08/26/2025
Regenerative Agriculture requires an understanding of agro-ecology and conservation agriculture practices.
Regenerative Agriculture is more than just implementing no-till practices. In order to truly be sustainable, farmers must understand the energy, nutrient, and water cycles of the ecosystem in which they farm, and then try to mimic them with their farming practices. Regenerative practices are not a simply "plug and play." They look different from region to region, depending on soil types and climate.
But there are some foundational principles that apply across all regions. These are the three principles of Conservation Agriculture, as defined by the United Nations:
Minimum Soil Disturbance. This refers to no-till practices.
Permanent Soil Organic Cover. Maintaining crop residue or planting cover crops to shield the soil from the elements is essential.
Species Diversification. Monocultures degrade the soil further. It is imperative to diversify crop rotations consistent with the diversity of the ecosystem being farmed.
When we buy wheat from Shepherd's Grain farmers, they contractually agree that they are practicing no-till and keeping at least 30% of their field covered with crop residues. All of them are diversifying their crop rotations, and Shepherd's Grain has performed extensive research to give them tools to diversify further.