How Regenerative Agriculture Affects Soil Health

California’s almond-growing region covers over 1 million acres and is where ~80% of the world’s almonds are produced, valued at over $10 billion. The entire industry relies on imported bees for pollination, without which there would be no almonds. This region has become ecologically desolate, comprised of almond trees and bare soil for as far as the eye can see. As a result, critical pollinators, from specialist native pollinators to honey bees, have declined to the point of collapse. Almond growers contract beekeepers to truck in hives from across the country to provide pollination services. Each year, 1.6 million bee hives are placed in California’s almond orchards during the flowering season. I’ve met several beekeepers who make more money from the short stint of pollination services they provide each spring than the entire year in honey sales. But it comes at a high cost to the bees. It’s estimated that beekeepers lose 40% of the hives they bring to CA each spring. Bees suffer due to the lack of plant diversity among the sea of almond trees, parasites, and pesticide exposure. The almond orchards in California use upwards of 35 million pounds of pesticides each year. A 2021 study performed by a group of scientists included Jonathan Lundgren , demonstrated the promise of “regenerative almond production.” Adopting this type of system would solve the pollination crisis and other issues critical to the region, like soil erosion and water scarcity. The study employed soil conservation practices and some regenerative ag principles, including minimizing soil disturbance, reducing agrochemicals, maximizing plant diversity, integrating livestock, and eliminating bare soil. The biodiversity and biomass of invertebrates, including bees and other pollinators, increased significantly. The study also shows dramatic increases in microbial biomass in the soil and the overall soil health score. Other noteworthy results from the regenerative orchard: –Net profitability was 2x more than conventional orchard –6x faster water infiltration (essential in drought/water scarcity) –More soil carbon –No difference in pest damage, even with the elimination of pesticides. Not only is this an excellent example of what's possible in an integrated agriculture system, but it's also a great demonstration of why biodiversity is a better measure of farm health than single factors like carbon.

Follow The Electrons: Redox Processes as Central Drivers of Soil, Plant, and Microbial Health Olivier Husson’s work has revolutionized our understanding of redox (reduction-oxidation) processes as central drivers of soil, plant, and microbial health. Alongside pH (which measures proton availability), redox potential (Eh, which measures electron availability) has been proposed as a critical component for assessing soil, plant, and animal health. Both parameters are analyzed together to provide a much fuller picture of nutrient availability, biological activity, and disease resistance than pH alone. Husson’s research shows that electron exchanges (redox reactions) are fundamental to life processes, regulating energy flow in soils, plants, and microbes. This “little electric current,” as Nobel laureate Szent-Györgyi described it, is maintained by sunlight and is essential for cellular energy and metabolic balance.  Impact on Soil and Plant Health: Studies have demonstrated that soil Eh-pH conditions directly influence: ·      Microbial populations and activity ·      Nutrient solubility and uptake (including nitrogen and phosphorus) ·      The plant’s ability to resist diseases and pests ·      The buffering capacity of soils, especially through organic matter and biological activity Disease and Stress Response: Specific Eh-pH conditions can either suppress or promote plant pathogens and pests. Plants under stress or attack shift their redox balance, which in turn regulates gene expression and defense mechanisms. Practical Applications: The measuring of both Eh and pH in soils and plants has been proposed to guide regenerative agricultural practices. This dual measurement is intended to help farmers optimize crop nutrition, disease resistance, and overall system health. This work is helping in understanding how to shift toward more holistic, regenerative approaches in agriculture.

Want to build soil carbon stocks AND improve organic matter quality? Focus on rhizodeposition. 🫚🌾 We often talk about increasing total carbon stocks in soil, but long-term gains require us to understand soil carbon quality. I found this global synthesis by Villarino et al. (2021) to be a really insightful read; it makes a compelling case: 🌱 Rhizodeposition, in the form of root exudates, sloughed cells, and mycorrhizal turnover, appears to be the most efficient source of stable soil organic matter. 📊 Main Points of Interest: ➡️ Rhizodeposition contributes to mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) at a 46% efficiency, far higher than roots (9%) or aboveground biomass (7%). ➡️ Over 75% of stable belowground carbon (MAOC) comes directly from rhizodeposition. ➡️ High shoot:root ratios = lower carbon formation efficiency. SOC formation efficiency drops by 36% when the shoot:root ratio increases from 1 to 6. 🦠 Rhizodeposition doesn’t just add carbon—it fuels microbial life, generating necromass that binds to minerals and builds the most persistent carbon pool in soil. Yes, roots are great for building particulate organic matter carbon (POM-C). But if you want long-term storage, rhizodeposition is the driver. 🌾 We need more systems—cover crops, perennials, and future crop varieties—that favor root-driven carbon inputs. Because it’s not just how much carbon you add… it’s where it ends up. I hope you find this paper as interesting as I did! #soilhealth #carbonsequestration #soilscience #regenerativeagriculture #covercrops #soilorganicmatter #plantbreeding #agroecology #microbialcarbon #whyward

Here is Dr. Beth Fisher, one of four scientists working on soil health, GHG emisiones, carbon footprint and biological diversity explaining the difference between the structure of the soil in one of our Poultry-Centered Regenerative Agroforesty production units as compared with soil from a well established not-till farm that has been doing this for about a decade in the field across the road. Listen to her explanation of the results. We really have to start paying attention to high quality data, or we will keep making the same mistakes over and over. Infiltration rate is such a huge indicator of soil health so much has to be done right to achieve a high rate of infiltration. And watch the holding capacity of the soil. The water never got turbid in the sample from our field, it just sat there. The no-till sample eventually became so turbid we could not see through, and half of the soil ended up in the bottom of the container. It was good to have the chair of the MN house agriculture finance committee witnessing this. It is said that knowledge does not necessarily create change in a society, but for us, this knowledge gives us so much assurance that the resilience we seek is there, and that the system is delivering the planned regenerative outcomes. The excessive rain this spring and early summer was a good pressure test. We are happy to report that we do have a solid (pun intended) solution to propose to the world. Chickens back in their natural habitat, and the endless positive chain reaction that we can generate at all levels of the social, economic, and ecological continuum. At the end, we are optimizing the capacity of the ecosystem to transform energy. And water is central to that equation so the biophysical and chemical processes responsible for that energy transformation in the landscape are optimized. Everything else works better when that is achieved.