Will RegenAg be given the chance to feed the world?

[onesiedale]

About a month ago I was quite confident that the RegenAg / Holistic management message was beginning to filter through into mainstream Ag.
However, the outlook for food production/consumption is now looking drastically different.
Mother Earth may be starting to breathe more comfortably from a reduction in fossil fuel emissions. However, Supermarkets are suddenly the critical link in the food chain
and there are cries for food security to be pushed up the national agenda ahead of the environment.
When the dust settles on this Covid-19 episode, the ego's of a good many food producers will be fuelled by a supply trade pumped full of subsidies and 0% loans eager to get industry moving again.
Who are the policy makers really going to listen to? There will be some serious lobbying in Westminster that will be hoping to re-create the agriculture act of '47 to solve all the problems that were created the first time round.
What would you like to see as the Ag outcome of the current pandemic?
And how do we stop the policy makers from dishing out a whole load of encouragement to make the same mistakes all over again?

 

[jack6480]

It’s only going to be people who feel it’s the right thing to do that will take it forward.

 

[Guleesh]

still hoping that once everybodies cupboard are rammed full of food the stockpiling will slow and the supply chain will catch up and keep up.

You make some good points,
unfortunately history does tend to repeat.

 

[Guleesh]

It’s only going to be people who feel it’s the right thing to do that will take it forward.

If its as good as we think I hope it will become obvious to all in time. I think a lot will have to learn the hard way though.

 

[onesiedale]

It’s only going to be people who feel it’s the right thing to do that will take it forward.

Trouble is though that given the oncoming shitstorm in the economy, a lot of well meaning people will only be looking very short term.
Unless money suddenly becomes so worthless that the only capital worth investing in is ecological capital. See what happens if the suits try running an economy on that asset base.

 

[jack6480]

The only way I can see it taking off is if the job gets that hard that people won’t be able to afford all the pointless inputs and then learn to use the basics and farm without.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

It's possible that we might even see the flow of chemical inputs interrupted as most transport focusses on delivering food, that could make folk think more about their inputs.

Like you though Angus, I do worry where we are going to go after all this. It could be an opportunity to change the whole direction of British society towards a more robust, sustainable system.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

The only way I can see it taking off is if the job gets that hard that people won’t be able to afford all the pointless inputs and then learn to use the basics and farm without.

Or that struggling farmers see their regenerative neighbours earning good profits with less work and start to see the potential......

 

[ajd132]

I’ve been thinking about this the last few days. Twitter is awash with farmers demanding to ‘feed the world’. Frankly on a personal level more power to them, let them carry on using as many inputs as possible to grow as much as possible. Regenerative farming, if done properly will be the winner everyday

 

[Jungle Bill]

Diet, health, inequality: why Britain's food supply system doesn't work

Tim Lang, the UK’s leading expert on food policy, says we already faced a challenge unmatched since the war. And things just got worse…

www.theguardian.com

This book will be worth a read, both to understand the situation and because Tim is listened to by government.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Or that struggling farmers see their regenerative neighbours earning good profits with less work and start to see the potential......

One of the most depressing facets of my life at present, has been watching a neighbour slowly going bust.
My question to conventional producers is: how long can your business survive without someone taking your expensively-produced commodities off your hands?
Without fuel at the pump?
Without staff?
Without rainfall?
Without spare parts backup for your "must have" machinery?
(Dare I say it, without BPS?)

It's such a shaky model,, from the outside, looking in.

 

[ajd132]

Been thinking about this more. If we want to be more self sufficient that also means not importing so much fertiliser and ag-chem. regenerative is the way forward. We need to be far less reliant on all these inputs.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Been thinking about this more. If we want to be more self sufficient that also means not importing so much fertiliser and ag-chem. regenerative is the way forward. We need to be far less reliant on all these inputs.

A century ago there was virtually zero input from fossil sources, it will have to return to that state eventually.

 

[jack6480]

A century ago there was virtually zero input from fossil sources, it will have to return to that state eventually.

I hope so,

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I hope so,

I think the responsible thing to do, is to explore while we still have all the tools we have; how to use some less and others, more, or to better effect.

So much is currently used simply creating problems to be fixed - eg creating conditions for weeds to become problematic, and then killing them.

Or, overharvesting grass and then fertilising/renovating it, as another prime example.

I think for our race to evolve, we need to have much deeper conversations than we do currently, the trajectory appears to be the opposite of what's required; but, when you really get into it people are either completely closed to regenerative thinking or incredibly open and eager to learn.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

I think the responsible thing to do, is to explore while we still have all the tools we have; how to use some less and others, more, or to better effect.

So much is currently used simply creating problems to be fixed - eg creating conditions for weeds to become problematic, and then killing them.

Or, overharvesting grass and then fertilising/renovating it, as another prime example.

I think for our race to evolve, we need to have much deeper conversations than we do currently, the trajectory appears to be the opposite of what's required; but, when you really get into it people are either completely closed to regenerative thinking or incredibly open and eager to learn.

Sadly most politicians and "captains of industry" fall into the first camp....

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Sadly most politicians and "captains of industry" fall into the second camp....

They only rule the weak, and people who need led.
This begins in the roots and branches upwards, time will prove it to be the right and true way to manage - but I expect 'the darkest hour to be before the dawn' as with all seachange

 

[Guleesh]

I think the responsible thing to do, is to explore while we still have all the tools we have; how to use some less and others, more, or to better effect.

So much is currently used simply creating problems to be fixed - eg creating conditions for weeds to become problematic, and then killing them.

Or, overharvesting grass and then fertilising/renovating it, as another prime example.

I think for our race to evolve, we need to have much deeper conversations than we do currently, the trajectory appears to be the opposite of what's required; but, when you really get into it people are either completely closed to regenerative thinking or incredibly open and eager to learn.

Yes all the 'advancements ' made in agriculture are tools that are here to stay- I like the way you put it, of these tools being used to fix problems that could have been prevented much more efficiently.
Whilst I agree about the deeper conversations, I also think a few very simple messages may be a good way to get people to stop and think.

For me the simple observation of sheep sh!t on the field that never really broke down after using deltamethrin in ewes was a catalyst to explore and think more deeply about what was going on.

 

[Jungle Bill]

I think the responsible thing to do, is to explore while we still have all the tools we have; how to use some less and others, more, or to better effect.

So much is currently used simply creating problems to be fixed - eg creating conditions for weeds to become problematic, and then killing them.

Or, overharvesting grass and then fertilising/renovating it, as another prime example.

I think for our race to evolve, we need to have much deeper conversations than we do currently, the trajectory appears to be the opposite of what's required; but, when you really get into it people are either completely closed to regenerative thinking or incredibly open and eager to learn.

This is where the Savory training is so useful as it makes you think about what is really important to you for your family, land and business.
I still remember my first day training with @Sheila Cooke and how uncomfortable we all were with having to think so deeply, but as the course continued and Holistic thinking became more natural the advantages became apparent and the ‘right’ decisions became easy.
I have now seen many people go through this learning and visited many regenerative businesses, without exception they are optimistic, generous and thriving, it’s a great place to be!

 

[Blaithin]

I think regenerative ag is at the edge of a great opportunity right now.

Many regenerative producers practice or at least have dipped their toes into direct marketing. Many don't have the idea of "feeding the world" but more "feed their community". They are the farmers that are prepared to quickly offer product to people at this moment and in the next few months.

Producers who rely on exporting and processing are, while filling key parts of the chain, now at the mercy of that chains workforce being able to work.

I hope at the end of this the people remember the local farmers they were able to find that still had products when the stores were all out. A bit of money more than store prices doesn't seem like such a bad trade off now that there isn't any cheap store options.

This is the chance to network and find customers and create a bond with them that otherwise may never have arisen.