By Brise Tencer, OFRF Executive Director
Consumers are showing an increasing interest in understanding the environmental impact of their food choices. Meanwhile, farmers, who are on the front lines of climate change, are actively exploring farming practices that can contribute to both climate change mitigation and adaptation. This alignment presents a unique opportunity to promote transformative practices through research, education, and on-farm trials. However, it’s crucial to expand our efforts to educate a wider audience about the farming systems responsible for generating these benefits and how to effectively scale up these systems.
Although the term ‘regenerative’ has gained widespread traction among farmers and the food industry, definitions of the term vary widely. Organic farmers have long been engaged in regenerative practices, yet organic is often overlooked as a climate solution. Organic agriculture, grounded in principles that collaborate with nature, foster healthy soil, and contribute to clean water, biodiversity, and thriving farm communities, encompasses the essence of holistic and regenerative farming.
OFRF is working to help articulate the benefits of organic by sharing the latest scientific insights on pesticides, soil health, and biodiversity and by clarifying the regenerative facets inherent in the organic standards. We have been hard at work reviewing a plethora of resources and science on these questions and we are preparing to launch a suite of messaging resources about the ways in which Organic is Regenerative; stay tuned for an upcoming introduction of these valuable resources!