Regenerative Agriculture Systems
While there is a lot of attention paid to individual regenerative practices, farmers who combine multiple practices in a whole system approach often report the best results. It is challenging, however, to compile scientific studies that can corroborate those observations because most research depends on a reductionist approach that reduces the number of variables in order to measure and quantify the impact of one element or, in the case of agriculture, one particular agricultural practice. Also, it is unlikely to be able to devise a study on the use of multiple regenerative practices that can definitively provide guidance for all other farms because the climate, soil, and other geographic factors will not be the same on all other properties.
Still, some recent studies have verified that synergistic effects do seem to occur with combined practices(opens in new window) (sometimes called "stacked practices") even if the results vary in different conditions. There are also region-specific studies that might be used for guidance. For example, a recent long-term study from UC Davis(opens in new window) done in the San Joaquin Valley compared conventional farm fields with standard tillage in a cotton and tomato rotation to ones adding a single regenerative practice (either cover crops or no-till), and to those using both. No-till alone was the most effective by far of the single practices trialed in this study, but no-till and cover crops combined was most effective of all.
In this section you'll find general information including related scientific studies for using a whole systems approach to regenerative agriculture for different types of food production operations. Specific guidance for your particular circumstances and goals might best be provided by a Technical Assistance or Technical Service Provider. Check with your local Resource Conservation District. While the specific practices might vary, the general principles that should guide your choices remain the same:
- Keep the soil covered (crops, mulch, grass or cover crops)
- Minimize soil disturbance (no till or minimum till)
- Increase Diversity (multiple crops in rotation, multi-species cover crops, creating pollinator habitat, supporting soil micro- and macro-fauna)
- Keep living roots in the ground (no-till, leaving residue in place)
- Integrate livestock when possible
Studies on the use of a whole systems approach or stacked practices can be found at the bottom of this page.
The Science of Whole Systems or Stacked Practices
Agroecological practices for whole-system sustainability.(opens in new window) Levels of production required for future food security cannot be met by further increases in inputs of non-renewable resources. That means the world’s food crops should be managed in a sustainable way that maintains long-term ecological functioning, including nutrient, carbon and water cycles, soil quality, primary productivity, microbe-plant associations, pest and pathogen regulation, pollination and arable food web resilience. The is ample evidence that semi-closed regenerative systems can do the job. The article explores key functional indicators and whole-system integration of practical management options.
Assessing synergistic effects of no-tillage and cover crops on soil carbon dynamics in a long-term maize cropping system under climate change(opens in new window) The results demonstrated that no-till and cover crops work synergistically to increase soil organic carbon, mainly via slowing down soil carbon decomposition rates and increasing cumulative carbon inputs.
No-Tillage, Surface Residue Retention, and Cover Crops Improved San Joaquin Valley Soil Health in the Long Term (opens in new window)A long-term annual crop study showed that the combined use of no-tillage, surface residue retention, and cover crops improved several chemical, biological, and physical soil health factors when compared to conventional practices. Synergistic benefits included increasing soil structural stability, water infiltration and storage, and agroecosystem biodiversity, and improving the efficiencies of the carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles of their production systems.
Regenerative agriculture: Merging farming and natural resource conservation profitably (opens in new window)Regenerative fields utilizing a systems approach of combined practices had 29% lower grain production but 78% higher profits over traditional corn production systems. Profit was positively correlated with the particulate organic matter of the soil and less need for expensive inputs, not yield.
Soil health and nutrient density: preliminary comparison of regenerative and conventional farming (opens in new window)Regenerative farms that combined no-till, cover crops, and diverse rotations produced crops with higher soil organic matter levels, soil health scores, and levels of certain vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals than the same crops grown using conventional practices.
The Need for a System Approach to Sustainable Agriculture (opens in new window)The author sees the differences between conventional and sustainable paradigms of agriculture as being much more a matter of differences in farming philosophy than of farming practices or methods. One is oriented mostly to efficiency and profit while the other prioritizes the complex interrelationships between multiple parts of a more integrated whole. A systems approach which focuses on knowledge-based development of whole farms and communities will be required to address the environmental, economic, and social challenges of our current age.
Understanding the Science Behind Climate Smart Agriculture in California: A comprehensive literature review. (opens in new window)This article reviews the key elements of soil health, explore what practices and strategies California farmers can utilize to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and covers research findings on an array of regenerative (climate-smart) farming practices. It then goes on to expand on the many benefits of diversification and stacking these practices and provides recommendations for stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
Winter cover crops and no-till promote soil macrofauna communities in irrigated, Mediterranean cropland in California, USA(opens in new window) Soil macrofauna were evaluated after sixteen years of cover crop and tillage treatments. Total macrofauna abundance increased by 93% with cover crops and 50% with no-till. Macrofauna species richness was highest with the combination of cover crops and no-till. Macrofauna abundance was positively related to several soil quality metrics.