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Imagining A Greater Organic Reset
RI often talks about our long term goal: making organic and regenerative food, farming, and land use (and natural health) the norm, rather than just the alternative. As our longtime ally Vandana Shiva points out, this would be “the solution to the soil crisis, the food crisis, the climate crisis, and the crisis of democracy.”
RI and its allies worldwide are dedicated to addressing critical issues of climate change, soil health, biodiversity, water pollution and scarcity, nutrition, environmental contamination, deteriorating public health, forced migration, economic justice, and rural economic development. But what do we need to do to make this goal a practical reality? What would an “Organic Greater Reset” look like.
We need to stop corrupt politicians and the global elite from subsidizing chemical and fossil fuel-intensive agriculture, GMOs, lab food, and factory farms. We need to pay organic farmers and ranchers, not only a fair price for the food and products they produce, but we need to pay them for sequestering excess atmospheric carbon in soils and above ground plants and trees, as well as providing other key environmental services such as preserving clean water, improving soil fertility, protecting biodiversity, wetlands, and wildlife habitat, and rehydrating and reforesting parched landscapes.
Following recent policy reforms and recommendations in the European Union, strongly supported by our organic allies in the EU, we need raise our expectations and our demands in the US and North America. We need to set a goal of 25% of food and farming being organic by 2030, or as soon as possible.
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The Myth of No-Till: The Future is
Regenerative Organic Agriculture
The Rodale Institute’s 40-Year-Report on their Farming Systems Trial should end the myth of the toxic, GMO herbicide, no-till systems. Rodale’s scientific trials clearly show that these degenerative no-till systems are inferior to Regenerative Organic Agriculture on every key criterion. (Rodale 2022)
The Farming Systems Trial showed that the organic manure systems that used standard or limited tillage had higher levels of soil organic matter (soil organic carbon) and higher crop yields than GMO herbicide no-till. The trials produced the highest yields of maize in the tilled organic manure system and the best increases in soil organic carbon where the organic manure system used limited tillage. The limited tillage field was tilled every second year. Very significantly, 40 years of research show that organic maize yields have been 31 percent higher than conventional/industrial farming systems in drought years.
No-till does not produce higher levels of SOC
This information is consistent with a large body of science that shows that herbicide no-till systems do not produce higher levels of soil organic carbon (SOC) than tillage systems.
An earlier US study comparing herbicide GMO no-till with an organic agricultural tillage system compared multiple parameters. The organic system found better soil quality, including SOC levels. The results found that systems incorporating high amounts of organic inputs from manure and cover crops can improve soils more than no-tillage systems despite reliance on a minimum level of tillage.
Trinational Announcement of Peasant Organizations, Farmers, Environmentalists, Unions, Churches, Social Activists, Academics and Journalists From Our
Three Countries
The transnational corporations and business organizations that benefit from GM corn and biocides such as glyphosate are strongly pressuring the Mexican government (with support from the U.S. government) to renounce its right to food sovereignty and walk away from the international commitments assumed by the three governments in the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” which is the strategic plan for the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity in the period 2022-2030, intended to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
The demand by corporations and their lobbyists that Mexico reverse the legitimate and legal decisions made in compliance with the spirit of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), as well as international legal frameworks, to protect the world’s center of origin and diversification of maize from contamination by transgenic corn, as well as the gradual but effective elimination of highly hazardous pesticides such as the carcinogenic glyphosate (also known by its brand name RoundUp or Faena), is a true international legal absurdity and an anachronistic approach typical of the last century, contrary to the broad social demands and international commitments of the 21st century.
In December 2022, the governments of the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as the majority of governments in the world, participated in the fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal. They agreed on the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework”, which establishes four goals and 23 targets.
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Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquín Receives the 2022 Eco-Ag Achievement Award
The Eco-Ag Achievement Award is given out annually in early December by Acres U.S.A., the Voice of Eco-Agriculture, to a practicing leader in the eco-agriculture industry. Starting in 1994, past winners include Gabe Brown, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Gary Zimmer, André Leu and dozens of others still actively working today.
“This year, our award winner is a man that goes by many names, literally and figuratively,” said Sarah Day Levesque, GM of Events and Media at Acres U.S.A., in her introduction of the award. “Those who listen to him speak know him as a passionate visionary whose dedication to pushing for smart, regenerative change is unmatched.”
Haslett-Marroquín has been a strong leader in the movement for developing innovative poultry-centered regenerative agriculture systems around the world. He is the founder and board president of the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance, and co-founder/CEO of Tree-Range Farms. He is also a practicing regenerative farmer at Salvatierra Farms in Minnesota.
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12 Women Cultivating Sustainable Food Systems in 2023
With a new year comes new inspiration and the opportunity to embed more resilience, equity and climate-smart practices into food systems around the world. But these changes won’t magically occur. They will happen because of the diligent and strategic work of the people who believe in a better future and are making it happen.
More often than not, those people are women. Yet they continue to be underrepresented in startup funding rounds, corporate leadership teams and conference panels. To continue highlighting women’s groundbreaking work in this space, here’s our second annual list of women cultivating sustainable food systems.
Of course, far more than 12 women merit being on this list. So please take this read merely as a first opportunity to expand your horizon and reflect on how you can work to uplift more diverse talent in 2023.
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Essential Reading
Africa Centre for Holistic Management 2023 Training Program
At the Africa Centre for Holistic Management, we put all our efforts into helping farmers and ranchers like you, to regenerate their land, lives, and businesses. Check out these incredible courses from our partners at the Savory Centre in Zimbabwe
The Case for Regenerative Agriculture in Germany—and Beyond
Farmers must cope with the increasing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events—both droughts and torrential rains—that wreak havoc on crops yields, even as they struggle to meet the increased cost of land and farming inputs. This article presents the key findings of our detailed analysis of the economic, environmental, and social benefits of regenerative agriculture in Germany—and by extension, in every country with a mature agri-food system.
What is the 2023 Farm Bill and What you Need to Know
In this article, we’ll review the history and present-day of the Farm Bill, details on the proposed Farm Bill for 2023, and how Regenerate America™ aims to bring regenerative, equitable solutions – with healthy soil and farmers at the center – into new legislation.
5 Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture – and 5 Ways to Scale It
In past years, we’ve seen regenerative agriculture move from a being more of an elusive concept to a proven solution, and an answer to the future of farming. Yet despite the clear benefits, it is not scaling fast enough. To us, this is both frustrating and encouraging: frustrating because the solutions are already available; encouraging because we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. So, how do we get there? Below, we list 5 concrete routes to reach scale.
Fairtrade America’s 2023 Trends Include Regenerative Agriculture
Fairtrade America, which has a food-packaging label certifying that social justice and sustainability standards have been met, released its five key trends that will drive consumer choices and brand action in 2023. Read here for more information.
How Pastoral Farming Can Help to Avoid a Biodiversity Crisis
The world is losing its biodiversity. An estimated 41,000 animal species are now threatened with extinction. World leaders will convene at the UN COP15 biodiversity conference in Montreal to discuss ways of reversing this decline.
The Little Regenerative Farmer and the Dairy Farm
A few months ago we mentioned a children’s book that tells the story of one little girl's journey from falling in love with farm animals to starting her own backyard farm using Regenerative Agriculture techniques. Now, the sequel just came out where this incredible story continues. A must have for those who love the planet and support the regenerative agriculture movement!
Our Future is Regenerative Agriculture! Artisan Tropic’s Story
Check this video from Artisan Tropic and their journey towards Regenerative Agriculture. This is a great example of all the benefits this can bring. Thanks for watching!
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Upcoming Events |
In Person:
02/07 - VIII Diplomado Internacional en Agricultura Orgánica,
02/07 - Southern Rocky Mountain Agriculture Conference
02/10 - Ciclo de talleres de permacultura y agricultura regenerativa en la Solana de Cristal
02/15 - Women Managing the Farm Conference
02/17 - Conference 2023 – Germinate, Regenerate, Agitate
02/22 - Indiana Organic Grain Farmer Meeting
02/23 - MarbleSeed 34th Organic Farming Conference
02/24 - ABC de la Agricultura Orgánica en Argentina
02/27 - Apicultura - Estimulación y multiplicación de colmenas
Online:
02/01 - Webinar – The Use of Cover Crops in No Till Organic Production
02/02 - Webinar – Bosques comestibles
02/06 - Webinar – Produce Food Safety Training Course
02/08 - Webinar – Introducción al diseño con la permacultura
02/08 - Hybrid – Discussion Event on Regenerative Agriculture
02/13 - Webinar – Diseño de permacultura
02/16 - Webinar – MOOC Agroecología 2023
*Click here to view full events calendar and submit your own
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Regeneration International is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, dedicated to building a global network of farmers, scientists, businesses, activists, educators, journalists, policymakers and consumers who will promote and put into practice regenerative agriculture and land-use practices that: provide abundant, nutritious food; revitalize local economies; regenerate soil fertility and water-retention capacity; nurture biodiversity; and restore climate stability by reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time drawing down excess atmospheric carbon and sequestering it in the soil.
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