produced and harvested, food systems can fall into one of four general patterns:

Firstly, food systems can be regenerative, with high diversity and high flexibility. Ecosystems are able to recycle and replenish used energy into new usable forms, such as those found in many Indigenous food systems.

Food systems can also be degenerative, with high diversity and low flexibility. This occurs when people fixate on specific resources and only switch to alternatives once the preferred commodity is exhausted, such as fishing down the food web.

A coerced food system involves low diversity and low flexibility. People subsidize prized resources at the expense of the surrounding ecosystem, such as in the Maine Lobster fishery.

Impoverished food systems have low diversity but high flexibility. People are willing to choose sustainable options, but because they are living in degraded ecosystems and possibly a poverty trap, cannot realistically allow ecosystems and resources to regenerate.

Loring's typology is based on a principle he calls the Conservation of Change, which states that change must always happen somewhere in ecosystems, and derives from the Second Law of Thermodynamics and Barry Commoner's premise in that, in ecosystems, "there is no free lunch".

== Practices == Regenerative farming involves the use many different practices and models, often simultaneously.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sheldonfrith.com/2015/12/15/a-brief-introduction-to-most-important-techniques-in-regenerative-agriculture/|title=The 9 Most Important Techniques In Regenerative Agriculture {{!}}|access-date=7 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308043841/http://www.sheldonfrith.com/2015/12/15/a-brief-introduction-to-most-important-techniques-in-regenerative-agriculture/|archive-date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.southernblue.com.au/regenerative-techniques-and-tools/|title=Regenerative Techniques and Tools|last=Chapman|first=Glen|date=21 August 2018|website=Southern Blue Regenerative|language=en-US|access-date=23 September 2019}}</ref>

=== Alternative food networks (AFNs) === Alternative food networks include many different techniques that work to reduce physical, economic, and social distance between farmers and consumers. Common proponents of AFNs include small farmers, who often struggle to compete with large supermarket chains and commercial farms, consumers, who can directly express their concerns with food production, and environmental activists who dislike unsustainable monocultural farms.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Barbera |first1=Filippo |last2=Dagnes |first2=Joselle |date=2016 |title=Building Alternatives from the Bottom-up: The Case of Alternative Food Networks |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2210784316300274 |journal=Agriculture and Agricultural Science Procedia |language=en |volume=8 |pages=324–331 |doi=10.1016/j.aaspro.2016.02.027|hdl=2318/1632794 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jarosz|first=Lucy|date=1 July 2008|title=The city in the country: Growing alternative food networks in Metropolitan areas|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0743016707000654|journal=Journal of Rural Studies|language=en|volume=24|issue=3|pages=231–244|doi=10.1016/j.jrurstud.2007.10.002|bibcode=2008JRurS..24..231J |issn=0743-0167|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

=== Aquaculture === Aquaculture is a fishing technique involving the rearing of fish in the ocean in fish farms.<ref name=":15">{{Cite book |last=Batini |first=Nicoletta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wrIjEAAAQBAJ&dq=regenerative+ocean+farming&pg=PA92 |title=The Economics of Sustainable Food: Smart Policies for Health and the Planet |publisher=Island Press |year=2021 |pages=92–95 |isbn=978-1-64283-161-0 }}</ref> Aquaculture prioritizes sustainability and innate environmental productivity as opposed to traditional fishing techniques.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Patel |first1=Arun |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395593433 |title=Advances in Aquatic Biotechnology and Bioinformatics |last2=Sarathi Tripathy |first2=Partha |last3=Parhi |first3=Janmejay |date=September 2025 |publisher=DBT-NER-Advance Level Institutional Biotech-Hub Phase-II |pages=1–22}}</ref> Regenerative ocean farms are a form of aquaculture where shellfish and seaweeds are grown.<ref name=":15" /><ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=https://regenerationinternational.org/why-regenerative-agriculture/|title=Why Regenerative Agriculture?|website=Regeneration International|language=en-US|access-date=4 February 2020}}</ref> === Biochar === Biochar is a carbon-rich substance made from thermally decomposed biomass. This substance is commonly used on agricultural soils to increase carbon stores due to its ability to remain in the soil for long periods of time rather than entering the atmosphere as CO₂.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Sohi |first1=S. P. |title=Chapter 2 - A Review of Biochar and Its Use and Function in Soil |date=1 January 2010 |volume=105 |pages=47–82 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0065211310050029 |access-date=9 October 2025 |series=Advances in Agronomy |publisher=Academic Press |doi=10.1016/s0065-2113(10)05002-9 |last2=Krull |first2=E. |last3=Lopez-Capel |first3=E. |last4=Bol |first4=R. |isbn=978-0-12-381023-6 |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Additionally, studies have shown that biochar improves soil physical properties like water & nutrient retention, overall enhancing soil microbial activity and increasing fertility.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Aziz |first1=Sadia |last2=Bibi |first2=Shabana |last3=Hasan |first3=Mohammad Mehedi |last4=Biswas |first4=Partha |last5=Ali |first5=Muhammad Ishtiaq |last6=Bilal |first6=Muhammad |last7=Chopra |first7=Hitesh |last8=Mukerjee |first8=Nobendu |last9=Maitra |first9=Swastika |date=December 2024 |title=A review on influence of biochar amendment on soil processes and environmental remediation |journal=Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering Reviews |volume=40 |issue=4 |pages=3270–3304 |doi=10.1080/02648725.2022.2122288 |issn=2046-5556 |pmid=36747352}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schmidt |first1=Hans-Peter |last2=Kammann |first2=Claudia |last3=Hagemann |first3=Nikolas |last4=Leifeld |first4=Jens |last5=Bucheli |first5=Thomas D. |last6=Sánchez Monedero |first6=Miguel Angel |last7=Cayuela |first7=Maria Luz |date=2021 |title=Biochar in agriculture – A systematic review of 26 global meta-analyses |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gcbb.12889 |journal=GCB Bioenergy |language=en |volume=13 |issue=11 |pages=1708–1730 |doi=10.1111/gcbb.12889 |bibcode=2021GCBBi..13.1708S |issn=1757-1707|hdl=10261/263150 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Effects vary depending on factors such as environmental conditions, materials used to create the biochar, and frequency of application. RPM-B (Raw Poultry Manure Biochar) could be a viable substitute for synthetic fertilizers in nutrient-poor semi-arid soils. Nitrogen retention increases when biochar is applied to acidic soil, and when applied to clay soils phosphorus and potassium availability increases.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tang |first=Kuok Ho Daniel |date=2025-11-09 |title=Biochar Amendments for Soil Restoration: Impacts on Nutrient Dynamics and Microbial Activity |journal=Environments |language=en |volume=12 |issue=11 |page=425 |doi=10.3390/environments12110425 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2025Envi...12..425T |issn=2076-3298}}</ref>

=== Compost === Composting is the deliberate decomposition of organic materials into a nutrient-rich substance in order to target increases in soil health and productivity. Common ingredients in compost include animal manure, food waste, and landscaping waste such as leaves or grass clippings.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 March 2002 |title=The Art and Science of Composting |url=https://cias.wisc.edu/crop-soil/the-art-and-science-of-composting/ |access-date=7 October 2025 |website=Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems |language=en-US}}</ref> === Cover crops & multi-species cover crops === Cover cropping is a technique that includes the planting of crops on bare or recently-reaped fields in order to replenish overall soil health. Cover crops are used to increase soil nutrient levels, especially nitrogen,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Shah |first1=Kabita Kumari |last2=Modi |first2=Bindu |last3=Pandey |first3=Hari Prasad |last4=Subedi |first4=Arjun |last5=Aryal |first5=Geeta |last6=Pandey |first6=Meena |last7=Shrestha |first7=Jiban |date=22 July 2021 |editor-last=Fahad |editor-first=Shah |title=Diversified Crop Rotation: An Approach for Sustainable Agriculture Production |journal=Advances in Agriculture |language=en |volume=2021 |issue=1 |pages=1–9 |doi=10.1155/2021/8924087 |bibcode=2021AdvAg202124087S |doi-access=free |issn=2314-7539}}</ref> promote the soil's carbon sequestration capabilities,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blanco-Canqui |first=Humberto |date=18 February 2022 |title=Cover crops and carbon sequestration: Lessons from U.S. studies |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358700160 |publisher=Soil Science Society of America Journal}}</ref> aerate soil to lessen water erosion and runoff.<ref name=":04">{{Cite journal |last1=Dabney |first1=S.M. |last2=Delgado |first2=J.A. |last3=Reeves |first3=D.W. |date=5 February 2007 |title=Using winter cover crops to improve soil and water quality |journal=Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis |volume=32 |issue=7–8 |pages=1221–1250 |doi=10.1081/CSS-100104110 }}</ref> and reduce temperature fluctuations in the soil.<ref name=":04" /><ref name=":0" />

=== Crop rotations === Crop rotation is a polycultural practice that involves the successive growing of different types of crops in order to increase soil organic matter levels, reduce losses due to insects, and maximize profits. Legumes are often included in crop rotations due to their taproot systems that promote nutrient storage in the soil.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Selim |first=Mostafa |date=1 April 2019 |title=A Review of Advantages, Disadvantages and Challenges of Crop Rotations |url=https://agro.journals.ekb.eg/article_24300.html |journal=Egyptian Journal of Agronomy |volume=41 |issue=1 |pages=1–10 |doi=10.21608/agro.2019.6606.1139 |issn=0379-3575}}</ref>

=== Holistically managed grazing === Holistically managed grazing is a practice that is based on consistent rotation of livestock herds onto different fields in order to mimic how natural herds would graze. Livestock herds trample plants, which is shown to increase soil restoration, stimulate plant regrowth, increase soil carbon storage, and water infiltration.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Carter |first1=John |last2=Jones |first2=Allison |last3=O'Brien |first3=Mary |last4=Ratner |first4=Jonathan |last5=Wuerthner |first5=George |date=23 April 2014 |title=Holistic Management: Misinformation on the Science of Grazed Ecosystems |journal=International Journal of Biodiversity |language=en |volume=2014 |pages=1–10 |doi=10.1155/2014/163431 |doi-access=free |issn=2314-4149}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Teague |first1=Richard |last2=Kreuter |first2=Urs |date=2020-09-29 |title=Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services |journal=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |language=English |volume=4 |article-number=534187 |doi=10.3389/fsufs.2020.534187 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020FrSFS...434187T |issn=2571-581X}}</ref> === Home gardens === Home gardens are small-scale subsistence farms that often include a variety of crops. They have been seen to promote biodiversity in both plants and insects,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Galluzzi |first1=Gea |last2=Eyzaguirre |first2=Pablo |last3=Negri |first3=Valeria |date=December 2010 |title=Home gardens: neglected hotspots of agro-biodiversity and cultural diversity |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10531-010-9919-5 |journal=Biodiversity and Conservation |language=en |volume=19 |issue=13 |pages=3635–3654 |doi=10.1007/s10531-010-9919-5 |bibcode=2010BiCon..19.3635G |issn=0960-3115|url-access=subscription }}</ref> as well as the welfare of households or communities afflicted by food insecurity.<ref name=":16">{{Cite journal |last1=Galhena |first1=Dilrukshi Hashini |last2=Freed |first2=Russell |last3=Maredia |first3=Karim M. |date=31 May 2013 |title=Home gardens: a promising approach to enhance household food security and wellbeing |journal=Agriculture & Food Security |volume=2 |issue=1 |page=8 |bibcode=2013AgFS....2....8G |doi=10.1186/2048-7010-2-8 |issn=2048-7010 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=":17">{{Cite book |last1=Raupach |first1=Melissa |title=Regrow Your Veggies: Growing Vegetables from Roots, Cuttings and Scraps |last2=Lill |first2=Felix |publisher=CompanionHouse Books |year=2020 |isbn=979-8-5669-8313-4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Galhena |first1=Dilrukshi Hashini |last2=Freed |first2=Russell |last3=Maredia |first3=Karim M. |date=31 May 2013 |title=Home gardens: a promising approach to enhance household food security and wellbeing |journal=Agriculture & Food Security |volume=2 |issue=1 |page=8 |doi=10.1186/2048-7010-2-8 |bibcode=2013AgFS....2....8G |doi-access=free |issn=2048-7010}}</ref>

=== Integrated pest management (IPM) === Integrated pest management is a holistic, multi-technique approach to handling insects, rodents, and other pests in a biologically, economically, and culturally beneficial way.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)? / UC Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM) |url=https://ipm.ucanr.edu/what-is-ipm/#gsc.tab=0 |access-date=7 October 2025 |website=ipm.ucanr.edu}}</ref> Common IPM techniques include addition of natural predators to farms, use of trap crops, and crop rotation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=8. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) {{!}} NC State Extension Publications |url=https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/8-integrated-pest-management-ipm |access-date=7 October 2025 |website=content.ces.ncsu.edu |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Keyline subsoiling === Keyline subsoiling is the practice of altering the topography of the land by creating ridges that help maximize water distribution across a plot of land. Keyline subsoiling is often associated with increased water retention and drought resilience.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 July 2016 |title=Keyline Subsoiling: What, Why, and How {{!}} Rural AgrInnovation Network (RAIN) |url=https://rainalgoma.ca/blog/keyline-subsoiling-what-why-and-how/ |access-date=9 October 2025 |language=en-CA}}</ref>

=== Nature farming === Nature farming is a practice that originated in Japan and involves relying on the power of ecosystems to produce abundant yields. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers are not used, and every organism is valued as a contributor to the ecosystem.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 March 2025 |title=What Is Nature Farming? - 自然農法センター {{!}} 公益財団法人 自然農法国際研究開発センター |url=https://www.infrc.or.jp/english/en-naturefarming/ |access-date=12 October 2025 |website=自然農法センター {{!}} 公益財団法人 自然農法国際研究開発センター - 化学肥料や合成農薬に頼らずに、公益財団法人自然農法国際研究開発センターは、化学肥料や合成農薬に頼らずに、自然界の仕組み、特に土の偉力を最大限に活用する自然農法の技術確立、普及を目指して、試験研究、教育研修、国内外への普及活動に取り組んでいます。}}</ref> Permaculture design is a similar practice.

=== Natural sequence farming (NSF) === Natural sequence farming is a technique that prioritizes the natural waterways and surrounding vegetation of an environment. Natural sequence farming often promotes the slowing of water flow, which can have a positive impact on water absorption in the soil and reduced erosion.<ref name=":18">{{Cite web |title=Landscape South Australia - Kangaroo Island {{!}} Introducing Natural… |url=https://www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ki/land-and-farming/land-management-support/managing-soil-pasture-livestock/introducing-natural-sequence-farming |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428182914/https://www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ki/land-and-farming/land-management-support/managing-soil-pasture-livestock/introducing-natural-sequence-farming |archive-date=28 April 2025 |access-date=12 October 2025 |website=Landscape South Australia - Kangaroo Island |language=en-AU}}</ref>

=== No-till or minimum tillage farming === No-tillage or minimum tillage is defined as the practice of leaving the remnants of harvested crops in soil in between crop growing cycles. This helps reduce soil erosion because tillage physically decays the soil. No-tillage is often used in conjunction with weed management techniques like herbicides because tillage is very beneficial to reducing weed growth.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Triplett |first1=G. B. |last2=Dick |first2=Warren A. |date=May 2008 |title=No-Tillage Crop Production: A Revolution in Agriculture! |url=https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2134/agronj2007.0005c |journal=Agronomy Journal |language=en |volume=100 |issue=S3 |doi=10.2134/agronj2007.0005c |bibcode=((2008AgrJ..100.-153T)) |issn=0002-1962|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

=== Ponding banks === Ponding banks are troughs dug into the land for the purpose of collecting rainfall and are often created on consistently barren lands. Ponding banks hold water, allowing the degraded soil to absorb it slowly, which reduces topsoil loss from erosion.<ref name=":18" /> === Silvopasture === Silvopasture is the integration of trees, forage, and livestock on the same plot of land. Silvopasture improves productivity, animal wellbeing, and ecosystem services.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=Matthew M. |last2=Bentrup |first2=Gary |last3=Kellerman |first3=Todd |last4=MacFarland |first4=Katherine |last5=Straight |first5=Richard |last6=Ameyaw |first6=Lord |last7=Stein |first7=Susan |date=1 March 2022 |title=Silvopasture in the USA: A systematic review of natural resource professional and producer-reported benefits, challenges, and management activities |journal=Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment |volume=326 |article-number=107818 |doi=10.1016/j.agee.2021.107818 |bibcode=2022AgEE..32607818S |issn=0167-8809|doi-access=free }}</ref>

=== Syntropic agriculture === Syntropic agriculture mimics the natural establishment and dynamics of forests, aiming to replicate the natural stages of ecological succession.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is Syntropic Farming? – Agenda Gotsch |url=https://agendagotsch.com/en/what-is-syntropic-farming/ |access-date=12 October 2025 |website=agendagotsch.com}}</ref> This system organizes crops in stratified layers and temporal sequences that reflect different stages of forest development (from pioneer species to long-term canopy species) ''without'' the use of synthetic fertilizers or chemical pesticides. Instead, syntropic agriculture relies on biomass generation, pruning, and plant diversity to regulate pests and maintain fertility. Research suggests these techniques positively boost plant growth, survival, and resistance to disease<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jacobi |first1=Johanna |last2=Andres |first2=Christian |last3=Assaad |first3=Farhah F |last4=Bellon |first4=Stéphane |last5=Coquil |first5=Xavier |last6=Doetterl |first6=Sebastian |last7=Esnarriaga |first7=Dayana Naimid |last8=Ortiz-Vallejo |first8=Diana |last9=Rigolot |first9=Cyrille |last10=Rüegg |first10=Johanna |last11=Takerkart |first11=Sylvain |last12=Trouillard |first12=Martin |last13=Vilter |first13=Boris |last14=Dierks |first14=Janina |date=April 2025 |title=Syntropic farming systems for reconciling productivity, ecosystem functions, and restoration |journal=The Lancet Planetary Health |language=en |volume=9 |issue=4 |pages=e314–e325 |doi=10.1016/S2542-5196(25)00047-6 |pmid=40252678 |doi-access=free }}</ref>.

== Environmental impacts ==

=== Carbon sequestration === {{Further|Carbon sequestration#Agriculture}} Conventional agricultural practices such as plowing and tilling release carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the soil by exposing organic matter to the surface and thus promoting oxidation.<ref name="Montgomery 2007 4">{{Cite journal|last=Montgomery|first=David R.|date=2007|title=Is agriculture eroding civilization's foundation?|journal=GSA Today|volume=17|issue=10|page=4|doi=10.1130/gsat01710a.1|issn=1052-5173|doi-access=free|bibcode=2007GSAT...17j...4M }}</ref> It is estimated that roughly a third of the total anthropogenic inputs of CO₂ to the atmosphere since the industrial revolution have come from the degradation of soil organic matter<ref name="Montgomery 2007 4"/> and that 30–75% of global soil organic matter has been lost since the advent of tillage-based farming.<ref name="Teague 156–164">{{Cite journal|last1=Teague|first1=W. R.|last2=Apfelbaum|first2=S.|last3=Lal|first3=R.|last4=Kreuter|first4=U. P.|last5=Rowntree|first5=J.|last6=Davies|first6=C. A.|last7=Conser|first7=R.|last8=Rasmussen|first8=M.|last9=Hatfield|first9=J.|last10=Wang|first10=T.|last11=Wang|first11=F.|date=1 March 2016|title=The role of ruminants in reducing agriculture's carbon footprint in North America|url=https://www.jswconline.org/content/71/2/156|journal=Journal of Soil and Water Conservation|language=en|volume=71|issue=2|pages=156–164|doi=10.2489/jswc.71.2.156|issn=0022-4561|doi-access=free |bibcode=2016JSWC...71..156T }}</ref> Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with conventional soil and cropping activities represent 13.7% of anthropogenic emissions, or 1.86 Pg-C y⁻¹.<ref name="Teague 156–164"/> The raising of ruminant livestock also contributes GHGs, representing 11.6% of anthropogenic emissions, or 1.58 Pg-C y⁻¹.<ref name="Teague 156–164"/> Furthermore, runoff and siltation of water bodies associated with conventional farming practices promote eutrophication and emissions of methane.<ref name="Teague 156–164"/>

Regenerative agriculture practices such as no-till farming, rotational grazing, mixed crop rotation, cover cropping, and the application of compost and manure have the potential to reverse this trend. No-till farming reintroduces carbon back into the soil as crop residues are pressed down when seeding. Some studies suggest that adoption of no-till practices could triple soil carbon content in less than 15 years.<ref name="Montgomery 2007 4"/> Additionally, 1 Pg-C y⁻¹, representing roughly a fourth to a third of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions,<ref name="sciencedirect.com">{{Cite journal|date=1 November 2004|title=Soil carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016706104000266|journal=Geoderma|language=en|volume=123|issue=1–2|pages=1–22|doi=10.1016/j.geoderma.2004.01.032|issn=0016-7061|last1=Lal|first1=R.|bibcode=2004Geode.123....1L|url-access=subscription}}</ref> may be sequestered by converting croplands to no-till systems on a global scale.<ref name="Montgomery 2007 4"/>

There is mixed evidence on the carbon sequestration potential of regenerative grazing. A meta-analysis of relevant studies between 1972 and 2016 found that Holistic Planned Grazing had no better effect than continuous grazing on plant cover and biomass, although it may have benefited some areas with higher precipitation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hawkins |first=Heidi-Jayne |date=3 April 2017 |title=A global assessment of Holistic Planned Grazing compared with season-long, continuous grazing: meta-analysis findings |journal=African Journal of Range & Forage Science |language=en |volume=34 |issue=2 |pages=65–75 |doi=10.2989/10220119.2017.1358213 |issn=1022-0119 |s2cid=90525942 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2017AJRFS..34...65H }}</ref> However, some studies have found positive impacts compared to conventional grazing. One study found that regenerative grazing management, particularly adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing, has been shown to reduce soil degradation compared to continuous grazing and thus has the potential to mitigate carbon emissions from soil.<ref name="Teague 156–164"/> Another study found that crop rotation and maintenance of permanent cover crops help to reduce soil erosion as well, and in conjunction with AMP grazing, may result in net carbon sequestration.<ref name="Teague 156–164"/>

There is a less developed evidence base comparing regenerative grazing with the absence of livestock on grasslands. Several peer-reviewed studies have found that excluding livestock completely from semi-arid grasslands can lead to significant recovery of vegetation and soil carbon sequestration.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Qiu |first1=Liping |last2=Wei |first2=Xiaorong |last3=Zhang |first3=Xingchang |last4=Cheng |first4=Jimin |date=30 January 2013 |title=Ecosystem Carbon and Nitrogen Accumulation after Grazing Exclusion in Semiarid Grassland |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=8 |issue=1 |article-number=e55433 |bibcode=2013PLoSO...855433Q |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0055433 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=3559475 |pmid=23383191 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Fernandez |first1=D. P. |last2=Neff |first2=J. C. |last3=Reynolds |first3=R. L. |date=1 May 2008 |title=Biogeochemical and ecological impacts of livestock grazing in semi-arid southeastern Utah, USA |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140196307002662 |journal=Journal of Arid Environments |language=en |volume=72 |issue=5 |pages=777–791 |bibcode=2008JArEn..72..777F |doi=10.1016/j.jaridenv.2007.10.009 |issn=0140-1963|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Oliveira Filho |first1=José de Souza |last2=Vieira |first2=Jonas Nunes |last3=Ribeiro da Silva |first3=Eliane Maria |last4=Beserra de Oliveira |first4=José Gerardo |last5=Pereira |first5=Marcos Gervasio |last6=Brasileiro |first6=Felipe Gomes |date=1 July 2019 |title=Assessing the effects of 17 years of grazing exclusion in degraded semi-arid soils: Evaluation of soil fertility, nutrients pools and stoichiometry |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140196319300357 |journal=Journal of Arid Environments |language=en |volume=166 |pages=1–10 |bibcode=2019JArEn.166....1O |doi=10.1016/j.jaridenv.2019.03.006 |issn=0140-1963 |s2cid=132050918|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Wu |first1=Xing |last2=Li |first2=Zongshan |last3=Fu |first3=Bojie |last4=Zhou |first4=Wangming |last5=Liu |first5=Huifeng |last6=Liu |first6=Guohua |date=1 December 2014 |title=Restoration of ecosystem carbon and nitrogen storage and microbial biomass after grazing exclusion in semi-arid grasslands of Inner Mongolia |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925857414004881 |journal=Ecological Engineering |language=en |volume=73 |pages=395–403 |doi=10.1016/j.ecoleng.2014.09.077 |bibcode=2014EcEng..73..395W |issn=0925-8574|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gebregergs |first1=Tsegay |last2=Tessema |first2=Zewdu K. |last3=Solomon |first3=Negasi |last4=Birhane |first4=Emiru |date=June 2019 |title=Carbon sequestration and soil restoration potential of grazing lands under exclosure management in a semi-arid environment of northern Ethiopia |journal=Ecology and Evolution |language=en |volume=9 |issue=11 |pages=6468–6479 |doi=10.1002/ece3.5223 |issn=2045-7758 |pmc=6580272 |pmid=31236236|bibcode=2019EcoEv...9.6468G }}</ref> A 2021 peer-reviewed paper found that sparsely grazed and natural grasslands account for 80% of the total cumulative carbon sink of the world's grasslands, whereas managed grasslands (i.e. with greater livestock density) have been a net greenhouse gas source over the past decade.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Chang |first1=Jinfeng |last2=Ciais |first2=Philippe |last3=Gasser |first3=Thomas |last4=Smith |first4=Pete |last5=Herrero |first5=Mario |last6=Havlík |first6=Petr |last7=Obersteiner |first7=Michael |last8=Guenet |first8=Bertrand |last9=Goll |first9=Daniel S. |last10=Li |first10=Wei |last11=Naipal |first11=Victoria |last12=Peng |first12=Shushi |last13=Qiu |first13=Chunjing |last14=Tian |first14=Hanqin |last15=Viovy |first15=Nicolas |date=5 January 2021 |title=Climate warming from managed grasslands cancels the cooling effect of carbon sinks in sparsely grazed and natural grasslands |journal=Nature Communications |language=en |volume=12 |issue=1 |page=118 |bibcode=2021NatCo..12..118C |doi=10.1038/s41467-020-20406-7 |issn=2041-1723 |pmc=7785734 |pmid=33402687}}</ref> A 2011 study found that multi-paddock grazing of the type endorsed by Savory resulted in more soil carbon sequestration than heavy continuous grazing, but very slightly less soil carbon sequestration than "graze exclosure" (excluding grazing livestock from land).<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Teague |first1=W. R. |last2=Dowhower |first2=S. L. |last3=Baker |first3=S. A. |last4=Haile |first4=N. |last5=DeLaune |first5=P. B. |last6=Conover |first6=D. M. |date=1 May 2011 |title=Grazing management impacts on vegetation, soil biota and soil chemical, physical and hydrological properties in tall grass prairie |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167880911000934 |journal=Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment |language=en |volume=141 |issue=3 |pages=310–322 |doi=10.1016/j.agee.2011.03.009 |bibcode=2011AgEE..141..310T |issn=0167-8809|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Another peer-reviewed paper found that if current pastureland was restored to its former state as wild grasslands, shrublands, and sparse savannas without livestock this could store an estimated 15.2 - 59.9 Gt additional carbon.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hayek |first1=Matthew N. |last2=Harwatt |first2=Helen |last3=Ripple |first3=William J. |last4=Mueller |first4=Nathaniel D. |date=January 2021 |title=The carbon opportunity cost of animal-sourced food production on land |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-00603-4 |journal=Nature Sustainability |language=en |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=21–24 |doi=10.1038/s41893-020-00603-4 |issn=2398-9629 |s2cid=221522148|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The total carbon sequestration potential of regenerative grazing has been debated between advocates and critics. One study suggests that total conversion of livestock raising to AMP grazing practices coupled with conservation cropping has the potential to convert North American farmlands to a carbon sink, sequestering approximately 1.2 Pg-C y⁻¹.<ref name="Teague 156–164" /> Over the next 25–50 years, the cumulative sequestration potential is 30-60 Pg-C. Additions of organic manures and compost further build soil organic carbon, thus contributing to carbon sequestration potential.<ref name="sciencedirect.com" /> However, a study by the Food and Climate Research Network in 2017 estimates that, on the basis of meta-study of the scientific literature, the total global soil carbon sequestration potential from grazing management ranges from 0.3-0.8 Gt CO2eq per year, which is equivalent to offsetting a maximum of 4-11% of current total global livestock emissions, and that "Expansion or intensification in the grazing sector as an approach to sequestering more carbon would lead to substantial increases in methane, nitrous oxide and land use change-induced CO2 emissions", leading to an overall increase in emissions.<ref name=":33">{{cite web |last1=Garnett |first1=Tara |last2=Godde |first2=Cécile |year=2017 |title=Grazed and confused? |url=https://www.tabledebates.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/fcrn_gnc_report.pdf |access-date=11 February 2021 |publisher=Food Climate Research Network |page=64 |quote=The non-peer-reviewed estimates from the Savory Institute are strikingly higher – and, for all the reasons discussed earlier (Section 3.4.3), unrealistic.}}</ref> Consistent with this, Project Drawdown (referenced in the film ''Kiss the Ground'') estimates the total carbon sequestration potential of improved managed grazing at 13.72 - 20.92 Gigatons CO2eq between 2020–2050, equal to 0.46-0.70 Gt CO2eq per year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 February 2020 |title=Table of Solutions |url=https://drawdown.org/solutions/table-of-solutions |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=Project Drawdown |language=en}}</ref> A 2022 peer-reviewed paper estimated the carbon sequestration potential of improved grazing management at a similar level of 0.15-0.70 Gt CO2eq per year.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bai |first1=Yongfei |last2=Cotrufo |first2=M. Francesca |date=5 August 2022 |title=Grassland soil carbon sequestration: Current understanding, challenges, and solutions |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abo2380 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=377 |issue=6606 |pages=603–608 |bibcode=2022Sci...377..603B |doi=10.1126/science.abo2380 |issn=0036-8075 |pmid=35926033 |s2cid=251349023|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

A research made by the Rodale institute suggests that a worldwide transition to regenerative agriculture can soak more than 100% of the {{CO2}} currently emitted by people.<ref>{{cite book |title=Regenerative Organic Agriculture and Climate Change |publisher=Rodale institute |pages=2–9 |url=https://rodaleinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/rodale-white-paper.pdf |access-date=1 April 2022}}</ref>

=== Nutrient cycling === Soil organic matter is the primary sink of nutrients necessary for plant growth such as nitrogen, phosphorus, zinc, sulfur, and molybdenum.<ref name="sciencedirect.com"/> Conventional tillage-based farming promotes rapid erosion and degradation of soil organic matter, depleting soil of plant nutrients and thus lowering productivity.<ref name="Montgomery 2007 4"/> Tillage, in conjunction with additions of inorganic fertilizer, also destroys soil microbial communities, reducing production of organic nutrients in soil.<ref name="Montgomery 2007 4"/> In contrast, use of organic fertilizer will significantly increase the organic matter in the soil.<ref name="Montgomery 2007 4" /> Practices that restore organic matter may be used to increase the total nutrient load of soil.<ref name="sciencedirect.com"/> For example, regenerative management of ruminant livestock in mixed-crop and grazing agroecosystems has been shown to improve soil nutrient cycling by encouraging the consumption and decomposition of residual crop biomass and promoting the recovery of nitrogen-fixing plant species.<ref name="Teague 156–164"/> Regenerative crop management practices, namely the use of crop rotation to ensure permanent ground cover, have the potential to increase soil fertility and nutrient levels if nitrogen-fixing crops are included in the rotation.<ref name="Teague 156–164"/> Crop rotation and rotational grazing also allow the nutrients in soil to recover between growing and grazing periods, thus further enhancing overall nutrient load and cycling.<ref name="sciencedirect.com"/>

==== Soil Microbiome and its role in Nutrient Cycling ==== The soil microbiome which consist of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms play an essential role in nutrient cycling by decomposing organic matter and releasing essential nutrients for plant growth.<ref name=":32">{{Cite journal |last1=Kraut-Cohen |first1=Judith |last2=Zolti |first2=Avihai |last3=Shaltiel-Harpaz |first3=Liora |last4=Argaman |first4=Eli |last5=Rabinovich |first5=Rachel |last6=Green |first6=Stefan J. |last7=Minz |first7=Dror |date=25 February 2020 |title=Effects of tillage practices on soil microbiome and agricultural parameters |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0048969719357869 |journal=Science of the Total Environment |volume=705 |article-number=135791 |doi=10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135791 |pmid=31810706 |bibcode=2020ScTEn.70535791K |issn=0048-9697|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Their activities are needed for decomposition and mineralization processes, which help to transform complex organic compounds into simpler forms that plants can absorb.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kim |first1=Nakian |last2=Zabaloy |first2=María C. |last3=Guan |first3=Kaiyu |last4=Villamil |first4=María B. |date=March 2020 |title=Do cover crops benefit soil microbiome? A meta-analysis of current research |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0038071719303657 |journal=Soil Biology and Biochemistry |language=en |volume=142 |article-number=107701 |doi=10.1016/j.soilbio.2019.107701|bibcode=2020SBiBi.14207701K |hdl=11336/106817 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> In nitrogen cycling, nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert organic nitrogen into ammonium (NH₄⁺), which is then converted into nitrate (NO₃^-) by nitrifying bacteria.<ref name=":62">{{Cite journal |last1=Prommer |first1=Judith |last2=Walker |first2=Tom W. N. |last3=Wanek |first3=Wolfgang |last4=Braun |first4=Judith |last5=Zezula |first5=David |last6=Hu |first6=Yuntao |last7=Hofhansl |first7=Florian |last8=Richter |first8=Andreas |date=February 2020 |title=Increased microbial growth, biomass, and turnover drive soil organic carbon accumulation at higher plant diversity |journal=Global Change Biology |language=en |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=669–681 |doi=10.1111/gcb.14777 |pmid=31344298 |pmc=7027739 |bibcode=2020GCBio..26..669P |issn=1354-1013|hdl=20.500.11850/365575 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Fungi also plays a key role in creating bioavailable nitrogen for plants. In fact, fungi require less nitrogen than bacteria and therefore fungal dominated soil microbiomes have higher rates of nitrogen mineralization.<ref name=":19">{{Cite journal |last1=L'Espérance |first1=Emmy |last2=Bouyoucef |first2=Lilia Sabrina |last3=Dozois |first3=Jessica A. |last4=Yergeau |first4=Etienne |date=October 2024 |title=Tipping the plant-microbe competition for nitrogen in agricultural soils |journal=iScience |language=en |volume=27 |issue=10 |article-number=110973 |doi=10.1016/j.isci.2024.110973 |pmid=39391734 |pmc=11466649 |bibcode=2024iSci...27k0973L }}</ref> Decreased carbon sequestration and nitrogen losses are associated with bacterial dominated communities compared to fungal dominated communities within soil.<ref name=":20">{{Cite journal |last1=Hermans |first1=Syrie M. |last2=Lear |first2=Gavin |last3=Case |first3=Bradley S. |last4=Buckley |first4=Hannah L. |date=February 2023 |title=The soil microbiome: An essential, but neglected, component of regenerative agroecosystems |journal=iScience |language=en |volume=26 |issue=2 |article-number=106028 |doi=10.1016/j.isci.2023.106028 |pmid=36844455 |pmc=9947323 |bibcode=2023iSci...26j6028H }}</ref> While both ammonium and nitrate are important for plant growth, nitrate is the most preferred for many plants due to its mobility, less toxicity, and efficient transport systems. Ammonium is also a great alternative as it is more readily assimilated once inside the plant, but it can cause toxicity if taken up in excess.<ref name=":62" /> Environmental conditions such as soil pH, and nutrient availability play major roles in determining which form of nitrogen is absorbed first '''<ref name=":62" />'''. Soil microbes also play a key role in phosphorus cycling, helping to dissolve phosphorus from organic material for plant availability.<ref name=":62"/> A diverse microbial community also helps to prevent soil-borne diseases and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers.<ref name=":52">{{Cite journal |last1=Suyal |first1=Deep Chandra |last2=Soni |first2=Ravindra |last3=Singh |first3=Dhananjay Kumar |last4=Goel |first4=Reeta |date=1 April 2021 |title=Microbiome change of agricultural soil under organic farming practices |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.2478/s11756-021-00680-6 |journal=Biologia |language=en |volume=76 |issue=4 |pages=1315–1325 |doi=10.2478/s11756-021-00680-6 |bibcode=2021Biolg..76.1315S |issn=1336-9563|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==== Manipulating soil microbiome ==== Microbial processes both shape and are shaped by their environment in a constant feedback loop. More research needs to be conducted to comprehensively understand the relationship between microbial activity and soil conditions. The measurements used in microbial research are often ineffective proxies for establishing links to inform management practices.<ref name=":20" /> There are some scientifically proven methods that influence microbial activity for agriculture and/or climate benefits. Organic matter additions to soil can promote microbial activity the increases nitrogen availability. When microbes readily have access to carbon found in SOM (soil organic matter), they grow rapidly in a process known as rhizosphere priming. Nitrogen is also needed to support this growth but must be converted first, so microbes begin to produce extracellular enzymes that breakdown nitrogen in SOM to inorganic forms that can be absorbed. When microbial growth slows this nitrogen is released through mineralization, supporting plant growth.<ref name=":19" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Zhu |first1=Biao |last2=Gutknecht |first2=Jessica L.M. |last3=Herman |first3=Donald J. |last4=Keck |first4=Daniel C. |last5=Firestone |first5=Mary K. |last6=Cheng |first6=Weixin |date=September 2014 |title=Rhizosphere priming effects on soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0038071714001813 |journal=Soil Biology and Biochemistry |language=en |volume=76 |pages=183–192 |doi=10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.04.033 |bibcode=2014SBiBi..76..183Z }}</ref> By not tilling, fungal hyphae are preserved so a fungal-dominated microbial community can emerge.<ref name=":20" /> Inoculation of soils directly with specific microbes shows promise, but further research to establish effectiveness and develop methods for scalability should be conducted.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Liu |first1=Xipeng |last2=Le Roux |first2=Xavier |last3=Salles |first3=Joana Falcão |date=March 2022 |title=The legacy of microbial inoculants in agroecosystems and potential for tackling climate change challenges |journal=iScience |language=en |volume=25 |issue=3 |article-number=103821 |doi=10.1016/j.isci.2022.103821 |pmid=35243218 |pmc=8867051 |bibcode=2022iSci...25j3821L }}</ref>

==== Impact of farming practices on nutrient cycling ==== Conventional farming disrupts nutrient cycling by using practices like tillage, which breaks down soil structure, reduces soil organic matter (SOM), and negatively impacts the overall soil health.<ref name=":32" /> Conventional practices lead to reduced crop yields, increased reliance on synthetic fertilizers, and environmental problems like nutrient runoff and water pollution.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last1=Tully |first1=Kate |last2=Ryals |first2=Rebecca |date=9 August 2017 |title=Nutrient cycling in agroecosystems: Balancing food and environmental objectives |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21683565.2017.1336149 |journal=Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems |language=en |volume=41 |issue=7 |pages=761–798 |doi=10.1080/21683565.2017.1336149 |bibcode=2017AgSFS..41..761T |issn=2168-3565|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Over-reliance on synthetic fertilizers depletes soil health by favoring the growth of certain microorganisms over others, thereby reducing microbial diversity, organic matter decomposition, leading to soil degradation.<ref name=":52" /> In contrast, regenerative agriculture promotes practices that enhance soil health and nutrient cycling.<ref name=":14">{{Cite journal |last1=Ball |first1=B. C. |last2=Bingham |first2=I. |last3=Rees |first3=R. M. |last4=Watson |first4=C. A. |last5=Litterick |first5=A. |date=1 November 2005 |title=The role of crop rotations in determining soil structure and crop growth conditions |journal=Canadian Journal of Soil Science |language=en |volume=85 |issue=5 |pages=557–577 |doi=10.4141/S04-078 |bibcode=2005CaJSS..85..557B |issn=0008-4271|doi-access=free }}</ref> These practices include reduced tillage which helps to preserve SOM, the use of organic fertilizers such as compost for soil enrichment, incorporating regenerative livestock management, practicing crop rotation with leguminous plants like soybean to promote nitrogen fixation that occurs from the symbiotic relationship between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and the root nodules.<ref name=":42">{{Cite journal |last1=Allam |first1=Mohamed |last2=Radicetti |first2=Emanuele |last3=Quintarelli |first3=Valentina |last4=Petroselli |first4=Verdiana |last5=Marinari |first5=Sara |last6=Mancinelli |first6=Roberto |date=April 2022 |title=Influence of Organic and Mineral Fertilizers on Soil Organic Carbon and Crop Productivity under Different Tillage Systems: A Meta-Analysis |journal=Agriculture |language=en |volume=12 |issue=4 |page=464 |doi=10.3390/agriculture12040464 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2022Agric..12..464A |issn=2077-0472|hdl=11392/2481897 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Integrating livestock into cropping systems has been shown to improve nutrient cycling as animal manure enriches the soil and promotes microbial diversity.<ref name=":22">{{Cite journal |last1=Bhattacharyya |first1=Siddhartha Shankar |last2=Ros |first2=Gerard H. |last3=Furtak |first3=Karolina |last4=Iqbal |first4=Hafiz M. N. |last5=Parra-Saldívar |first5=Roberto |date=1 April 2022 |title=Soil carbon sequestration – An interplay between soil microbial community and soil organic matter dynamics |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0048969722000171 |journal=Science of the Total Environment |volume=815 |article-number=152928 |doi=10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.152928 |pmid=34999062 |bibcode=2022ScTEn.81552928B |issn=0048-9697|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Cover cropping is another practice that helps to prevent erosion, leading to healthier and more resilient soils.<ref name=":72">{{Cite journal |last1=Kim |first1=Nakian |last2=Zabaloy |first2=María C. |last3=Guan |first3=Kaiyu |last4=Villamil |first4=María B. |date=1 March 2020 |title=Do cover crops benefit soil microbiome? A meta-analysis of current research |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0038071719303657 |journal=Soil Biology and Biochemistry |volume=142 |article-number=107701 |doi=10.1016/j.soilbio.2019.107701 |bibcode=2020SBiBi.14207701K |issn=0038-0717|hdl=11336/106817 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

=== Biodiversity === Conventional agricultural practices are generally understood to simplify agroecosystems through introduction of monocultures and eradication of diversity in soil microbial communities through chemical fertilization.<ref name="Altieri 19–31">{{Cite journal|last=Altieri|first=Miguel A.|date=June 1999|title=The ecological role of biodiversity in agroecosystems|url=http://hal.cirad.fr/cirad-00772224|journal=Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment|volume=74|issue=1–3|pages=19–31|doi=10.1016/S0167-8809(99)00028-6|bibcode=1999AgEE...74...19A|archive-date=28 February 2023|access-date=8 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228144359/http://hal.cirad.fr/cirad-00772224|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In natural ecosystems, biodiversity serves to regulate ecosystem function internally, but under conventional agricultural systems, such control is lost and requires increasing levels of external, anthropogenic input.<ref name="Altieri 19–31"/> By contrast, regenerative agriculture practices including polycultures, mixed crop rotation, cover cropping, organic soil management, and low- or no-tillage methods have been shown to increase overall species diversity while reducing pest population densities.<ref name="Altieri 19–31"/> Additionally, practices that favor organic over inorganic inputs aid in restoring below-ground biodiversity by enhancing the functioning of soil microbial communities.<ref name="sciencedirect.com"/> A survey of organic and conventional farms in Europe found that on the whole, species across several taxa were higher in richness and/or abundance on organic farms compared to conventional ones, especially species whose populations have been demonstrably harmed as a direct result of conventional agriculture.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1 March 2005|title=Does organic farming benefit biodiversity?|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320704003246|journal=Biological Conservation|language=en|volume=122|issue=1|pages=113–130|doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2004.07.018|issn=0006-3207|last1=Hole|first1=D.G.|last2=Perkins|first2=A.J.|last3=Wilson|first3=J.D.|last4=Alexander|first4=I.H.|last5=Grice|first5=P.V.|last6=Evans|first6=A.D.|bibcode=2005BCons.122..113H |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

AMP grazing can help improve biodiversity since increased soil organic carbon stocks also promotes a diversity of soil microbial communities.<ref name="Teague 156–164"/> Implementation of AMP in North American prairies, for example, has been correlated with an increase in forage productivity and the restoration of plant species that had previously been decimated by continuous grazing practices.<ref name="Teague 156–164"/> Furthermore, studies of arid and semiarid regions of the world where regenerative grazing has been practiced for a long time following prior periods of continuous grazing have shown a recovery of biodiversity, grass species, and pollinator species.<ref name="Teague 156–164"/> Furthermore, crop diversification ensures that the agroecosystem remains productive when facing lower levels of soil fertility.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Di Falco |first1=Salvatore |last2=Zoupanidou |first2=Elisavet |date=March 2017 |title=Soil fertility, crop biodiversity, and farmers' revenues: Evidence from Italy |journal=Ambio |language=en |volume=46 |issue=2 |pages=162–172 |doi=10.1007/s13280-016-0812-7 |issn=0044-7447 |pmc=5274616 |pmid=27639561|bibcode=2017Ambio..46..162D }}</ref> Higher levels of plant diversity led to increases in numerous factors that contribute to soil fertility, such as soil N, K, Ca, Mg, and C, in CEC and in soil pH.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Furey |first1=George N. |last2=Tilman |first2=David |date=7 December 2021 |title=Plant biodiversity and the regeneration of soil fertility |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |language=en |volume=118 |issue=49 |article-number=e2111321118 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2111321118 |issn=0027-8424 |pmc=8670497 |pmid=34845020|doi-access=free |bibcode=2021PNAS..11811321F }}</ref>

== Criticism == Some members of the scientific community have criticized some of the claims made by proponents of regenerative agriculture as exaggerated and unsupported by evidence.<ref name="auto"> {{cite web |url= https://www.tabledebates.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/fcrn_gnc_report.pdf |title= Grazed and confused? |last1= Garnett |first1= Tara |last2= Godde |first2= Cécile |year= 2017 |publisher= Food Climate Research Network |page= 64 |access-date= 11 February 2021 |quote= The non-peer-reviewed estimates from the Savory Institute are strikingly higher – and, for all the reasons discussed earlier (Section 3.4.3), unrealistic. }} </ref>

One of the prominent proponents of regenerative agriculture, Allan Savory, claimed in his TED talk that holistic grazing could reduce carbon-dioxide levels to pre-industrial levels in a span of 40 years. According to Skeptical Science: <blockquote>"it is not possible to increase productivity, increase numbers of cattle and store carbon using any grazing strategy, never-mind Holistic Management [...] Long term studies on the effect of grazing on soil carbon storage have been done before, and the results are not promising.[...] Because of the complex nature of carbon storage in soils, increasing global temperature, risk of desertification and methane emissions from livestock, it is unlikely that Holistic Management, or any management technique, can reverse climate change.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://skepticalscience.com/holistic-management-rebuttal.html|title=New rebuttal to the myth 'Holistic Management can reverse Climate Change'|website=Skeptical Science}}</ref>"</blockquote>

Commenting on his TED talk "How to Fight Desertification and Reverse Climate Change", Savory has since denied claiming that holistic grazing can reverse climate change, saying that "I have only used the words address climate change... although I have written and talked about reversing man-made desertification".<ref name=":23">{{Cite web |last=TABLE Debates |date=16 September 2016 |title=Holistic management – a critical review of Allan Savory's grazing method |url=https://www.tabledebates.org/research-library/holistic-management-critical-review-allan-savorys-grazing-method |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=TABLE Debates}}</ref> Savory has faced criticisms for claiming the carbon sequestration potential of holistic grazing is immune from empirical scientific study.<ref name=":23"/> For instance, in 2000, Savory said that "the scientific method never discovers anything" and "the scientific method protects us from cranks like me".<ref>{{Cite web |title=RANGE magazine.com, the Cowboy Spirit on America's Outback |url=https://www.rangemagazine.com/archives/stories/fall99/allan_savory.htm |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=www.rangemagazine.com}}</ref> A 2017 factsheet authored by Savory stated that "Every study of holistic planned grazing that has been done has provided results that are rejected by range scientists because there was no replication!".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ketcham |first=Christopher |date=23 February 2017 |title=Allan Savory's Holistic Management Theory Falls Short on Science |url=https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2017-2-march-april/feature/allan-savory-says-more-cows-land-will-reverse-climate-change |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=www.sierraclub.org |language=en}}</ref> TABLE Debates sums this up by saying "Savory argues that standardisation, replication, and therefore experimental testing of HPG [Holistic Planned Grazing] as a whole (rather than just the grazing system associated with it) is not possible, and that therefore, it is incapable of study by experimental science", but "he does not explain how HPG can make causal knowledge claims with regards to combating desertification and climate mitigation, without recourse to science demonstrating such connections."<ref name=":23"/>

According to a 2016 study published by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, the actual rate at which improved grazing management could contribute to carbon sequestration is seven times lower than the claims made by Savory. The study concludes that holistic management cannot reverse climate change.<ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309589057_Holistic_management_-_a_critical_review_of_Allan_Savory's_grazing_method Nordborg, M. (2016). Holistic management – a critical review of Allan Savory's grazing method. Uppsala: SLU/EPOK – Centre for Organic Food & Farming & Chalmers].</ref> A study by the Food and Climate Research Network in 2017 concluded that Savory's claims about carbon sequestration are "unrealistic" and very different from those issued by peer-reviewed studies.<ref name="auto" />

Tim Searchinger and Janet Ranganathan have expressed concerns about emphasis upon "Practices That Increase Soil Carbon at the Field Level" because "overestimating potential soil carbon gains could undermine efforts to advance effective climate mitigation in the agriculture sector".&nbsp;Instead Tim Searchinger and Janet Ranganathan say, "preserving the huge, existing reservoirs of vegetative and soil carbon in the world's remaining forests and woody savannas by boosting productivity on existing agricultural land (a land sparing strategy) is the largest, potential climate mitigation prize of regenerative and other agricultural practices. Realizing these benefits requires implementing practices in ways that boost productivity and then linking those gains to governance and finance to protect natural ecosystems. In short, produce, protect and prosper are the most important opportunities for agriculture."<ref>{{Cite journal|date=24 August 2020|title=Further Explanation on the Potential Contribution of Soil Carbon Sequestration on Working Agricultural Lands to Climate Change Mitigation|url=https://www.wri.org/blog/2020/08/insider-further-explanation-potential-contribution-soil-carbon-sequestration-working|website=World Resources Institute|last1=Searchinger|first1=Tim|last2=Ranganathan|first2=Janet}}</ref>

=== Indigenous roots and appropriation ===<!-- I rewrote this section to better fit the article + comply with PAG, but not sure if it is needed. Uncomfortable with removing it myself, but others are welcome to. Prefer to incorporate the material elsewhere if possible + perhaps with a different source. -->

Regenerative agriculture was practiced for hundreds, if not thousands, of years by Indigenous groups. [https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007/s10460-023-10429-3?sharing_token=fVdpGfcZ_3s0j0bmSAbI4fe4RwlQNchNByi7wbcMAY5gIIyDaXfLnPpk563IEIiTFtRR_6Va4_aPhAVNf4j_04gwmki0qanlhz0BeBXUBL6OvgEDBX09LwTqzjDvb6x6O_ZwRoVl8xK2itcuKH1i0AuFTvyY8Eoe5PApof_82Zk%3D A paper] published in the journal Agriculture and Human Values argues that Western systems have ignored this and the relational values of Indigenous systems in their regenerative agriculture work, leading to epistemic injustices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CALS Communications |date=2023-05-31 |title=Publication Redefines Regenerative Agriculture |url=https://site.uvm.edu/cals-news/publication-redefines-regenerative-agriculture/ |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=What's Buzzing Archive |publisher=What's Buzzing Archive: University of Vermont College of Agriculture and Life Sciences |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Agriculture|Climate change|Ecology|Environment}} * {{anl|Agroecological restoration}} * {{anl|Agroecology}} * {{anl|Agroforestry}} * {{anl|Biointensive agriculture}} * {{anl|Carbon farming}} * {{anl|Farmer-managed natural regeneration}} * {{anl|Korean natural farming}} * {{anl|Permaculture}} * {{anl|Regenerative design}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==Further reading== {{refbegin}} * {{cite journal | last1 = Newton | first1 = Peter | last2 = Civita | first2 = Nicholas | last3 = Frankel-Goldwater | first3 = Lee | last4 = Bartel | first4 = Kate | last5 = Johns | first5 = Claire | title = What Is Regenerative Agriculture? A Review of Scholar and Practitioner Definitions Based on Processes and Outcomes | journal = Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems | volume = 4 | article-number = 577723 | year = 2020 | doi = 10.3389/fsufs.2020.577723 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2020FrSFS...477723N }}

* {{cite report | last1 = Grelet | first1 = G. | last2 = Lang | first2 = S. | last3 = Merfield | first3 = C. | title = Regenerative agriculture in Aotearoa New Zealand—research pathways to build science-based evidence and national narratives | publisher = Massey University | date = February 2021 | url = https://mro.massey.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10179/16144/Grelet_Lang_Feb-2021_Regen_Ag_NZ_White_ePaper.pdf | access-date = 24 October 2025 | type = White paper }} {{refend}}

== External links ==

*{{IMDb title|qid=Q99935074|id=tt8618654|title=Kiss the Ground}} *{{IMDb title|qid=Q118221247|id=tt27547378|title=Common Ground}} *[https://regeneration.org/nexus/regenerative-agriculture "Regenerative Agriculture"]. Regeneration.org. 2021.

Category:Agroecology Category:Organic farming Category:Permaculture Category:Permaculture concepts Category:Climate change and agriculture Category:Soil fertility