Regenerative Vs. Conventional farming- Impacts to Human Health and the Environment

​There are several important components to regenerative farming but for the sake of simplicity, I will cover two of the main principles; no- till farming and regenerative grazing. No-till farming is a means of farming that aims to greatly reduce the overall disturbance of the soil throughout farmed fields. The implementation of cover crops is crucial in this process to help restore and maintain vital soil structure and encourage robust crop growth, all while reducing erosion and preventing excess sedimentation into the nearby watershed. It achieves this in several ways. The roots of the cover crops function to break up compacted soil. Worms and other biological components of the soil, that otherwise would have been greatly diminished in conventionally plowed fields, help to aerate the soil and provide crucial structure that allows efficient nutrient uptake for the crops. The omission of excessive chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides further encourage the robust biologic activity of the soil which continues to benefit the crops long-term growth and helps maintain biodiversity. This biodiversity and healthy soil structure contribute greatly to growing resilient crops that can better withstand pests and disease without the need to chemically inoculate the plant. 

By eliminating or greatly reducing the overall amount of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, the receiving watershed will greatly benefit. Generally speaking, after an application of fertilizer, a crop can only uptake so much before the rest becomes incorporated into surface runoff after a rain event. Once this happens, excess nutrient loads (most notably nitrogen and phosphorus) and chemical byproducts can find their way into the receiving water body and create deleterious effects such as excessive algal blooms and low oxygen levels, which have the potential to cause a large-scale fish kill. Field runoff can also infiltrate into the groundwater reserves, negatively impacting drinking water.

Regenerative Grazing: USDAgov is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Mulch tillage. Credit: NRCS

​Understandably, a growing number of people have begun to inquire about the excessive use of pesticides and herbicides in our food supply and wonder about the potential health implications. I’ve always been under the impression that “nature knows best” and that limiting chemical interventions within our food supply will always be a healthier, more sustainable option. As research continues to evolve in this space, it will be interesting to observe the outcomes, particularly relating to the microbiome, neurological functions, and overall inflammation.

Regenerative grazing, whereby cattle rotationally graze on sections of grasses throughout a pasture, has shown to be a very effective means of sustainability. Rotational grazing allows portions of previously grazed grass to properly recover as the herd moves onto a new section of the pasture. This concept aims to limit overgrazing and desertification, which can lead to excess soil loss and sedimentation into the nearby watershed.  Soil health is restored as the cattle move throughout the pasture and trample the non-eaten grasses, creating areas of minor disturbance that work to incorporate organic matter into the soil and significantly reduce the overall carbon footprint of the cattle-raising process.

Regenerative agriculture. Credit: USDAgov

​Regenerative grass-grazed beef contains a significantly different nutrient profile than conventional soy and corn-fed cattle. Grass fed meat is generally leaner, contains higher amounts of very important omega 3 fatty acids, is higher in health-promoting conjugated linoleic acid, and contains a higher amount of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E. The overall health and wellbeing of the cattle raised on pasture is undoubtedly much more favorable than the conventional counterpart, where being confined inside a stall makes up most of the day.

​Slowly but surely, we have begun to reintroduce components of regenerative farming back into our lives as the concerns over the environment and human health take center stage. With continued efforts and increased awareness, I believe aspects of regenerative farming will continue to grow and demand our attention to ensure a healthier, more sustainable future. 

Author

Alex Weber is a Stormwater Inspector at Summit SWCD.