Sustainable Food Center’s Post

Last week, interns had the chance to attend the Fundamentals of Resilient Agriculture workshop at White Oak Pastures' non-profit organization, the Center for Agricultural Resilience (CFAR). We explored the core principles of regenerative agriculture and learned how White Oak Pastures is actively working to decommoditize, decentralize, and deindustrialize our food system while rebuilding community connections. White Oak Pastures emphasizes a holistic approach to nature’s cycles. Instead of focusing solely on the carbon cycle, they consider the energy, microbial, water, mineral, and grazing cycles, along with the community. This broader perspective leads to measurable outcomes that benefit people, animals, and the land. When holistic land management is done correctly, the total net emissions from animal agriculture are significantly lower than those from conventionally raised beef and even plant-based options, making regenerative agriculture a far superior choice for all without sacrificing our health in the process. We toured the farm, compost areas, and processing facility, including the kill floor, which is a vital step in reconnecting us with our food and honoring the animals that sustain our health. While I could talk about regenerative agriculture endlessly, my favorite aspect of the event was the sense of community. We frequently gather around a large table for meals, not just at CFAR but as part of the everyday experience, engaging with one another—including Will Harris, who was always available and happy to answer any questions. Everyone at CFAR is enthusiastic, passionate and excited about regenerative agriculture and White Oak Pastures is truly leading the way. #Holisticlandmanagement #regenerativeagriculture #thefutureisregenerative #centerforagriculturalresilience #cfar #whiteoakpastures

On this episode of Banking on KC, Cody Jolliff, CEO at Powell Gardens, Inc., and Jacob Canyon, co-founder of Good Oak, join host Kelly Scanlon to discuss the groundbreaking Midwest Center for Regenerative Agriculture. This new center aims to revolutionize the way we approach farming and conservation in the Midwest by integrating sustainable agricultural practices with community education and engagement. Tune in to discover: https://lnkd.in/gzjsVTcW 1) The unique mission and vision behind the Midwest Center for Regenerative Agriculture and how it's changing the future of farming in the Midwest. 2) The innovative agricultural practices being implemented, such as agroforestry and rotational grazing, and their benefits for biodiversity and soil health. 3) The collaborative effort involving organizations like Powell Gardens, Good Oak, the Audubon Society, and Lincoln University, and how community and business engagement plays a crucial role in the project's success. Country Club Bank – Member FDIC

Now this is impact:

Join me in Cincinnati OH in August, I will be co-faciltating with Holistic Management International Executive Director and Certified Educator Wayne Knight and Michael Cox, Agriculture Director for Greenacres Foundation This not to be missed workshop will cover several relevant topics for long term sustainability, such as: ❇️On-the-ground, safe-to-fail grazing trials to help better understand ecosystem function ❇️ Inspiring case studies on farm success with minimal resources ❇️ A unique method to make better decisions and how to learn from them ❇️Guides to help plan for faster financial success, bring stable returns, and enable investment in infrastructure to improve land productivity ❇️Steps for monitoring, analyzing data, and learning from the land and livestock ❇️Proactive farm management that allows for adaption with less stress. ❇️The symbiotic relationship between ecosystem, productivity, and economic health and how to find a balance that serves all aspects of farm management ❇️How to find balance for improved quality of life.

I spent 14yrs teaching agriculture to 14-16yr olds. It was foundational to those students in dozens of ways from being their first educational success to be first place they found a sense of belonging, for some it defined their career paths, for some it saved them from exclusion from education. Food and agricultural education as much if not more than some other core subjects is transformational. At a time when the global disconnect between consumers and food producers is at its highest, food businesses, consumers and policy makers are seeking the simplest solutions to sustainable diets. The challenge is there is no simple answer and we need to have supported an educational understanding of that from the start. Food and agriculture education in schools has been eroded by successive governments, with one of the biggest axes in 2018 by the Gove led DfE, who removed agriculture from secondary league tables. Schools can offer the course but cannot recognise pupil achievement in their own accounting of success. This is a simple step to reverse, add existing agriculture qualifications to the GCSE league tables for 14 - 16yr olds. Please sign the petition.

We know the seeds of change must be viable, diverse, abundant, and adaptable, and we see the Farmland Commons as a localized and evolving seed bank that is beginning to germinate in communities across North America. We envision and work towards a future of new possibilities and outcomes for how farmland is held, accessed, and how tenure and equity are conveyed. We are working on cultivating and supporting these seeds of decommodified community-held farmland that conveys secure equitable tenure to farmers for regenerative food growing without harmful chemicals and in ways that connect with, engage, and feed communities. We are actively supporting and developing Farmland Commons in 15+ communities across North America with: • Aging and retiring landowning biodynamic, organic, and regenerative farmers wishing their life work can be a foundation for the next generation • Black, Brown, and Indigenous farming communities seeking secure land access and tenure for cultural refuge, food and medicine growing, and community equity and wealth creation • Agricultural nonprofits creating land legacy programs to protect and steward biodynamic, organic, and regenerative agriculture and to directly address land justice • Schools wanting to bring active agriculture and farmland into their communities, curriculum, and campuses • Land trusts wanting to go beyond conservation easements to do more to address land ownership, access, and tenure • Farmland owners wanting to create land legacy and endow the future of agrarian communities for regenerative food production and social justice And we are a resource providing guidance and assistance to communities, people, organizations interested in learning more and doing more around land transitions and legacy and creative land tenure strategies for the human relational disconnecting from and connecting to land. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 👆🏽 This is one small bit of what you missed if you didn't get our last newsletter. Sign up now to get our newsletters at the bottom of our website, and check out "Past Newsletters" under the "About" menu item on thefarmerslandtrust.org! #FarmlandCommons #seedsofchange #landlegacy #landaccess 

Excess nutrients from farms in Iowa and across the Midwest are a major challenge, polluting local waterways and ultimately impacting the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico. To address this, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund incentivizes farmers to adopt practices that improve water quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this episode, Adam Kiel, Managing Director of the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, explains how farmers implement both in-field practices like cover crops and no-till, and edge-of-field solutions such as saturated buffers and bioreactors. Fifth-generation farmer Nick Hermanson shares how he uses the Fund to support conservation on his Iowa farm, incorporating innovative practices that protect the Skunk River watershed while maintaining his farm’s profitability. Through outcome-based payments, the Fund encourages sustainable agriculture, rewarding farmers for measurable environmental benefits. The initiative has rapidly scaled, expanding from a pilot project in Iowa to now enrolling farms across 25 states and targeting one million acres in 2024. This episode is part of the Mississippi By Nature series supported by the Walton Family Foundation and outfitted by Patagonia.

Small and mid-sized farms are the biggest investors in our local food systems! We all benefit and win when they prosper, which is why CFSA has been dedicated to advocacy work that protects and promotes healthy and prosperous farms, farmers and communities. We are lucky to have recently added another member to our policy team! Alesia Bock, CFSA NC Policy Specialist, will work to drive CFSA's mission to bring ecologically beneficial and economically just alternatives to today's corporate-dominated agriculture paradigm. We asked Alesia to give us some insight into how she view the importance o CFSA's work in the policy/ag space. What draws you to this work? "CFSA is the sweet spot for my three main passions: organic sustainable agriculture, advocacy for that type of food system in the Farm Bill, and focus on regional food systems that provide healthy food access and education to underserved communities. I believe in CFSA’s mission and vision, and I can’t wait to advocate on your behalf of farmers within in North Carolina." What do you think is the most pressing policy issue facing small and mid-sized farms in the Carolinas today?  "I believe access to land for small, beginning farms is a big concern, and that North Carolina is losing farmland at an alarming rate due to pressure for development and the need for more housing. Once farmland is gone, it is unlikely to come back." How do you think farmers can be most proactive in their political environment to help make change?  "Sharing their stories, advocating with groups like CFSA, and making sure their voices are heard, is critically important."  https://lnkd.in/eKCZ4wsh

Congress: Support regenerative agriculture – a key solution for our climate, health, and water crises! This year, Congress will write our next farm bill, shaping the next 5-7 years of American agriculture policy. Governing everything from the way our food is produced, to how it is distributed and consumed, the farm bill determines the entirety of our food and ag system, but currently it supports industrial agriculture practices that prioritize commodities over communities. We think it’s time for a change. Soil is our common ground and our common good, so we are calling on Congress to support regenerative agriculture in the farm bill. Regenerative agriculture combines Indigenous knowledge, holistic management, and cutting edge science to work within the context of natural systems. It means healthier soils growing healthier foods, stronger local communities, more profitable regional economies, and more resilient environments. If you believe in a healthy, abundant future – for yourself, your family, and your community – sign and share the petition https://lnkd.in/g9yaWEWY

"Will young people come back to farming?" When Bablu Ganguly and Mary Vattamattam found that young children today have very little awareness about agriculture and the nature around them, they were deeply concerned. This lack of awareness, they felt, had alienated a new generation from appreciating the value of things like cow dung. The visionary founders of the Timbaktu Collective, decided to begin educating kids about farming and the importance of nurturing the ecosystem around them. Under their inspiring leadership, the collective has also spearheaded a number of initiatives, from regenerating forests, to fostering eco-friendly livelihoods, and providing food and income for local communities—all while nurturing a sustainable relationship with nature. Watch the full video on YouTube. Link in comment.