The Three Rules of Adaptive StewardshipTM are: Rule of Compounding Rule of Diversity Rule of Disruption The Rule of Compounding follows the concept that every management decision or practice applied creates a series of compounding and cascading effects that are either positive or negative in nature. There never are any singular impacts and they are […]

Research performed by Dr. Stephan Van Vliet, Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences, Utah State University, and the Bionutrient Food Association, found that grass-finishing, compared to conventional grain finishing, increases a wide variety of health-promoting compounds in meat and improves animal health. Phytochemical richness of meat is directly related to the finishing diet of […]

In my previous post, I discussed building soil aggregation and how this can help to address some of the problems growers face today. Those stable aggregates are created by living plants that release root exudates to feed a diverse quorum of microbes in the soil. The more the diverse the living plants are, the more […]

When many people think of cover crops on their farms, their initial thoughts circle around soil erosion, either via wind or rain. Many of the programs through the NRCS and Soil and Water Conservation Districts that have anything to do with cover crops pertain to erosion problems as well. But those who have been using […]

In our previous article, we provided an overview list of the many potential benefits dairy farms are observing as they move into regenerative agriculture. Dairy farms are uniquely suited to the principles of adaptive management because they have multiple livestock classes that can utilize a variety of feedstuffs. This provides opportunities for greater plant diversity […]

Farmers often ask, “How can my farm benefit from moving to regenerative agriculture?” We most pointedly hear this from dairy farmers. With a seven-day-per-week workload, dairies have developed schedules designed around getting all the chores done. They feel that unless something offers the promise of additional milk or crop/forage yield, they struggle comprehending how to […]

For the past several decades, the food industry has experienced significant consolidation. This is especially true with the meat processing sector. According to the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, about 85% of all fed cattle are purchased and processed by the largest four beef packers in the U.S. That leaves only 15% of the fed cattle […]

In my last post, I wrote about regenerative agriculture’s Christmas gift for all and how the hope of regenerative agriculture provides “Common Ground for Common Good.” I genuinely believe that in this New Year, and on this common ground, sprouts real hope and possibility-IF we resolve to grow regeneratively together. I believe this because every […]

It is depressing to listen to the news these days. All we hear is stories of how tough things are today. From inflation to supply chain issues, to racism to immigration, to crime, society is being torn apart. You would think nothing positive is occurring. We, at Understanding Ag, believe otherwise. We believe that most […]

What are the key factors for building climate resiliency? How can each of us participate in that endeavor? In our October article, we shared examples from the Chihuahuan Desert that illustrated how regenerative practices can significantly improve productivity and resiliency in such an arid environment. We received quite a few comments on that article, but […]