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 people are honest, kind, considerate and caring. We believe that society can unite and find, “Common Ground for Common Good.”
And, we believe, that Regenerative Agriculture is the “Common Ground” which provides the “Common Good” for all.
Most of us can agree that we have water quality and water quantity issues. From the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico, to phosphates in the Great Lakes, to nitrates in our estuaries, water quality issues abound. Water quantity issues are occurring over larger and larger areas with desertification accelerating. At the same time, we are seeing water infiltration and lack of water holding capacity result in flooding issues, sometimes after as little as a half an inch of rainfall!
Low farm profitability is leading to crisis on our farms and ranches, resulting in the decimation of our rural communities.
Too much carbon in our atmosphere and not enough cycling in our soil has negative ramifications on both the water and nutrient cycles.
We also are in the midst of a human health crisis—ADD, ADHD, Alzheimer’s, obesity, osteoporosis, cancer, and the list goes on. Incidences of all of these conditions are increasing at an alarming rate. We only have to look at the current COVID pandemic to realize that many in our communities have compromised immune systems. Often, that is the result of improper nutrition for the gut microbiome.
To change this, we must all do our part to make a difference. It starts with farmers and ranchers adopting regenerative practices. Farming in ways that maximize growing plants will result in taking massive amounts of carbon out of the atmosphere and moving it back into the soil, which also leads to significant improvements in water quality and quantity. In addition, ecosystem function improves and dramatically improves farm profitability, which leads to the revitalization of our rural communities.
The phyto-nutrient content of the grains, fruits, vegetables, and proteins regenerative farmers produce increases dramatically and improves human health.
Businesses must do what is right for their employees and their communities by supporting local regenerative growers. Likewise, consumers must demand and purchase food that is grown and raised in a regenerative manner, as this will not only improve their own health, but it will drive increased adoption of regenerative agriculture.
In his hit song, “Let it be Christmas,” singer, songwriter Allen Jackson refrains…
“Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year!”
As Christmas approaches, I encourage each of us to make a difference and to come together and find “Common Ground for Common Good.” It is gift of hope, transformation, and love—today and for generations to come.
May God Bless you and your family.