New Food Order

How Might We Better Support Farmers in their Transition to Regenerative Agriculture?

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Episode notes

There’s enormous potential for agriculture to help reverse climate change through its potential to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. But are we asking farmers too much? Already laden with debt and the pressure to produce more with less, how might we support already cash-strapped and stressed farmers in their transition to regenerative agriculture? Should it be their responsibility alone?

In this episode, we continue our exploration of regenerative agriculture, its potential, and its challenges with Benedikt Bösel, Germany’s first regen ag Farmer of the Year and owner of Gut&Bösel; Jennifer O’Connor, Executive Director of Funders for Regenerative Agriculture; Felipe Villela, founder of reNature; and Kelsey Scott, Director of Programs at the Intertribal Agriculture Council and owner of DX Beef.

We discuss:

What needs to change to support farmers throughout the transition to farming regeneratively
Who should bear responsibility for driving this transition? Farmers, corporates, governments?
What regenerative producers actually need from corporates, governments, and investors
The language of regeneration and how to have productive conversations with producers
What collaboration models and other resources exist or should exist to help them
Funding sources for farmers, where they can access it, and the challenges involved
The mindset shift needed among corporations and policymakers to help producers manage their lands regeneratively and profitably
Indigenous producers and the generational damage that is being done on existing farms

Show Notes:

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Thank you to Foodshot Global & New Hope Network for sponsoring the series.

And a huge thank you to everyone who helped us bring this podcast to life:

Production: Cam Gray, Cofruition

Audio Editing: Tevin Sudi

Original Music: Rodrigo Barbera

Art: Lola Nankin

Project Management: Patrick Carter