Regenerative agriculture 101: Is it right for your operation?

Regenerative agriculture is a term we often hear, but what exactly it means and how it applies to our farm can be subjective. There are, however, core characteristics that cut across individual interpretations of regenerative agriculture.

Ontario farmer Blake Vince grows corn, soybeans and winter wheat on heavy clay soils in Ontario’s deep southwest. To him, regenerative agriculture means employing production practices that rejuvenate and improve soil health – soil's biodiversity, structure and organic matter.

He began implementing an active cover crop regime, including multi-species cover crop mixtures and planting into living green matter, over a decade ago and has seen notable improvements in the years since.

Better water infiltration has also been a major benefit, reducing Vince’s reliance on expensive drainage tile networks and improving the quality of water leaving his fields.

“If we’re not talking about improving soil and water, the conversation for me is a hard stop,” says Vince, emphasizing the importance of the connection between soil health and the health of our collective water resources.

More recently, Vince converted a section of his farm into native prairie grassland and a small cattle herd to graze and manure it. Here, too, water infiltration and soil structure have been improved. A side benefit has been the return of beneficial insects and avian species that need grasslands to thrive.

“Those things I didn’t anticipate witnessing over such a short period of time,” says Vince, adding that he also enjoys talking to bird watchers who now visit his pasture in search of rare species.