In this webinar for the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, John Kempf discusses a paradigm shift in nitrogen management . John outlines how moving away from high-electrolyte "chemistry" fertilizers toward biological nutrition can build crop resilience and significantly reduce input costs . By understanding how different forms of nitrogen, such as ammonium and urea versus nitrate, impact plant physiology and water requirements, growers can navigate a transition to a system where soil biology provides the majority of the crop's nutritional needs . In this webinar, John discusses:  High-yielding crops historically receive about 80% of their nitrogen as ammonium and 20% as nitrate . Plants and soil biology interact with specific nitrogen forms like amino acids rather than generic N . Nitrate requires three molecules of water for conversion, increasing a plant's total water requirement . Foliar urea can be four to seven times more efficient than soil-applied nitrogen Replacing the first 25 pounds of nitrogen with 25 pounds of sulfur can deliver an equivalent yield responses Managing nitrogen with carbon and molybdenum reduces leaching and supports biological fixation Additional Resources To learn more about the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, please visit: https://www.mnsoilhealth.org/ To learn more about AEA's approach to Nitrogen Management, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/article/regenerative-nitrogen/ About John Kempf  John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.  Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.  Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.  Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.  Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Glenn Elzinga is a seasoned rancher who has spent 34 years managing Alderspring Ranch in the wild, high-country landscapes of Idaho. Growing up on conventional farms that relied heavily on chemicals and formulaic business models, Glenn's career shifted dramatically after a "clobber over the head" moment forced him to innovate to survive. Today, he and his family manage 47,000 acres of wilderness rangeland, where they have pioneered "inheritance grazing" by living with their cattle 24-7 on horseback to coexist with wolves and maximize plant diversity.  By collaborating with researchers like Dr. Stephan van Vliet, he has provided empirical evidence that grazing cattle on diverse wild ranges produces beef with significantly higher anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds compared to feedlot alternatives. His work emphasizes the "nutritional wisdom" of animals and the importance of vertical enterprise stacking to create a profitable, multi-generational future for regenerative agriculture.  In this episode, John and Glenn discuss:  The shift from formulaic commodity agriculture to the "Wild West" of the regenerative space.  How maintaining human presence on the ground allows ranchers to coexist with predators like wolves.  The results of metabolomics research comparing wild-range beef to feedlot beef.  The concept of nutritional wisdom and how cattle self-select plants for preventative medicine.  Why handling cattle with a focus on their left-eye perception reduces stress and improves performance.  Moving from horizontal expansion to vertical stacking to bring the next generation into agriculture.   Additional Resources To learn more about Glenn and Alderspring ranch, please visit: https://www.alderspring.com/  About John Kempf  John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.  Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.  Support For This Show & Helping You Grow  Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.  Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.  Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Briana Bosch is the founder of Blossom and Branch, where she manages a two-acre flower micro-farm in Denver and a 180-acre family grain farm in Minnesota. With a background in journalism and a master's in marketing, she has become a prominent voice in the regenerative movement by focusing on scaling soil health concepts for both small-scale market gardens and large-scale commodity operations.  Last year marked a significant milestone in her transition of the family's century-old Minnesota farm, as she implemented intensive regenerative practices for the first time, including the total elimination of herbicides and fungicides on her experimental acreage.  In this episode, John and Briana discuss:  The role of authenticity and maintaining the "true voice" to build lasting trust Her transition from using plastic mulch and netting to implementing living ground covers and high-carbon mulches like wood chips How flower production can net a higher profit per acre than almost any other crop, including marijuana, when focused on local markets The benefits of 60-inch corn rows for facilitating intercropping and cover crop growth within the constraints of a short northern growing season Seed inoculation as the most effective "low-hanging fruit" for jump-starting soil biology and reducing synthetic fertilizer needs The psychological and cultural barriers, such as "groupthink" and defensiveness, that often prevent farmers from adopting new practices  Additional Resources To purchase Briana's book, The Regenerative Gardener's Handbook, please visit: https://www.blossomandbranch.com/the-regenerative-gardeners-handbook  To follow Briana on Instagram, please visit: https://www.instagram.com/blossomandbranch/  To subscribe to Briana's YouTube channel, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/@BlossomandBranch  To purchase BioCoat Gold, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/product/biocoat-gold-2/ About John Kempf  John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.  Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.  Support For This Show & Helping You Grow  Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.  Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.  Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Jeremy Brown is an organic farmer and the founder of Broadview Agriculture in the Southern Plains of West Texas. Managing nearly 4,000 acres of certified organic land, Jeremy is a leader in adapting regenerative practices to "brittle," low-rainfall environments. He brings a pragmatic approach to the movement by aligning his production with the natural limitations of his ecosystem, prioritizing soil biology and local economic health over the high-input "rat race" of conventional technology.  In this episode, John and Jeremy discuss:  Jeremy's transition from the "Roundup Ready" era back to organic farming to discover what truly constitutes "good soil."  How high yields in desert-like environments creates a financial "rat race" that ignores the farm's natural context.  30-year plateau in dryland cotton yields despite massive advancements in chemical and seed technology.  How Jeremy uses a weather-responsive approach to interseed multi-species cover crops.  The integration of stocker cattle to offset the cost of cover crop seeds while providing natural fertilizer and biological stimulation.  Why Jeremy chooses to invest in local labor and home-raised seeds rather than high-tech machinery and expensive technology fees.  Additional Resources:  To learn more about Green Cover, please visit: https://greencover.com/  To learn more and to purchase BioCoat Gold, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/product/biocoat-gold-2/   To learn more about Allan Savory and the Savory Institute, please visit: https://savory.global/  To learn more about Gabe Brown, please visit: https://brownsranch.us/  About John Kempf  John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.  Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.  Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.   AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.  Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.  Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Short, John discusses how shifting from extractive to collaborative business models can help farmers reclaim their economic destiny. This episode also explores:  Historical farm economics, noting that while it was once common to pay for a farm in under ten years,  How "regenerative relationships" and shared risk-taking between vendors and growers are essential to restoring farm profitability.  A new performance warranty for BioCoat Gold is introduced as a way to remove financial risk for growers  Inviting large-scale operators to engage in broader risk-sharing partnerships that extend beyond single products to entire agricultural systems.  Additional Resources  To learn more about AEA's new BioCoat Gold warrant, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/land/warranty-biocoat-gold/  About John Kempf  John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.  Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.    AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.  Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.

In this Podcast Extra, John Kempf compares Electrolyte Nutrition vs. Biological Nutrition in a webinar with ACRES USA and explains why conventional nitrogen strategies often lead to loss, inefficiency, and disrupted soil biology. Drawing from real-world agronomy, John outlines a biology-centric approach to nitrogen management that improves profitability, reduces synthetic inputs, and strengthens plant resilience. Topics include nitrogen timing, loss prevention, biological on-ramps and off-ramps, and practical strategies for in-season management. The webinar concludes with a live Q&A, where John answers grower questions and expands on implementation details. Additional Resources To learn more about ACRES USA and to become an Eco-Farmer member, please visit: https://eco-farming.com/ To view their bookstore, please visit: https://bookstore.acresusa.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this podcast extra, John Kempf joins Ed Baumgartner, Founder, and Andrew Dixon, Business Development Manager, of BASS Hybrids on a BASSCAST to discuss regenerative corn production. They explore transitioning from chemical-heavy practices to biological systems using microbial inoculants like Biocoat Gold to improve soil health and plant resilience. They also discuss: Using Biocoat Gold as a biological seed treatment to set plants up for better long-term success. The "rhizophagy cycle," where plants meet nutritional needs by recruiting and "consuming" soil microbes. Observations of interseeded companion crops increasing corn yields rather than just competing for resources. Delaying the "black layer" in corn by up to 12 days through optimal biological nutrition to gain test weight. The effectiveness of biological treatments even when applied to seeds pre-coated with traditional fungicides. How diverse microbial health naturally lowers excess sodium and chloride levels in irrigation systems. Strategies for reducing synthetic nitrogen dependency while maintaining high-yield performance. Additional ResourcesTo learn more about BASS Hybrids, please visit: https://basshybrids.com/ To purchase BioCoat Gold, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/product/biocoat-gold-2/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Extra episode, John Kempf delivers his keynote address from "The Quality Edge: Market Differentiation Through Regenerative Wine Growing," an event hosted by Grgich Hills Estate in Rutherford, California. Speaking to an audience of professional wine growers, John explores how regenerative agriculture is becoming the ultimate differentiator in a crowded global market. He details how focusing on soil biology and plant physiology not only restores ecosystems but drives the production of wines with distinct character and superior quality that today's consumers demand. Key Topics Discussed: Why wine grapes are one of the few crops where microbiome integrity translates directly to harvest quality and financial return. The "Rhizophagy Cycle" and how plant roots absorb entire microbial cells to extract nutrients. Recent discoveries that microbes act as "truckers", transporting lipids and nutrients into plants before returning to the soil. The concept of "quorum sensing" and how microbial communities behave as a superorganism once they reach a critical threshold of diversity. How trees and plants demonstrate intelligence and support one another through fungal networks, including the "Mother Tree" concept. The three major suppressors of soil biology: bare soil, high-salt fertilizers, and synthetic fungicides. Why synthetic fungicides are often more damaging to soil structure and biology than tillage or herbicides. Introduction to Pinion, a new biocontrol product from AEA that influences plant redox environments and activates immune pathways. The critical role of Manganese and Boron as bottlenecks for photosynthesis and sugar translocation. Additional ResourcesTo learn more about Pinion, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/product/pinion/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Extra, John Kempf speaks with Dr. Michael McNeill at the Acres U.S.A. Eco-Ag Conference in December 2025. During their conversation, they field questions from the audience and dive deep into the intersection of macroeconomics, history, and the future of farming.  Topics discussed include:  The historical context of the 1962 "Adaptive Program for Agriculture" and its intentional design to reduce the American farm population.  Personal reflections on the 1980s farm crisis and the role of high-interest rates in driving farm bankruptcies and consolidation.  Strategies for developing resilient farming systems that can withstand economic shifts, political changes, and climate volatility.  A vision for a "major reset" in American agriculture within the next five years, shifting toward either massive consolidation or smaller food-as-medicine operations.  The critical role of collaboration and mentorship between older and younger generations to facilitate land transition and knowledge sharing  Additional Resources  To learn more about Acres U.S.A, please visit: https://www.acresusa.com/  To listen to a previous Regenerative Agriculture Podcast episode featuring Dr. McNeill, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/podcast/disease-resistance-and-regenerating-soil-with-michael-mcneill/  About John Kempf  John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.  Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.  Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.   AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.    AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.   Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Extra episode, join John at Acres Eco Ag 2025, where he hosted a "Coffee with John Kempf" session, answering questions from the audience. In this episode, a wide range of topics are discussed, including: The use of foliar-applied low-biuret urea to significantly reduce a crop's total nitrogen requirement . The potential for amino acid forms of nitrogen to replace large amounts of conventional mineral nitrogen . Why plants fail to absorb or metabolize calcium efficiently when soil boron levels are low . Recommendations for conducting sap analysis every 7 to 10 days to identify nutrient needs . Optimal spray timing and the "point of deliquescence" to keep droplets liquid on leaves longer . The necessity of using clean water free of carbonates, such as rainwater or reverse osmosis water, for effective foliar sprays . AEA's new product, Pinion, which stimulates the leaf microbiome and activates plant immune pathways . Strategies for decompacting soil by building organic matter and mycorrhizal fungi rather than just chemical balancing . Additional Resources To learn more about Acres U.S.A., please visit: https://www.acresusa.com/ To laern more about Pinion, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/product/pinion/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Extra episode, John Kempf joins The Future of Agriculture Podcast hosted by Tim Hammerich to discuss the intersection of cutting-edge technology and regenerative farming. As the founder and Chief Vision Officer of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA), John reflects on his journey from managing a struggling family farm in Ohio to becoming a leading crop health consultant. The conversation centers on the launch of FieldLark AI, an innovative regenerative agronomist tool, and John's personal project of creating a "digital clone" of his own agronomic expertise to streamline decision-making. Beyond technology and ethics, the duo dives into advanced nitrogen management strategies, offering technical insights for growers looking to optimize plant health.  Additional Resources To listen to more episodes of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, please visit: https://futureofagriculture.com/ To learn more about FieldLark, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/land/fieldlark/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Matthew Fitzgerald is a "1.5 generation" organic grain farmer operating 2,500 acres in Minnesota, situated where the big woods meet the prairie. Alongside his father, Joe, he manages a diverse rotation of crops on land originally preserved by organic pioneer Mabel Brelia. Matthew focuses on navigating modern economic challenges while actively fostering opportunities for the next generation of land stewards. To manage scale and improve yields, Matthew founded FarmFlow, a system that began as a visual whiteboard to track field passes and has evolved into software for optimizing execution. By integrating these standard operating procedures with emerging AI tools, he aims to professionalize organic operations and prove the financial competitiveness of sustainable agriculture. In this episode, John and Matthew discuss: Overcoming high barriers to entry for beginning farmers through creative partnerships and policy. The concept of FarmFlow and using visual tools to manage complex organic systems. Data analysis revealing the strong correlation between field pass frequency and increased crop yields. Decommoditizing organic grain to ensure financial viability and economic independence. Leveraging AI tools like FieldLark to enhance agronomic decision-making and operational efficiency. The importance of team diversity and "quorum sensing" in building resilient farm operations. Additional Resources To learn more about FarmFlow, please visit: https://www.tryfarmflow.com/ To learn more about Matthew, please visit: https://www.fitzgeraldorganics.net/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Abianne Falla used to see the native holly shrub as a pesky invasive on her family's Texas land, until the 2011 drought highlighted its resilience: it was the sole green survivor. Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) is North America's only caffeinated plant, though its roots as a ceremonial brew in Gulf Coast indigenous societies have been suppressed by colonial forces and lost to commercialization. As a member of the Chickasaw Nation, Abianne became interested in yaupon and crafted a variety of flavor profiles in her home roasting experiments, which she grew into her company, CatSpring Yaupon.  Abianne harnesses yaupon for regeneration, harvesting on 500 acres while restoring degraded grasslands, boosting biodiversity by 70% and soil carbon by 7%, and fostering balanced ecosystems through grazing. Abianne's organic, wild-harvested model turns a 20-million-acre nuisance into sustainable income and regenerative opportunities. In this episode, John and Abianne discuss: Yaupon's drought resilience and its takeover of Texas savannas. Its balanced caffeine mix for crash-free, joyful energy, plus anti-inflammatory benefits. Reviving indigenous traditions with cultural care in branding. Turning "weeds" like yaupon or kudzu into crops via history, AI, and observation. Building a new category from markets to multi-channel sales. The market potential for local, climate-resilient caffeine amid global shifts. Additional Resources To learn more about Cat Spring Yaupon, please visit: https://catspringtea.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Morgan Twain-Peterson founded Bedrock Wine Company in 2007, growing from humble beginnings in a small outbuilding into a respected winery. Jake Neustadt joined Morgan in 2015, bringing his expertise in transitioning old vineyards to regenerative practices. Together they are focused on enhancing soil health, producing uniquely Californian wines, and preserving California's historic vineyards, some of which date to the 19th Century. Morgan and Jake's work at Bedrock Wine Company shows how regenerative agriculture can restore degraded vineyard soils, significantly increasing soil organic matter and water retention and improving climate resilience. Their practices—including no-till, cover crops, and holistic grazing—not only improve vine health and wine quality but also set a model for sustainable viticulture, addressing the wine industry's need for differentiation amid declining consumption. In this episode, John, Morgan, and Jake discuss: Preserving historic vineyards with diverse varieties unique to California Transitioning from conventional tillage to no-till organic systems for soil health Using foliar applications to enhance vine resilience in dry-farmed vineyards Integrating holistic grazing with sheep to improve soil biology Planting mixed-variety vineyards to increase resilience and wine complexity Leveraging genetic diversity for heat tolerance Additional Resources To learn more about Bedrock Wine company, please visit: https://bedrockwineco.com/ To listen to the Bedrock Wine Conversations Podcast, please visit: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jAHhAOI9Xy8uKDJmyl5Xx About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Hilda Gore is a certified health coach and the host of the Wise Traditions podcast for the Weston A. Price Foundation. Born with a ventricular septal defect requiring open-heart surgery at age nine, she developed a passion for holistic health, emphasizing physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness. Through her global travels, Hilda has learned from indigenous communities about ancestral health practices, advocating for a return to traditional, nutrient-dense diets and lifestyles to foster generational health. In this episode, John and Hilda discuss: The importance of spiritual grounding for health, starting the day with stillness and prayer Choosing nutrient-dense, traditional foods rich in fat-soluble vitamins for sustenance  The role of sunlight in supporting metabolism and circadian rhythms Prioritizing sleep to enhance the body's natural detoxification and health Embracing cold exposure to stimulate mitochondrial health and resilience Incorporating physical movement, like farming chores, to maintain strength and longevity Additional Resources To learn more about Hilda, please visit: https://www.holistichilda.com/ To listen to the Wise Traditions podcast, please visit: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AsdxDqyG7nzj2xoAYZOgW About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Extra episode, John Kempf introduces Revenant Charge™, a new true-liquid biostimulant from AEA. Revenant Charge™ was developed to address the rising costs of soil health products for row crops while maintaining the powerful results growers have come to expect from AEA's Rejuvenate. Designed as a microbial accelerant, Revenant Charge™ stimulates soil biology and increases nutrient availability. In this episode, John discusses: The origin and purpose behind developing Revenant Charge™ and how it compares to Soil Primer and Rejuvenate. Early field trial data from Northeast Ohio, showing improved microbial activity and nutrient release. Insights from the Haney Soil Test results analyzed by Dr. Rick Haney, highlighting significant biological responses in diverse soils. The potential for Revenant Charge™ to improve nutrient cycling and soil disease suppression while reducing fertilizer dependence. Additional Resources To learn more about Revenant Charge™, please visit:  https://advancingecoag.com/product/revenant-charge/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

This is the first time we've had a high schooler on the podcast! Maizie Koentopp, a 9th grader in Chicago, conducted a simple yet elegant experiment on buckwheat plants. Motivated by her father's urban farming work and her own concern about climate change, Maizie wanted to test the effect of endophytic bacteria on plant development as an alternative to harmful agrochemicals. She compared seeds inoculated with AEA's BioCoat Gold™ to a non-inoculated control, and found that inoculated seeds (in both sterilized and non-sterilized soil) grew faster, had higher survival rates, and developed more root hairs. If others in Maizie's generation share her curiosity, poise, and scientific rigor, then our future is in good hands." Additional Resources To read more about her research, click here.  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

After growing up on a farm, Mollie Engelhart built a vegan restaurant empire in Los Angeles, which she planned to sell before COVID disrupted her plans. During the pandemic, she lost her income and spent time back on the farm, using nature's lens to question societal constructs like veganism. These experiences inspired her book, Debunked by Nature, where she shares her shift to truth-seeking based on natural cycles. She now lives on a Texas ranch, advocating for authentic living through storytelling. Mollie experiments with regenerative techniques on her Texas ranch, like mulching to combat oak wilt and bale grazing to boost soil health in caliche soils. She advocates for local food systems, resilient communities, and soil stewardship through her book and Epoch Times writings. She aims to inspire sustainable farming through her innovative practices, like propagating adapted trees and hedging crop plantings. In this episode, John and Mollie discuss: Shifting away from veganism and recognizing life-death cycles in food production. Building resilient communities through local food systems and family governance. Using deep mulching with juniper chips to reverse oak wilt in Texas' calcareous soils. Enhancing soil fertility through bale grazing, leveraging carbon to boost pasture growth. Adapting crop plantings, like late-season corn and sesame, to hedge against erratic weather and pests. Propagating locally adapted tree varieties to support regional farming success. Observing local ecosystems to inform management, avoiding blanket solutions for diverse soils. Additional Resources Click here to order Mollie's book.  To read Mollie's opinion section of the Epoch Times, click here.  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Jay Watte is a fourth-generation farmer from the Imperial Valley in Southern California, where he manages a family operation focused on seed production. Thanks to his pioneering practices, Jay hasn't sprayed insecticides on his farm for nearly two years. Instead of pesticides, Jay uses nutrient management, particularly boron applications, to boost plant resilience and reduce pest pressure. His experiments with soil inoculations and cover crops, are yielding promising results, including healthier plants and higher seed quality. Jay's approach emphasizes sustainable practices that prioritize long-term soil vitality and community well-being over short-term gains. Jay supplies major retailers and local farmers with his seed, especially Bermuda grass and alfalfa. Beyond seed production, he has ventured into growing agave and is launching a market garden to provide diverse, healthy produce to his community through a local CSA program. In this episode, John and Jay discuss: The challenges of producing seed compared to forage crops Improving alfalfa seed quality  Changing regional crop patterns, including the decline of cotton and sugar beets Water management and irrigation challenges in a desert environment Evolving management strategies to combat the rise in pest and disease pressures Jay's success in reducing insecticide use through boron and nutrient management The benefits of soil inoculations and cover crops in regenerative farming Jay's vision for a sustainable legacy for his children and community Additional Resources To learn more about AEA's Rebound Boron, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/product/rebound-boron-gal-p6850075/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Martin Crompton believes farmers can win by focusing on nutrition and flavor. He encourages farmers to adopt marketing and business development to tap into the growing demand for healthier, nutrient-dense foods. Martin is operations director at Union Grove Farm in North Carolina, where he creates demand for their table grapes through a "pull" marketing strategy of storytelling and education. By leveraging AI and ag tech, Martin has found a way to optimize farming practices and enhance profitability for regenerative farmers. Martin is originally from England. He began working in agriculture eight years ago, after a career as an executive for major global food companies. His corporate experience spanned sales, business development, and marketing for major retailers, though he never visited farms during his corporate tenure. Union Grove Farm is the first certified Regenified table grape vineyard in the nation, and aims to be the largest regenerative table grape operation on the East Coast. In this episode, John and Martin discuss: Martin's journey from corporate food to regenerative farming Challenges farmers face in transitioning to regenerative systems The symbiotic link between food systems and human health The importance of creating consumer demand by communicating the health and taste benefits of regeneratively grown foods The role of marketing to help farmers build brand equity and connect with customers The potential of AI to compress decades of agronomic knowledge, providing actionable insights for optimizing crop health and farm efficiency AEA's new product, Pinion™, which is designed to combat fungal and bacterial pathogens without disrupting the plant microbiome Additional Resources To learn more about Union Grove Farm, please visit: https://uniongrovefarm.com/ To try out FieldLark AI, please visit: https://www.fieldlark.ai/ To learn more about Pinion, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/product/pinion/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Brad McIntyre, a fourth-generation farmer in Caldwell, Idaho, has transformed his family's operation along the Snake River Basin, scaling back from 3,000 to 1,000 acres due to urbanization and rising costs. Inspired by no-till pioneers, he now manages a diverse farm with seed production, grass-finished beef, pastured pork, poultry, and eggs; all non-GMO. Brad advances regenerative agriculture through no-till farming, diverse rotations, and cover crops, maintaining yields while cutting inputs. He produces locally adapted, high-quality seeds with strong germination for companies like Green Cover Seed. His livestock integration enhances soil health, and direct-to-consumer meat sales promote community health and sustainability. In this episode, John and Brad discuss: Brad's shift from conventional hay work to regenerative farming No-till seed production for brassicas and alfalfa with better germination Epigenetic seed adaptations for local resilience Livestock integration for soil health and direct meat sales Direct-to-consumer marketing with consistent, local products The role of soil health in sustainable farming and stewardship Additional Resources To read Biochemical Individuality by Roger J. Williams, a book exploring how individual biochemical differences influence flavor perception, click here To learn more about Green Cover Seed, visit their website: https://greencover.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Sam Godwin is a second-generation farmer operating a 300-acre organic orchard in north central Washington, primarily growing apples, pears, and cherries. His farm, which is small by industry standards, faces economic pressures in a market dominated by larger operations, and so has adopted organic practices since the early 2000s to differentiate and add value. Sam is in his second year of integrating practices to enhance soil health and reduce input costs, guided by consultants from Advancing Eco Agriculture. By using sap analysis and tools like compost, clover, and fish products, he has seen significant improvements, particularly in cherry yields, achieving over 10 tons per acre with high-quality fruit.  In this episode, John and Sam discuss: The challenges of operating a small family farm in a consolidating industry The transition from organic to regenerative agriculture practices Improvements in cherry yield and quality using sap analysis The importance of soil health and cover crops like clover in orchards The role of proprietary genetics in gaining a competitive market advantage The significance of succession planning for the next generation of farmers Additional Resources To read additional case studies on AEA's success in cherries, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/case-studies/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Anthony Myint is the founder of Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit focused on transforming agriculture through innovative economic models. A former chef and restaurateur, Myint transitioned from the restaurant industry to champion regenerative agriculture and address the climate impact of food systems. His organization helps farmers transition to regenerative practices by funding farm projects that enhance soil health, conserve water, and sequester carbon. Zero Foodprint is funded by businesses that contribute small percentages of their revenue, often through opt-out fees. Zero Foodprint's approach decouples food consumption from land management, enabling systemic change without relying solely on consumer behavior. Myint's work emphasizes collective action—drawing parallels with renewable energy funding models—and collaborates with businesses, farmers, and governments to scale regenerative practices. Zero Foodprint now deployed over $8 million total to over 600 farm projects (including government funds, often in concert with funds from businesses). In this episode, John and Anthony discuss: The restaurant industry's potential to fund regenerative agriculture Decoupling food consumption from land management for direct impact Small opt-out fees funding farm projects with minimal consumer cost Limited impact of consumer-driven demand on systemic change Policy and public-private partnerships to scale regenerative practices Engaging farmers and businesses to adopt and promote the model Additional Resources To learn more about Anthony and Zero Foodprint, please visit: https://www.zerofoodprint.org/ To learn more about Zero Foodprint's plan on Collective Regeneration, please read this paper. About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Troy Swift started farming at age 42, and has achieved incredible results using regenerative practices in his Texas pecan grove: increasing yields in certain varieties by up to 6X, while cutting nitrogen inputs by 97%, reducing insecticides, and eliminating herbicides.  Troy is a first-generation farmer from Central Texas who transitioned to pecan farming after a career in the composite jet engine industry. With a data-driven mindset from his manufacturing background, he now manages 126 acres of hybrid and native pecans along the San Marcos River and serves as president of the Texas Pecan Growers Association. Troy's 27 years of growing experience shape his innovative approach to regenerative agriculture. Since 2019, Troy has embraced regenerative practices: eliminating mowing and herbicides, and using wood chips and Johnson-Su bioreactors to boost soil health. His orchard serves as a research hub for institutions like the Noble Research Institute, providing data on soil, nut nutrition, and economics. Troy's work inspires farmers and bridges the gap between academia and agriculture. In this episode, John and Troy discuss: Troy's transition from the composite jet engine industry to becoming a first-generation pecan farmer Shifting to regenerative practices, including eliminating mowing Reducing nitrogen inputs from 80-100 pounds per acre to just 2.4 pounds Using bats for pest control and their impact on reducing insecticide use in pecan orchards The importance of data-driven farming, with insights from soil and leaf analyses showing increased nutrient availability Troy's leadership in fostering collaboration between farmers and academia to advance regenerative agriculture research Additional Resources To learn more about Troy and to purchase Swift River Pecans, please visit: https://www.swiftriverpecans.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.  Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Jake Ewing farms 1,300 acres of corn in Western Illinois, a relatively small operation compared to neighboring farms. Jake's farm has been shaped by the need to compete in a region dominated by large-scale commodity crop production, forcing him to rethink traditional approaches to corn farming, and developing a focus on innovative, cost-effective practices.  Jake's journey toward regenerative agriculture began with the purchase of a high-clearance sprayer, initially intended for conventional applications. This led to experiments with foliar fertilizers and reductions in herbicides and fungicides. His focus on soil health and plant nutrition has boosted yields to 275-285 bushels per acre, surpassing county averages while lowering costs. In this episode, John and Jake discuss: Reducing nitrogen applications to 160 pounds per acre, with only 100 pounds soil-applied, using foliar urea for efficiency. Foliar applications of manganese, copper, and cobalt to improve plant health and delay senescence, increasing yields. How foliar sprays in the evening with larger droplets enhance nutrient absorption by keeping solutions liquid longer. Eliminating insecticides and cutting fungicide use to a half-rate single pass, aiming for total elimination. How adequate manganese, copper, and zinc levels in sap tests reduce disease pressure, minimizing fungicide needs. About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Steven Thompson is the co-founder of Analemma Wines in Mosier, Oregon, where he and his team have transformed a conventional cherry orchard into a vibrant, biodynamic vineyard. With a background in wine and viticulture, Steven focuses on creating a farm that reflects beauty, biodiversity, and intentional design. Through regenerative practices, Steven has eliminated synthetic inputs, transitioned to dry farming, and built soil health using sap analysis, foliar nutrition, and microbial inoculants. His approach has improved vine vigor, reduced pest pressure, and enabled clean native yeast fermentations that capture a true sense of place. In this episode, John and Steven discuss: Transitioning from conventional cherries to biodynamic grapes Attracting pollinators with lavender and flowering hedgerows Managing powdery mildew with balanced nutrition and biologicals Soil improvements that enabled dry farming and deeper roots Using sap analysis to reduce foliar input dependency Boosting disease resistance through regenerative practices Additional Resources To learn more about Steven and Analemma Wines, please visit: https://analemmawines.com/ To download a copy of the Plant Health Pyramid, developed by John Kempf, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/plant-health-pyramid/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Short, John Kempf announces the launch of FieldLark, an AI agronomist chatbot designed to democratize regenerative agriculture knowledge, which provides first-principles, thinking-based recommendations on how to solve agronomic challenges. FieldLark empowers farmers with accessible, expert-level insights to optimize crop and soil health. In this episode, John covers: FieldLark's public launch as a specialized AI trained on agronomic and adjacent discipline data. The complexity of regenerative agronomy, emphasizing biology alongside chemistry. The integration of soil, sap, and microbiome analyses to predict and enhance crop health. The future development of an algorithmic engine for consistent, context-specific recommendations. The importance of combining human intuition with AI's data-processing strengths. The vision for technology to enhance, not replace, farmers' connection to the landscape. Additional Resources To sign up for FieldLark, please visit: https://fieldlark.ai/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Extra, John Kempf joins the Rooted in Organic Podcast to discuss AI and agriculture.  The Rooted in Organic Podcast is dedicated to promoting organic living and sustainable agriculture. Through their podcast, they discuss time-honored techniques, like Amish farming, and explore modern solutions, like regenerative agriculture. With each conversation, they aim to empower their audience to take action toward a more eco-friendly and healthier food system. In this episode of the Rooted in Organic Podcast, they discuss the development of a AEA's new AI tool called FieldLark. They also discuss how technology in ag can help or hurt, and where the idea for FieldLark started and some examples of where it has helped farmers fin- tune the questions they're looking to answer. Additional Resources To listen to more episodes of the Rooted in Organic Podcast, please visit: https://rootedinorganic.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Vance Crowe believes that the key to preserving multi-generational farms is for farmers to communicate better, especially within their own families. As founder of Legacy Interviews, podcast host, and keynote speaker, Vance knows a thing or two about communication.  Vance developed strong communication skills early on, shaped by a competitive family environment on an Illinois farm. Vance has worked as a deckhand, in the Peace Corps in Africa, and for five years as Monsanto's Director of Millennial Engagement. He now runs Legacy Interviews, which preserves family histories, and is recognized for his articulate communication style. In this episode, Vance and John discuss: Vance's path from Illinois to Monsanto and Legacy Interviews Farmers' need to communicate family values and knowledge Society's disconnect from agriculture and farmers' marketing potential AI's role in enhancing human contributions in agriculture Preserving generational wisdom through storytelling The value of direct communication and constructive disagreement Additional Resources To learn more about the Vance and his work, please visit: https://www.vancecrowe.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Erwin Westers runs a biodynamic seed farm in the northern Netherlands, producing high-quality seeds for potatoes, radish, and wildflowers. His operation uses innovative mulching and cover cropping to enhance soil health. Westers pioneers regenerative agriculture with techniques like Flechenratte surface decomposition, reducing pests and weeds and improving soil structure. He leads the Dutch Regenerative Alliance to share scalable practices with farmers. In this episode, Erwin and John discuss: Using Flächenrotte to incorporate cover crops shallowly, boosting microbial activity and soil structure to 10 inches Applying rye and vetch mulch to cut potato beetle larvae hatching by 50% and delay late blight Choosing diverse cover crops like grasses and clovers to sustain soil health  Controlling Canadian thistle and quackgrass with better soil structure and compost tea sprays Improving seed vigor and germination with microbially rich soils. Leading the Dutch Regenerative Alliance to offer e-learning and community support for regenerative farming Additional Resources To learn more about the Flächenrotte, please watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZqCiL2RiuI About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Extra, John Kempf joins Farm to Table Talk, hosted by Rodger Wasson.  Rodger is a seasoned food and agriculture expert from a Central Illinois farming family. He brings together chefs, farmers, policymakers, and researchers to discuss how food is grown, prepared, and shared. The podcast explores stories and ideas shaping the modern food system for anyone curious about their food's journey. In this episode of Farm to Table Talk, Rodger and John discuss: How John's Amish roots shaped his approach to revitalizing degraded lands Why Soil microbiome and minimal tillage sustain healthy, productive soils Nutrition and microbiome management to make crops resistant to pests How Plant sap analysis can help predict crop health more accurately than tissue analysis How AI tools provide non-linear agronomic recommendations using comprehensive data. How a generalist approach integrates diverse fields for practical farming solutions Additional Resources To listen to more episodes of Farm to Table Talk with Roger Wasson, please visit: https://farmtotabletalk.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.   AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Extra, AEA's Director of Partnerships and Expansion, Kish Johnson, joins JM Fortier, founder of the Market Gardener Institute, for a compelling conversation on the Market Gardener Podcast. In this episode, they discuss how data-driven tools like SAP analysis and foliar sprays are transforming regenerative farming. Kish shares how farms are eliminating pests and diseases through optimized plant nutrition and improved photosynthesis. The conversation dives into the connection between soil biology, profitability, and nutrient density. Kish also addresses skepticism around ag "products" and offers a humble, science-based approach to farm improvement. The episode wraps with news of a research partnership between AEA and the Market Gardener Institute to adapt these tools for small-scale growers. Additional Resources To learn more about JM Fortier and The Market Gardener Institute, please visit: https://themarketgardener.com/ To listen to more episodes of the Market Gardener Podcasts, please visit: https://themarketgardener.com/podcast/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.   AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Join AEA founder John Kempf for Field Talks, a series of in-the-field conversations. This episode features Cole Neese, a corn and soybean grower in Indiana. Together, they explore real-time agronomic insights, crop progress, challenges, and success stories from the growing season. In this episode, John and Cole Neese, a farmer from West Central Indiana, discuss: Excessive Rainfall Challenges: Cole faced persistent wet conditions, saturating soils and delaying corn and soybean emergence. Success with Accelerate on Soybeans: Applying Accelerate at R2 increased soybean pod counts by 50-80%, though drought later limited yields. BioCoat Gold in Stressed Conditions: BioCoat Gold significantly improved corn performance in a late-planted, highly stressed field with low yields, likely due to enhanced mycorrhizae activity. Improved Soybean Pod Integrity: Regenerative soybeans showed stronger pods, resisting shattering during harvest, likely due to enhanced cobalt and copper levels.  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Grant Breitkreutz is a farmer from Minnesota who transitioned from conventional practices to a soil health–focused approach. Alongside his wife Dawn, he transformed their farm through no-till, diverse cover crops, adaptive grazing, and continual learning. He's known for asking "why," experimenting boldly, and sharing openly what's worked and what hasn't. Grant is a key voice in agriculture because he proves what's possible when farmers take ownership of their decisions and data. His operation is profitable, resilient, and community-driven. He mentors others, helps lead the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, and focuses on farming for life, not just for yield or labels. In this episode, John and Grant discuss: The pivotal role of questioning assumptions Developing a seven-grain blend for chicken feed that improves bird health, which created a profitable niche market The power of adaptive grazing and how walking cows across a field can accelerate soil health regeneration The importance of local adaptation in regenerative farming How nitrogen management impacts not just yields but weed pressure and overall profitability The growing importance of farmer-led communities like the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition Additional Resources To learn more about Grant's work at the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, please visit: https://www.mnsoilhealth.org/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.   AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Jonathan Lundgren is an agroecologist, farmer, rancher, and beekeeper, and founder and director of the Ecdysis Foundation and Blue Dasher Farm. Ecdysis Foundation is leading the Thousand Farms Initiative, providing data to validate regenerative agriculture's impact on soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. His work challenges conventional farming by fostering farmer-scientist collaboration and advocating for sustainable practices that address global ecological issues. In this episode, John and Jonathan discuss: How fully regenerative farms can store carbon equivalent to seven years of U.S. emissions, acting as carbon sinks. How biodiversity, including fungi, insects, and birds, rapidly returns to regenerative farms, enhancing water cycles and soil fertility  Prioritizing connections with nature, family, and community How row crop farmers face increased depression, Parkinson's, and cancer  How resistance to innovations impacts organic and regenerative growers  Additional Resources To learn more about the Ecdysis Foundation and the Thousand Farms Initiative, please visit: https://www.ecdysis.bio/featured-project About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Robert Verkerk, Ph.D., is an environmental scientist and the founder of the Alliance for Natural Health, with over 40 years of experience studying the interplay between human health, agriculture, and ecosystems. His work focuses on promoting regenerative agricultural practices and natural health solutions, emphasizing the need to reconnect food production with ecological and human well-being through science-based advocacy and policy reform. His contributions to regenerative agriculture are vital because they bridge the gap between soil health, food quality, and human health, challenging conventional chemical-dependent farming models.  In this episode, John and Robert discuss: The interconnectedness of human health, soil health, and ecosystem stability The limitations of single-factor scientific analysis in understanding complex biological systems The impact of corporate funding on scientific research and its bias toward chemical-based solutions The role of epigenetics in plant and human health, highlighting the importance of environmental context The inadequacy of assessing chronic pesticide exposure risks The need for a new economic model that values natural resources like soil, air, and water Additional Resources To learn more about Robert and his work at the Alliance for Natural Health, please visit: https://anh-usa.org/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Ivo Jeramaz, a mechanical engineer turned vintner, immigrated from former Yugoslavia (now Croatia) to Napa Valley, where he rediscovered his ancestral connection to farming. Initially resentful of agriculture due to its demands in his youth, Ivo's perspective shifted dramatically within weeks of arriving in Napa, where he embraced grape growing and winemaking as a fulfilling life's work, now leading Grgich Hills Winery with a commitment to regenerative practices. Raised in a family that produced much of their own food and clothing, Ivo brings a deep-rooted appreciation for self-sufficiency and nature to his work at Grgich Hills. With six children and a passion for biodiversity, he is dedicated to promoting regenerative farming, aiming to convert Napa Valley's vineyards to sustainable practices while producing high-quality wines that reflect the health of the land. In this episode, John and Ivo discuss: Ivo's quick adoption of regenerative practices and how it impacted soil organic matter How diverse cover crops and sheep grazing enhance vineyard resilience The impact of regenerative farming on grape quality, including thicker cuticles Challenges of red blotch virus and how regenerative practices help vines coexist with it Ivo's vision for a regenerative future in Napa Valley Additional Resources To learn more about Ivo, and Grgich Hills Winery, please visit: https://www.grgich.com/our-story/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Extra episode, John Kempf joined an Earth Day conversation hosted by Farmer's Footprint, alongside Managing Director Alana Mooi and Founder Zach Bush, MD. Together, they explore the urgent need to regenerate our soil and food systems, emphasizing the deep connection between agriculture, human health, and the health of the planet. The discussion highlights how food systems must be understood as a web of relationships with the Earth, and how healing the land is inseparable from healing ourselves. They offer insights into why working with nature, rather than against it, is essential for the future of our ecosystems, communities, and collective well-being. Additional ResourcesTo learn more about Farmer's Footprint, please visit: https://farmersfootprint.us/ To learn more about the work of Zach Bush, MD, please visit: https://zachbushmd.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

This Podcast Extra episode is from John's Ask Me Anything webinar from April 14. Drawing from his extensive research and firsthand experience, John will provide insights and practical solutions to help growers achieve healthier, more resilient crops. In this discussion, the topics cover: Nutritional management with copper, nitrogen, potassium, and calcium prevents wheat and barley lodging better than PGRs.  Soil aeration and oxygen flow enhance paramagnetism more effectively than paramagnetic rock powders. Side-dressing potassium, like potassium nitrate, benefits soil biology more than broadcasting potash. Adequate calcium and boron levels, plus soil aeration, reduce clubroot in brassicas. Compost, low soil carbon, and lack of humic substances cause high chloride in plant sap, mitigated by humicarb. Selenium may influence fatty acid profiles and yield in forages, but its role in oil crops is unclear. Balancing potassium and calcium with manganese and boron ensures optimal plant health. Microbial activity and preventing soil drying enhance potassium availability in clay soils. Micropack offers higher performance than seaweed or fish-based foliar sprays for tropical fruit groves. Deeper earthworm presence reflects better soil aeration and structure, not necessarily overall soil health. Seed Flare may penetrate sunflower shells but is less effective on stone fruit, needing experimentation. BioCoat Gold is best as a seed treatment but can be applied in-furrow.  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Dr. Anna Krzywoszynska is a social scientist at the University of Oulu in Finland who studies how farmers and scientists can collaborate to foster regenerative agriculture. An expert on soil knowledge and values, with experience farming organically in Italy, Dr. Krzywoszynska examines the knowledge systems shaping food production. Currently, she's investigating how to transform agricultural research to support local communities, including turning research stations into hubs for collaboration between farmers and scientists. Her projects aim to align scientific inquiry with local needs, promoting community-driven innovation and sustainable land use. In this episode, John and Anna discuss: How farmers see soil as a resource to manage, while scientists seek broad, universal insights. How academic and agri-business structures favor research on general trends over practical, local farming solutions. The community's role in regenerative agriculture, enabling farmers to learn and innovate together. Research stations as potential community hubs integrating local farmers needs into science. Regenerative agriculture's ability to restore hope and reconnect farmers with nature. Celebrating mistakes as essential for learning and growth in farming. Additional Resources To learn more, join the Soil Care Network www.soilcarenetwork.com to receive a monthly newsletter. If you would like to connect with Anna, please get in touch with her here: anna.krzywoszynska@oulu.fi  You can also connect with Anna on LinkedIn and BlueSky: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/annakrzywoszynska/ BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/annakspeaking.bsky.social About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Mike Omeg is a fifth-generation farmer who grew up on a diverse family farm in Oregon, initially producing cherries, hay, cattle, apricots, apples, and wheat. Over time, he honed in on fresh cherry production. The scale of his operation leaped 10x—from 350 acres to 3,600 acres—when he became a partner with Orchard View Cherries, where he is now the director of orchard operations.  Mike's journey reflects a pragmatic approach to regenerative agriculture, balancing family farm traditions with the economic realities of modern agriculture. By affiliating with Orchard View Farms, he ensured the longevity of his family's land while integrating vertically to pack and sell fruit directly. In this episode, John and Mike discuss: Scaling regenerative practices from 350 to 3,600 acres using foliar and fertigation methods Joining Orchard View Farms for vertical integration to sustain family farming Focusing on high-impact nutrition with products like SeaGuard and Rejuvenate Abandoning compost and compost tea due to logistical and scalability issues Reducing nitrogen use with precise urea applications guided by sap analysis Meeting retailer demand for quality cherries without premium labeling Additional Resources To learn more about Orchard View Cherries, please visit: https://orchardview.com/ To learn more about SeaGuard, Rejuvenate, and other AEA Products, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/shop/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Clay Conry is the host of the Working Cows Podcast. Clay's journey into podcasting stems from a blend of personal experience growing up on a South Dakota ranch, a love for conversation, and a desire to capture the wisdom of ranchers, influenced by his background as a youth pastor and his participation in the High Plains Ranch Practicum. Over seven years, Clay has built a platform that delves into regenerative agriculture, emphasizing holistic management and the importance of human and environmental relationships. In this episode, John and Clay discuss: The importance of managing personnel effectively for long-term success in agriculture How addressing conflict directly and seeking mutual understanding fosters stronger, healthier relationships The role of clear mission and vision statements in aligning teams and prioritizing meaningful action Why building resilient relationships is as critical as managing land and livestock How less-engineered plant and animal genetics can better utilize natural resources The benefits of producing nutrient-dense, local food for both human health and community well-being Additional Resources To learn more about Clay, and to listen to the Working Cows Podcast, please visit: https://workingcows.net/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Jim Elizondo is a trailblazer in regenerative agriculture, supporting his accounting degree and agronomy engineering training with hands-on experience. He spent 20 years as a dairy nutritionist and managed a grazed dairy for 28 years, shaping his unique perspective on grazing management.  Jim's work centers on revolutionizing grazing practices to enhance soil health and livestock productivity. He developed the Total Grazing program, which emphasizes non-selective grazing to prevent overgrazing and build long-lived soil carbon, drawing from his observations across climates from Florida to New Zealand. His insights challenge conventional wisdom, advocating for adaptive genetics in livestock and stockpiling pastures to boost soil fertility naturally. In this episode, John and Jim discuss: How Total Grazing minimizes overgrazing Why selective grazing leads to soil compaction and loss of long-lived soil carbon How stockpiling pastures for over six months shifts root exudates from sugary to fatty "Happy plants" are perennials that grow larger leaves without seeding Using adaptive genetics in livestock to improve land health, mimicking the role of extinct megafauna The importance between "recovery time" and "rest time" Additional Resources To learn more about Jim and his work, please visit: https://www.rwranching.com/To take Jim's Total Grazing course, please visit: https://www.rwranching.com/enroll Jim's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realwealthranching/ Jim's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@realwealthranching About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Cate Havstad-Casad is a regenerative farmer, entrepreneur, and hatmaker. She and her husband operate Casad Family Farms in Central Oregon on 1,400 acres. Over 11 years, their operation evolved from a small organic vegetable farm to a diversified model focused on holistic grazing, grain production, and direct-to-consumer meat sales of beef and pork, driven by necessity after losing 80% of their irrigation water. Cate is also the founder of Havstad Hat Company and Range Revolution, where she handcrafts high-quality, custom felt hats and leather goods, using sustainable and traditional techniques, incorporating cattle hides from her farm to enhance economic viability, reduce waste and reconnect fashion consumers with agriculture. In this episode, John and Cate discuss: The importance of soil health and how it affects everything from food quality to climate resilience Challenges and rewards of running a small farm while balancing business and family life How losing 80% of irrigation water led to a focus on cattle and hog meat sales The need for localized food systems and how communities can take steps toward food sovereignty The work involved in creating a closed-loop farming system The importance of having multiple revenue streams The role of storytelling in agriculture and how sharing experiences can create a deeper connection to food production Additional Resources To learn more about Cate and her work, please visit the following:  Farm Website: www.casadfamilyfarms.comHat Company Website: https://havstadhatco.com/Cate's Substack: https://rangerevolutions.substack.com/ Instagram: @havstadhatco and @casadfamilyfarms YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@casadfamilyfarms About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Matt Powers is a permaculture and soil health educator who began to explore organic and regenerative food systems after his wife's cancer was diagnosed with cancer. He has written 24+ books, created courses, and taught thousands of people about the links between soil biology, plant health, and human well-being. With a background in music and education, Matt shifted to regenerative agriculture by gathering expert knowledge and conducting research. He has developed new microscopy techniques, debunked soil health myths, and helped farmers better understand microbiomes for sustainable agriculture. In this episode, John and Matt discuss:  The essential role of soil microbes in plant nutrition and human health How advanced microscopy techniques help verify soil biology, allowing farmers to make informed decisions about microbial inoculants and soil amendments Common misconceptions about composting and fertilizers that lead to poor soil health Mycorrhizal fungi and how they naturally enhance soil structure, plant growth, and drought resistance The ability of nematodes and other microbes to change their function and morphology in response to environmental conditions The connection between mindset, emotional health, and the gut microbiome, and how beliefs can influence overall well-being Additional Resources To learn more about Matt Powers and his work with the Permaculture Student and other resources, please visit: https://www.thepermaculturestudent.com/ To check out more of Matt's videos, please visit his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9Jg0zsgjNxjltlFjE0YvNw About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Justin Wylie is a fifth-generation farmer in California's Central Valley, who manages pistachios and citrus with his family. His journey to regenerative agriculture began around 2012, driven by his growing skepticism of conventional systems. When his son was born in 2013 and faced severe health challenges, including respiratory issues and an autism diagnosis, Justin and his wife took a radical approach, eliminating toxins from their son's diet. This led to dramatic health improvements and deepened Justin's commitment to connecting human health with regenerative farming. Today, Justin leads sustainability initiatives within the American Pistachio Growers, working to create a roadmap for regenerative practices. He emphasizes data-driven approaches, reduced chemical inputs, and innovative research on how plant interactions affect crop yield. His work focuses on improving soil health while maintaining economic viability for farmers. In this episode John and Justin discuss:  How Justin's son's severe health challenges led him to explore regenerative agriculture Justin's work with American Pistachio Growers to develop a regenerative farming roadmap Using real-time data and technology to improve farm efficiency Reducing input costs by $600-$800 per acre compared to conventional methods Emphasizing the importance of not reducing fertility inputs too quickly in the transition to regenerative systems​ Cover cropping with diverse species to help reduce soil salinity Using humic acids, seaweed extracts, and micro-nutrients rather than conventional nitrogen fertilizers Additional Resources To learn more about Justin Wylie, please visit: https://wyliefarming.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Joe Ailts is an agronomist and regenerative farmer in northwest Wisconsin with a deep passion for soil health and plant physiology. On his three-acre home farm, he grows competitive giant pumpkins, sweet corn, and market pumpkins using a regenerative approach that includes cover cropping with rye and Sudan grass. His experience in competitive pumpkin growing has fueled his interest in soil biology, leading him to experiment with mycorrhizal fungi inoculation and nutrient-dense crop production. Through his agronomy company, Ailts Agronomy, Joe works with row crop farmers to integrate soil health practices into their operations. He focuses on bridging the gap between regenerative and conventional farming, helping farmers implement biological inputs to enhance mycorrhizal colonization and crop performance. His research-backed approach has shown promising results, including significant yield responses in both corn following horseradish and in early-planted soybeans. In this episode, John and Joe discuss: How Joe's research with BioCoat Gold has demonstrated a five-bushel average per acre yield increase in corn The surprising ability of mycorrhizal fungi to colonize fungicide-treated seeds The benefits of using a rye cover crop system for weed control and moisture retention A 17-bushel yield increase in corn following horseradish The advantages of early-planted soybeans in northern climates  The role of Sudan grass in crop rotations Additional Resources To learn more about Joe and Ailts Agronomy, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/joe.ailts.96 About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

After decades of working in conventional agriculture, Herb Young immersed himself in regenerative practices and planted a regenerative citrus orchard in Georgia. Herb has meticulously researched techniques to improve soil health and crop resilience and implemented them on his farm. His grove serves as a living research farm, where he conducts trials on soil microbiology, nutrient density, and pest management to push the boundaries of what's possible in citrus production. Squeeze Citrus is Herb Young's brand, where he grows and sells regeneratively farmed citrus, focusing on nutrient density and flavor. His rigorous approach to soil health and plant nutrition has led to fruit with significantly higher levels of flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamins compared to conventionally grown citrus.  In this episode, John and Herb discuss:  Trialing microbial inoculants, compost applications, and pest management strategies How Herb's citrus contains up to eight times more nutrients than conventionally grown fruit Marketing regenerative, nutrient-dense citrus direct-to-consumer How his trees thrive in a mulch-rich, biologically active environment while facing fewer disease pressures Advocating for a shift from a cheap food policy to a quality food policy Additional Resources To learn more about Herb Young and Squeeze Citrus and to order fruit (when in season), please visit: https://squeezecitrus.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Join us for an engaging webinar with John Kempf, renowned crop health consultant and founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture. In this Ask Me Anything format, growers had the opportunity to ask John their pressing questions about topics impacting their farm. Drawing from his extensive research and firsthand experience, John  provided insights and practical solutions to help growers achieve healthier, more resilient crops. In this episode, John and the audience discuss: How early-season sap analysis can help optimize fruit tree nutrition and quality How anion exchange capacity, selenium applications, and calcium can improve soil health Strategic use of nutrients like urea, magnesium sulfate, and trace minerals Intercropping, crop rotations, and soil microbiology Optimizing wheat protein, test weight, and soybean disease resistance increases productivity BioCoat Gold and SeedFlare and how they can improve seedling health and nutrient absorption Biological methods of controlling nematodes, slugs, and seedling diseases without harmful chemicals Evaluating weed control strategies minimizes soil microbiome disruption How farmer intuition and observation play a key role in successful regenerative practices. Synchronizing nutrient applications with plant growth Additional Resources To watch more John Kempf content on YouTube, please subscribe to AEA's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AdvancingEcoAgriculture About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Gavin Heywood is an Australian farmer and entrepreneur from New South Wales, whose family has worked on the same land for over 120 years. He runs a unique business, Serum Australis, which supplies animal blood for medical diagnostics, research, and commercial applications while managing his farm with holistic grazing practices. Gavin's journey into the blood industry began with his background in laboratory work and an early attempt to sell goat serum, which led to his discovery of a larger market for horse blood. Alongside his business, he is committed to regenerative agriculture, using time-controlled grazing to restore degraded farmland, increase biodiversity, and improve soil health. In this episode, John and Gavin discuss: Running 250 horses in a single mob using time-controlled grazing Supplying blood and serum for hospitals, universities, and research labs under strict ethical guideline Gavin's years of trial and error building a successful niche business Using horses as a tool for breaking up soil, regenerating pastures, and fostering tree growth Creating ecosystem improvements, including better water retention and increased plant diversity Gavin's plans to expand his regenerative efforts by transitioning toward cattle and sheep grazing Additional Resources To learn more about Serum Australis and the work Gavin is doing, please visit: https://www.serumaustralis.com.au/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Bob Quinn is an organic farmer and researcher with a Ph.D. in plant biochemistry. Bob introduced and trademarked Kamut, an ancient wheat variety with anti-inflammatory properties. His research highlights its higher nutrient density and benefits for those with wheat sensitivities.  Bob grew up on a wheat farm in Montana, and transitioned to organic farming in the 1980s. After selling his businesses, he founded the Quinn Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to regenerative organic research and food as medicine. His work focuses on soil health, nutrient density, and the connection between food and human health. In this episode, John and Bob discuss: How nutrient-dense food can promote health and prevent disease How Kamut wheat has been shown to reduce inflammation compared to modern wheat The importance of revitalizing soil microbiomes to improve gut health Why strengthening regional food systems enhances food security and resilience The industrial food processing of vegetable oils, and their impact on health and nutrition Additional Resources To learn more about Bob Quinn and the work of the Quinn Institute, please visit: https://quinninstitute.org/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Jason Rowntree is a professor of Animal Science at Michigan State University, where he has spent the last 16 years studying regenerative grazing systems and their impact on soil health, ecosystems, and beef nutrient density. Jason currently leads a $19 million research project across 60 U.S. ranches, using remote sensing and on-ground monitoring to measure carbon sequestration, water cycles, and biodiversity. His goal is to create economic incentives that support farmers and ranchers in adopting regenerative practices. In this discussion, John and Jason discuss: How nutrient density in beef can be significantly altered in the last 30–60 days of finishing Variations in nutrient profiles, with some "grass-fed" samples showing high omega-6 levels comparable to grain-fed beef. Unique markers that can authenticate truly grass-fed beef, offering the potential for more transparent labeling. Carbon sequestration through managed grazing How planting diverse pasture mixes creates greater nutrient density in beef About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Dr. Cynthia Daley is a respected leader in sustainable agriculture who works to bridge the gap between academic research and practical regenerative farming practices. She has spent decades advocating for more innovative approaches to agriculture, critiquing outdated university methodologies that fail to support ecological farming systems. As the founding director of the Center for Regenerative Agriculture at California State University, Chico, Cindy has led efforts to transition academic programs toward regenerative principles and foster collaborations with pioneering farmers. In this discussion, John and Cindy discuss: Using systems-based research over traditional single-variable studies  Incorporating flux towers to measure real-time carbon flux and soil health improvements Partnering with growers as co-researchers to advance regenerative practice Developing a degree program in regenerative agriculture to educate future farmers and leaders The role of regenerative practices in improving farm viability. Emphasizing the need for agricultural policy shifts to support ecological farming practices  Additional Resources: To learn more about the Center for Regenerative Agriculture at California State University, Chico, please visit: https://www.csuchico.edu/regenerativeagriculture/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Benina Burroughs began farming almonds with her father in 2002. Now, as CEO and co-owner of Burroughs Family Farms, she has innovated ecological practices in nut growing. She transitioned the entire farm to organic 2015 and has received dual regenerative certifications from the Regenerative Organic Alliance and Regenified. Benina has led efforts to diversify operations, adding organic olives, walnuts, and pasture-raised poultry, and continues to advance sustainable practices. Burroughs Family Farms is located in California's Merced County, and has been family-operated since 1906, evolving from dairy to a diverse organic operation. Benina's parents, Ward and Rose Marie Burroughs, introduced organic methods, rotational grazing, and biodiversity initiatives, laying the groundwork for the farm's sustainable tfransformation and inspiring Benina to continue the legacy of innovation and stewardship. In this episode, Benina and John discuss: The Burroughs family shifting from dairy to organic almond and walnut farming Keeping the soil covered to enhance health and water retention How sheep grazing helps manage orchard vegetation and reduces mowing needs Cover crops and their impact on the soil and farm The importance of increasing nutrient density in food Innovative marketing strategies that support the farm's growth Additional Resources: To learn more about Burroughs Family Farm, please visit: https://burroughsfamilyfarms.com/ To sign up for the field day on January 22nd, please visit: https://burroughsfamilyfarms.com/pages/regenerative-almond-field-day About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Andy Cato is a musician and regenerative agriculture advocate, best known as one-half of the electronic music duo "Groove Armada." After reading about the environmental problems caused by industrial food systems, Andy sold his music publishing rights, purchased a depleted farm in southwestern France, and embarked on a journey to restore its health through trial, error, and regenerative techniques. Today, Andy is the co-founder of Wild Farmed and a prominent voice in sustainable agriculture. Wild Farmed connects a network of farmers through transparent, traceable supply chains, enabling consumers to make ethical food choices that support biodiversity and soil health. The initiative demonstrates that ecological stewardship and high-quality food production can thrive together, aiming to reshape the future of the food system. In this discussion, John and Andy discuss: Andy's journey to regenerative agriculture  Challenges farming with degraded soils Incorporating multi-species cover crops, companion planting, and roll crimping The creation and mission of Wild Farmed The importance of connection and collaboration in regenerative agriculture Additional Resources: To learn more about Wild Farmed, please visit: https://wildfarmed.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.   Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

This special episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast highlights insights from nine of this year's guests who are driving innovation in regenerative farming. From practical techniques to transformative ideas, these clips showcase the power of regenerative practices to improve soils, ecosystems, and farm profitability. Featured Guests: Rick Clark: No-till organic farming pioneer Erin Martin: Food as medicine advocate with FreshRX Dr. James White: Expert in plant-microbe symbiosis Amy Williams: Champion of regenerative cotton in fashion Keith Berns: Innovator in multi-species cover crops Marty Travis: Leader in community-focused farming Lana Shaw: Researcher advancing intercropping techniques Benny McLean: Regenerative citrus farmer Taimur Malik: Innovator transforming desert agriculture Thank you to our listeners for supporting the podcast and for your commitment to advancing regenerative agriculture. Your curiosity and passion inspire these conversations, and we look forward to continuing this journey with you in the coming year! Additional Resources To listen to more episodes of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, please visit: https://regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Del Ficke has revolutionized cattle breeding and soil regeneration practices during his decades of ranching. Del is the fourth generation to manage his family operation, Ficke Cattle Company, in Pleasant Hill, Nebraska, which was established in the late 1860s. He has carried on its legacy with a focus on sustainability and profitability. In 2015, he trademarked the Grazemaster breed, a composite of multiple breeds tailored for grazing efficiency and minimal reliance on external inputs. Del is also a founding member of the Graze Master Group which provides consulting services for farms and ranches, focusing on sustainable practices, optimizing resources, and fostering long-term profitability Del's journey began in conventional farming, but his experiences led him to question traditional methods that heavily relied on chemical inputs and intensive machinery. Transitioning to regenerative practices, he eliminated silage chopping and chemical fertilization, opting instead for rotational grazing and natural herd health management. In this episode, John and Del discuss:  Developing the Grazemaster breed to thrive on specific forage types and grazing systems Why Del transitioned from conventional farming to regenerative practices Implementing rotational grazing and prairie rehabilitation to restore native grasses  Prioritizing natural selection for cattle traits such as calving ease and resilience Advocating for a mindset shift in agriculture, urging producers to question traditional practices and embrace innovation The interconnectedness of livestock, soil health, and community The economic and environmental benefits of regenerative practices Additional ResourcesTo learn more about Del Ficke and Ficke Cattle Company, please visit: https://www.fickecattle.com/ To learn more about the Graze Masters Group, please visit: https://www.grazemastergroup.com/ About John KempfJohn Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You GrowSince 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Dan Brown is a fifth-generation farmer who grows hazelnuts in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, the primary hazelnut-growing region in the United States. Dan is always experimenting with new growing methods, and views failures as opportunities for learning and growth. This perspective has led to significant successes, such as improving yields while reducing input costs and demonstrating the potential for regenerative practices in hazelnut farming. In this episode, John and Dan discuss:  Farming hazelnuts in Oregon's unique microclimate Tackling soil compaction, erosion, and disease resistance Using sap analysis and foliar feeding to optimize crop health Testing new ideas on small scales despite potential failures Dealing with shifts in market demands Reducing nitrogen applications  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Frederik Larsen is a Danish agronomist who assists farmers in Denmark and Eastern Europe to transition toward no-till systems, cover cropping, and diverse crop rotations. Frederik also practices what he preaches on his family farm, using it as a testing ground for innovative practices like relay planting and companion planting. His work focuses on maximizing sunlight capture, increasing biomass, and enhancing soil carbon cycling in Denmark's climate, characterized by short growing seasons and limited winter sunlight. In this episode, John and Frederik discuss: Implementing relay planting for short growing seasons Using cover crops to improve nutrient availability for spring planting The benefits of applying nitrogen both early in the season and later via foliar feeding Innovative companion planting techniques Ecosystem benefits and the overall value of alfalfa forage Additional Resources To follow Frederik and his journey, please visit: https://x.com/fredvlarsen About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Gabe Brown is a renowned advocate and practitioner of regenerative agriculture from North Dakota, who runs Brown's Ranch and is the co-founder of Understanding Ag. He is recognized for his innovative approach to farming, focusing on enhancing soil health, reducing dependency on synthetic inputs, and using sustainable practices.  Gabe transitioned to regenerative agriculture after experiencing years of poor crop yields due to extreme weather events. Today, Brown's Ranch consists of several thousand acres of native perennial rangeland along with perennial pastureland and cropland. Their ranch focuses on farming and ranching in nature's image where he demonstrates holistic, eco-friendly farming practices and educates others on the benefits of regenerative methods.  In this episode, John and Gabe discuss: The importance of ongoing education in agriculture, specifically in soil health and ecosystems  Maintaining an open-mind to avoid divisiveness in the regenerative agriculture community Adapting agricultural practices based on each grower's unique environment, economic, and family Taking a gradual approach to reducing chemicals on farms The importance of soil biology and mycorrhizal fungi How learning from a hands-on approach allows farmers to see benefits on their own land Additional Resources To learn more about Gabe and Brown's Ranch, please visit: https://brownsranch.us/ To learn more about Understanding Ag, please visit: https://understandingag.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Darren Doherty is the director and co-founder, with his wife Lisa Heenan, of Regrarians Ltd., an Australia-based organization dedicated to advancing regenerative agriculture. They train land managers using their innovative "Regrarians Platform," which integrates elements from permaculture, keyline design, and holistic management to support land stewardship that respects and enhances natural ecosystems.  Having worked across diverse climates and landscapes globally, Darren focuses on sustainable land management practices that blend traditional methods with modern techniques. His approach aims to restore landscapes, improve soil health, and enhance biodiversity, creating productive and resilient systems. In this episode, John and Darren discuss: Prioritizing management practices over infrastructure development The importance of understanding and working with the landscape's natural capabilities How effective farm planning integrates principles from multiple disciplines Compounding skills for broader perspectives Building diverse revenue streams  The importance of incorporating managed grazing The value of learning through close, repeated observation Additional Resources To learn more about Darren and Lisa's work with Regrarians, please visit: http://regrarians.com To take the REX Online Farm Planning course, please visit: http://www.regrarians.org/rex-online/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Extra, John is a guest on the Working Cows Podcast.  The Working Cows podcast gives you something to think about as you seek to maximize the effectiveness of your cattle operation and the joy your family receives from this lifestyle. The host, Clay Conry, is a Western South Dakota native, growing up on a Cow-Calf operation near Belle Fourche, SD. Clay and his family have recently relocated to West Central South Dakota In episode 393, John and Clay discuss John's perspective on what it is going to take to regenerate and relocalize America's food system. They discuss success stories he has seen as well as the opportunities presented by the challenges of our current infrastructure. To learn more about the Working Cows Podcast, please visit: https://workingcows.net/

Tim Parton has been the farm manager at Brewood Park Farm, a 300-hectare farm located in South Staffordshire, UK since 2003. Tim shifted towards regenerative agriculture after a serious farming accident and personal health struggles. These experiences deepened his respect for soil as a finite resource, motivating him to farm in harmony with nature. By reducing harmful inputs like herbicides and fertilizers, he has increased biodiversity and improved long-term sustainability on his farm. Tim is critical of chemical farming, believing it offers short-term fixes at the cost of soil health. He advocates for reducing inputs like phosphorus, which he hasn't used in over a decade, and emphasizes restoring carbon to the soil. Though he's not an organic farmer, Tim focuses on practices that align with nature and ensure both profitability and environmental care. In this episode, John and Tim discuss: How chemicals used in farming can harm both people and the environment How regenerative farming improves soil health and can impact farm profitability The influence of chemical companies on modern agriculture The importance of farmer empowerment and gradual transition to regenerative methods How connecting farmers with consumers can drive demand for healthier, nutrient-rich food Additional Resources To learn more about Tim and Brewood Park Farm, please visit: https://www.timpartonfarming.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. ​Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this episode, John Kempf interviews Jeff Kleypas, a consultant with Advancing Eco Agriculture. Jeff's pivotal moment came when he was exposed to the harmful impacts of pesticides during his work as a field agronomy scout. This experience, combined with observations of improved outcomes using biological methods, fueled his shift towards a more sustainable approach. John and Jeff discuss the challenges of shifting from conventional to regenerative agriculture, highlighting the difficulties in reducing nitrogen applications despite clear data supporting the change, and the broader health implications of conventional agricultural practices. Jeff shares insights on how he helps growers navigate these challenges, emphasizing the importance of an open mind and continuous learning in the evolving field of regenerative agriculture. Additional Resources To learn more about AEA, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Ian Gould is a leading figure in regenerative agriculture in the UK, whose focus is on incorporating plant diversity into conventional farming systems to improve both environmental health and productivity. His work includes researching how companion planting and varietal differences within the same species, such as wheat, can enhance crop resilience, improve nutrient uptake, and optimize biomass production. In this episode, John and Ian discuss: The role of multi-species cover crops in improving soil health and productivity Innovations in companion cropping and intercropping for increased yields and reduced pest pressures  The challenges and benefits of integrating plant variety diversity into mainstream agricultural How smaller, more vegetative plants are often more resistant to frost in the UK climate Nutrition management for disease and pest resistance The importance of varietal differentiation as a critical component for optimizing yield and achieving environmental benefits Ian is the director of Oakbank Game and Conservation Ltd. His work is driven by his early experiences in plant breeding. He first encountered regenerative ideas at the UK's Groundswell Festival.  Additional Resources To learn more about Ian's work at Oakbank, please visit: https://oakbankgc.co.uk/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Kerry Hoffschneider is an advocate for regenerating relationships in agriculture, who focuses on storytelling and hope within agriculture, emphasizing the human element and the need for deeper connections between farmers, the land, and their communities. Kerry's work blends her deep-rooted personal connection to farming with her experiences as a writer and communicator. Growing up on a small Nebraska farm, she witnessed the struggles of family farming, particularly during the 1980s farm crisis. Kerry's career has ranged from reporting on agriculture to working in the corporate sector before co-founding the Graze Master Group with Del Ficke. Additional Resources To learn more about the Graze Master Group, please visit: www.grazemastergroup.com or go to their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/GrazeMasterGroup To get your copy of Kerry's book "Hope Stories for the Heartland", please visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D264BYVQ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Keith Berns, co-founder of Green Cover Seed, is a key figure in the regenerative agriculture movement. Raised on a farm in South Central Nebraska, Keith was a teacher for 10 years before returning to the family farm in 1998, where he and his brother Brian adopted no-till techniques. In 2006, they got introduced to multi-species cover crops, which transformed their farming approach.  Inspired by the positive effects of diverse cover crops on soil moisture retention, plant health, and livestock, Keith and Brian co-founded Green Cover Seed in 2009. The company has since grown significantly, now providing seed for over a million acres annually and playing a pivotal role in promoting regenerative farming practices across the U.S. In this episode, John and Keith discuss: Experimentations that led to diverse cover crop systems Moisture efficiency in multi-species cover crops Weed management through cover crops Increased livestock performance with diverse pasture Nutrient cycling with broadleaf cover crops Additional Resources To learn more about Keith and Green Cover Seeds, please visit: https://greencover.com/ To download Green Cover's Soil Resource Guide, please visit: https://greencover.com/freeguides/ To learn more about AEA's seed treatment products, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/seed-treatments/   About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Over the past two decades, Dave Fischer has successfully developed a sustainable cattle farm and a direct-to-consumer meat business, Fischer Farms. Dave's background in industrial engineering and supply chain management has significantly influenced his approach to farming. He's built an efficient distribution system that caters to local universities, restaurants, and other institutions. Dave's commitment to quality, sustainability, and local sourcing has positioned Fischer Farms as a leading provider of high-quality beef and pork in his region of Southern Indiana. In this episode, John and Dave discuss: The Direct-to-consumer model that he uses on his farm Dave's "just-in-time" processing system for dry-aging beef and pork deliveries  The emphasis on high-quality, fresh products  Using selective genetics and a tailored feeding program How the diversity of plants in the cattle's diet is essential for producing flavorful meat The importance of marketing and branding consistency  Soil building through ryegrass Challenges of nitrogen management Additional Resources To learn more about Dave and Fischer Farms, visit: https://ffnatural.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Benny McLean has decades of experience in citrus. As the Director of Grove Operations at Uncle Matt's Organic, Benny has played a pivotal role in transforming the company's approach to farming. Growing up in a farming family, Benny has always had a close connection to the land, which has informed his deep understanding of the challenges and rewards of agriculture. Over the years, he witnessed the adverse effects of conventional farming practices, including soil degradation and diminishing returns. This led him to explore regenerative approaches to farming.  Benny's commitment to regenerative agriculture is not just about maintaining high-quality citrus production but also preserving the environment for future generations. His work at Uncle Matt's Organic has focused on enhancing soil health, reducing chemical inputs, and promoting biodiversity, all while ensuring that the business remains economically viable. In this episode, John and Benny discuss: Historical farming practices in the citrus industry Long-term impacts from glyphosate due to its absorption by trees How impacts from freezes led banks to halt loans in northern Florida The decline of sustainable practices like the use of hairy indigo to control nematodes Issues with modern budwood practices Potential benefits of cover crops used in citrus groves  Current irrigation practices and possible changes Citrus greening and its impact on the industry Additional Resources To learn more about Uncle Matt's Organic, please visit: https://www.unclematts.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

The Brandt Family Farm is a diverse grain farm supporting three generations. Founder Dave Brandt was a leading force in regenerative agriculture for five decades, pioneering no-till farming and cover cropping in the 1970s. Dave's innovative practices focused on improving soil health, and his advocacy made a significant impact on farming across the U.S, until his death in 2023. Over the years, the Ohio-based farm has become a model for sustainable agriculture, influencing national practices and inspiring countless farmers. Jay and Chris Brandt, Dave's son and grandson, continue this legacy, expanding the operation with modern techniques like on-farm flour milling and advanced cover cropping. Their commitment to regenerative practices underscores the importance of community and knowledge-sharing in farming. The Brandts' ongoing work emphasizes sustainability and resilience, making substantial contributions to the future of agriculture. In this episode, they discuss: The legacy of Dave Brandt Challenges of multi-species cover crops Methods and alternative approaches for terminating cover crops Their farm's milling operation which produces several hundred pounds of flour per week The importance of building a supportive farmer network How farmers need to engage in local governance and organizations Additional Resources To learn more about the Brandts and their farm, please visit: https://www.regengrain.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this episode, John explores the inspiring story of Blake and Stephanie Alexandre, fourth-generation dairy farmers from Crescent City, California. Their dairy farming journey began in 1992, and they've since expanded their operation from 500 to over 9,000 acres across three counties. Driven by their deep-rooted passion for farming, and influenced by their immigrant parents and family traditions, the Alexandres transitioned to organic farming in the late 1990s. By 2001, they achieved certification as one of California's earliest organic dairies, reviving practices that date back over a century. Committed to sustainability, they were pioneers in grass-fed and organic dairy production, collaborating with Organic Valley to initiate their first grass-fed program. Their story is a testament to preserving heritage while innovating for the future of dairy farming. In this episode, they discuss: The value of quality and affordability: How they balance producing high-quality, reasonably priced dairy products Introducing A2 milk: Their approach to bringing A2 milk to the market and its benefits Commitment to regenerative practices: Insights into their use of regenerative agriculture and dedication to environmental stewardship Educating consumers: The role of consumer education in promoting sustainable and organic dairy products Navigating the organic market: Challenges and opportunities in the organic dairy sector Securing investment funding: The obstacles and strategies involved in obtaining funding for their innovative practices Additional Resources To learn more about Alexandre Family Farm, please visit: https://alexandrefamilyfarm.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

On this podcast, John and Erin talk a lot about the idea of Food as Medicine. Erin Martin works firsthand with food prescribed as medicine and has seen incredible health outcomes in her patients, including:  Complete reversal of chronic diabetes within 6 months Maximum weight loss of 117 pounds An average decrease in healthcare cost of $10-20,000 per patient As the Director of FreshRX in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Erin provides local regenerative produce to patients whose doctors have prescribed food to cure their health problems. In this episode, Erin and John discuss:  How food as medicine can increase lifespan while decreasing healthcare costs and drug use How FreshRX has driven $1.5 million to local farmers, and the potential of Food as Medicine to drive large-scale adoption of regenerative agriculture The massive ROI of food as medicine, and the resulting irony that insurance companies may become the biggest advocates of regenerative agriculture.  The potential of Food as Medicine to become federal policy within 3-5 years The tragedy that farmers and healthcare workers have some of the lowest health levels The next frontier: being able to accurately measure the nutrient quality of food and reward farmers accordingly Erin Martin has a unique background that combines her expertise in long-term care and gerontology with a deep interest in regenerative agriculture. Starting her career in a retirement community at the age of 15. Erin quickly became familiar with the healthcare system and its impact on aging populations. By her mid-20s, she had worked in various levels of long-term care and completed her master's in gerontology. Erin's journey led her to explore the concept of food as medicine, influenced by her studies and her work in soil advocacy. She has since become a prominent advocate for integrating soil health and nutrient-dense food into healthcare practices, aiming to improve chronic disease outcomes through better nutrition. Additional Resources To learn more about the Erin's work, please visit: https://www.freshrxok.org/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products:

In this episode, John interviews Rachelle Moss, Senior AEA Agronomist, about using sap analysis in conjunction with AEA products and consulting. Rachelle explains how the team manages the influx of sap reports–sometimes dozens in a single day–and how she uses them to make agronomic recommendations, which involve foliar applications, fertigation, and other nutrient management strategies. They also discuss tools for tracking and updating sap data, and how that enables efficient collaboration and rapid assessments of nutrient trends across multiple fields. Additional Resources To learn more about AEA, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Colin Seis is a prominent figure in regenerative agriculture, renowned for his innovative pasture cropping solutions in Australia. His family's introduction to agriculture began when his four-times-great-grandparents were sent to Australia as convicts and eventually became successful farmers. Colin grew up on a farm held by his family for many generations in Australia, inheriting a wealth of agricultural knowledge from his father. However, after having witnessed the detrimental effects of conventional farming practices, he sought to find a better way. This led to the development of pasture cropping on the Seis operation, a method that integrates crops and pastures to restore and maintain soil health.  Today, Colin's 2,000-acre farm is a model of sustainable farming, carrying more sheep than ever before without relying on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and boasting a diverse array of native grassland species. In this episode, Colin and John discuss the:  Development and success of pasture cropping on his farm Restoration of native grasslands Improvement of farm profitability and sustainability Critical role of grazing in balancing the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio Management of rainfall and moisture Benefits of using native grasses Additional Resources To learn more about the Colin's farm, please visit: https://winona.net.au/ To get a copy of Colin's book, Custodians Of The Grasslands, please visit: https://winona.net.au/product/custodians-of-the-grasslands-author-colin-seis/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this episode, John Kempf speaks with Kish Johnson, Director of Partnerships and Expansion at Advancing Eco Agriculture. Kish shares insights into AEA's international expansion and maintaining high product standards for global distribution. The conversation touches on Kish's diverse background, including his time in the UK and the Middle East, as well as how these experiences have shaped his approach to agriculture today. They also discuss the evolution of AEA from a consulting company to one that also manufactures better-performing agricultural product offerings. Kish emphasizes the importance of thorough testing and validation, and that accurate agronomic recommendations depend on precise data, such as plant sap analysis and other methods, which is often lacking in the industry. Additional Resources To learn more about AEA, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.  Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Lana Shaw is the Research Manager at the South East Research Farm in Saskatchewan, Canada. She has been with the research farm since 2010, overseeing its transformation from a poorly funded facility into a center for innovative agricultural research. Lana holds a master's degree and has a background in government work related to agriculture.  Her work focuses on practical, applied experiments that benefit local farmers, with a particular interest in intercropping and companion cropping to improve soil health and agricultural sustainability. Lana comes from several generations of Canadian farmers, grounding her efforts in the long-term resilience and sustainability of farm communities. In this episode, Lana and John discuss the: Benefits and challenges of intercropping Innovative research to discover more efficient and effective farming methods Importance of specialty crop variety development to support farmers Inherent complexity in agricultural systems Adoption of new techniques and technologies by farmers Additional Resources To learn more about the work happening at the South East Research Farm, please visit: https://southeastresearchfarm.org/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this episode, John speaks with his friend and colleague, David Miller, Director of Applied Agronomyat Advancing Eco Agriculture. Together, they discuss the essential knowledge and skills required to excel as an agronomist, especially within the regenerative agriculture space. David shares insights from his 15-year journey in agronomy, emphasizing the importance of big-picture thinking and a deep understanding of both plant physiology and soil biology. He talks about the balance between maintaining a high-level overview of agricultural systems while calling upon detailed, crop-specific knowledge in his work. This conversation highlights the need for agronomists to understand the timing of various applications relative to the specific growth stages of plants. David provides examples from pecan and cotton farming, illustrating how precision nutrient management and timing can significantly impact crop yield and health. Additional Resources To learn more about AEA, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/ To learn more about AEA's approach to agronomy, please watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dShMf8VmrM About John KempfJohn Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Dr. Ted DeJong is a professor at the University of California where he has dedicated approximately 40 years to researching and teaching about stone fruits such as peaches, plums, and nectarines. His primary focus has been understanding the physiology of fruit trees, driven by his desire to probe into how plants function at a fundamental level. One of DeJong's significant contributions is his effort to simplify and clarify the complexities of fruit tree physiology. He's observed that existing textbooks often describe the functions of trees in great detail but fail to explain how these functions occur. This gap led him to write his book, "Concepts for Understanding Fruit Trees," which distills these complex ideas into more straightforward principles.  In this episode, Ted and John discuss: Maximizing sunlight capture in orchard planting Challenges photosynthetic efficiency Impact of early ripening fruit varieties on yield How the genetic code of tree organs, such as flowers and fruits, dictates their growth and development Nitrogen fertilization practices in orchards How the day-night temperature cycle influences the activity of different parts of the tree The importance of pruning principles and the timing of fruit thinning  Additional Resources: To learn more about Ted and his research, please visit: https://dejong.ucdavis.edu/ To get a copy of his book, Concepts for Understanding Fruit Trees, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/Concepts-Understanding-Fruit-Trees-Concise/dp/1800620861 About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this episode, John delves into the critical role of mid-season foliar applications in boosting crop health and productivity. He talks about how timely and strategic foliar feeding can address nutrient deficiencies, enhance disease resistance, and improve overall plant vigor, leading to a more successful harvest. Key topics discussed: Understanding the optimal mid-season window for applying foliar nutrients to maximize benefits Identifying common mid-season nutrient deficiencies Exploring how foliar applications can bolster plant immunity and reduce the impact of diseases Highlighting best practices for effective foliar application to ensure maximum absorption and minimal waste Considering weather conditions and other environmental factors that influence the effectiveness of foliar feeding Additional Resources To learn more about AEA's foliar products and programs, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/ To watch a webinar about AEA's products, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cItpuQDX_M4&t=22s About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Ask Me Anything webinar from June, John answers pressing questions from the audience and shares his extensive research and firsthand experience to help farmers achieve healthier, more resilient crops. Discussion points include: Combating disease and pest pressure on a variety of crops Foliar application and management Nitrogen management Cover crops Sap analysis And much more Listen in to gain valuable insights and practical solutions from one of the leading experts in the field. Additional Resources: To watch more webinars from Advancing Eco Agriculture, please visit our YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@AdvancingEcoAgriculture To get updates on webinars, podcasts, events, and promotions from Advancing Eco Agriculture, sign up for our newsletter: https://advancingecoag.com/newsletter About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this episode, John speaks with Ethan Darling, an agronomist with Advancing Eco Agriculture, who has extensive experience with sap analysis. They discuss the challenges of timely sample collection and shipping. Ethan shares his background and how his innovative techniques have streamlined the process for the AEA team in the Pacific Northwest. Ethan explains his journey from working in an agroecology lab to managing sap analysis processes at scale in Washington's Yakima Valley. He details his initial methods of collecting, processing, and analyzing sap samples – Ethan has worked with up to 29,000 data points in a season! By improving efficiency and sharing knowledge with the wider AEA team, Ethan has increased their capacity to collect more samples effectively across multiple states. Additional Resources: To learn more about plant sap analysis, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/plant-sap-analysis/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Keith Morter, a dryland wheat farmer from Oregon, transitioned to regenerative agriculture management practices. Keith initially used standard, conventional methods like plowing and extensive chemical applications on his operation. Dissatisfied with the results, Keith shifted to direct seeding and eventually embraced regenerative practices. By drastically reducing nitrogen use and implementing holistic management techniques, Keith observed significant improvements in soil health, crop resilience, and pest resistance.  Despite challenges like low rainfall and high summer temperatures, his farm now thrives with healthier soils and sustainable crop yields, demonstrating the transformative potential of regenerative farming in challenging environments. In this episode, Keith and John discuss: Reduction of nitrogen use and its impact on soil health How breeding crops for specific traits can lead to nutritional and microbiome imbalances Soil cover and moisture retention strategies in dryland farming Challenges in finding markets for specialty crops Innovative seed treatment methods Micronutrient application and management How cover crops enhance biodiversity and ecosystem health Additional Resources: To learn more about Keith and his farm, please watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX3Es7w6yNE& About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.   AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Podcast Short, John delves into the topic of plant consciousness and intelligence. John talks about how plants are not just passive organisms, but possess significant cognitive abilities and responsiveness. Drawing inspiration from Stephen Herrod Buhner's works, particularly "The Lost Language of Plants," John discusses how plants demonstrate informed decision-making capabilities and can react to human intentions. John also cites additional scientific findings that assert plants have sophisticated neural networks contained within their root systems, similar to human neural systems, which are capable of learning and memory. Additional Resources: Click here, to get your copy of "Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm" by Stephen Harrod Buhner Click here, to get your copy of "The Lost Language of Plants: The Ecological Importance of Plant Medicines for Life" by Stephen Harrod Buhner Click here, to get your copy of "The Secret Teachings of Plants: The Intelligence of the Heart in the Direct Perception of Nature" by Stephen Harrod Buhner To read more about John's other book recommendations, please visit: https://johnkempf.com/johns-recommended-reading-list/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Rick Clark, a fifth-generation farmer from Williamsport, Indiana, is dedicated to enhancing soil health and achieving harmony with nature on his farm. He has pioneered a systematic approach to regenerative farming, proudly maintaining certification for all acres as organic through his regenerative stewardship with no tillage. Rick's practices focus on suppressing weeds, building soil health with cover crops, and prioritizing human health through organic, no-till farming methods. His goal is to establish a sustainable and profitable farming system that will endure for generations. Recently Rick Clark hosted an event where he shared insights into his farming practices, emphasizing soil health, and sustainability. Joining him were experts from Green Cover Seed, Dr. Christine Jones, and John Kempf. In this episode, Rick and John discuss: An overview of the event and the legacy of Dr. Christine Jones' work How plants can share microbes and the importance of plant diversity The challenges of no-till organic farming and the potential need to incorporate tillage appropriately How mycorrhizal fungi and other soil microbes respond to tillage The impact of legumes on soil aggregation The benefits of incorporating fenugreek into pastures for livestock health The need for constant adaptation and learning Additional Resources: To learn more about Rick Clark, please visit: https://www.farmgreen.land/ To learn more about Dr. Chrstine Jones and her work, please visit: https://www.amazingcarbon.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In this Short, John likens throwing a pool party to building soil microbial populations. Just like a successful pool party needs the right environment with food, drinks, and a crowd, building a healthy soil ecosystem requires appropriate soil conditions, nutrients, and a diverse microbial community. John emphasizes the importance of "keystone species" which are essential microbial species that attract and support a larger community, similar to inviting a few socially connected individuals to a party to attract more guests. He also highlights the role of plants in introducing a wide variety of microbes to the soil, advocating for diverse plant species to create robust and resilient soil ecosystems. Additional Resources: To learn more about Advancing Eco Agriculture and its products, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/shop/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.  Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.  Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

In addition to the regular episodes of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John Kempf is happy to introduce a new short format version of his popular podcast that allows him to touch on even more topics relating to regenerative agriculture. In this inaugural short episode, John shares insights into the negative impacts of nitrate-heavy fertilization on disease susceptibility and soil biology. He also emphasizes the importance of balancing calcium with other nutrients to optimize plant health and productivity. John also talks in-depth about Advancing Eco Agriculture's new product, MacroPak. Additional Resources: To learn more and purchase MacroPak, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/product/macropak/ To listen to the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast titled "Vegetative and Reproductive Nutrients", please visit: https://regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com/episodes/vegetative-and-reproductive-nutrients-with-john-kempf-2/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Mollie is a chef, restaurateur, and farmer with a strong commitment to regenerative agriculture and sustainable food practices. She operates Sage Regenerative Kitchen and Brewery in the Los Angeles area and runs Sow a Heart Farms with her husband in Fillmore, California. She actively promotes the restaurant industry to switch to using ingredients from regenerative farms. Mollie believes in supporting local farmers and making conscious choices about food consumption, including responsibly sourced meat products. Mollie's previous menu options were all plant-based and the inclusion of meat options drew harsh criticism. Despite some initial resistance from customers, she emphasized the positive impact she hopes to have on both consumers and the farming industry through her commitment to sustainable practices. In this episode, Mollie and John discuss: Experiences that highlighted the necessity of integrating animals into farming practices Difficulty in finding large-scale regenerative food service products Advocates for smaller, decentralized systems for truly regenerative dairy practices Other chefs adopting regenerative ingredients The hidden human and environmental costs of cheap food Advocating for regional food systems to reduce costs Additional Resources: For more information about Mollie, please visit: https://www.sowaheart.com/about-us About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Dan Miller is the founder and CEO of Steward, a company dedicated to supporting regenerative farmers by providing access to capital. With a background in law and finance, Dan combines his expertise to create a unique financial platform that connects community investors with sustainable agricultural projects. His work at Steward is driven by a commitment to ethical and ecological principles, focusing on creating resilient financial networks that support the growth and success of small to medium-sized farms. In this episode, Dan and John discuss: The necessity of strategic financial planning in farming operations Creating markets for diverse crops How farmers can benefit from integrating specialized team members How Steward facilitates access to capital for farmers by focusing on opportunities others overlook The inefficiencies of indirect funding from corporate and governmental sources Fostering a resilient financial system outside traditional banking models Additional ResourcesTo learn more about Steward, please visit: https://gosteward.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

John Kempf, Advancing Eco Agriculture Founder and Chief Vision Officer was a guest on the Robert F Kennedy Jr. Podcast. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is a presidential candidate in the 2024 election. His career in public service began in 1985 as an attorney for the environmental nonprofit RiverKeeper. He eventually became one of the most influential environmentalists in the United States, receiving TIME Magazine's "Hero of the Planet" and the Sartisky Peace Award. In this episode, Robert and John discuss: The transition from intensive pesticide use to ecological farming The discovery and application of plant immune systems to resist diseases and pests Economic incentives in transitioning to regenerative agriculture Importance of systemic approaches in disease management Need for collective will and alliances to implement solutions All views and opinions expressed by the host and guests of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA), its affiliate companies, or the companies with which the guests are affiliated. The appearance of a guest on the Regenerative Agriculture podcast does not constitute an endorsement by AEA or its affiliates.  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Corwin Heatwole is a 6th-generation farmer and the visionary founder and chairman of Farmer Focus. Starting his journey at age 23 with a 300-bird organic farm, Corwin's commitment to high-quality, humanely raised chicken quickly expanded his operation to 3,000 birds within a few months. This growth led to the transformation of Shenandoah Valley Organic into Farmer Focus in 2014, where Corwin began partnering with other growers to meet increasing demand. Farmer Focus is dedicated to empowering farmers through fair compensation, support for transitioning to organic and regenerative agriculture, and a strong emphasis on sustainability and transparency. Their mission is to enhance soil health and farmer profitability while ensuring responsible farming practices. In this episode, Corwin and John discuss: The successful business model of Farmer Focus How regenerative agriculture improves soil health and boosts farmer profitability Strategies for sourcing grains from diverse regions to mitigate risks and stabilize supply The importance of scientific research in shaping policy decisions Corwin's advocacy and legislative efforts The impact of farming practices on vulnerable communities and ecosystems Collaborative conservation projects with local communities About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Frank Dean is the Product Development Manager at LidoChem. LidoChem has been involved in the global identification of reliable and superior chemical raw materials since 1981. Through his leadership at LidoChem, Frank has been committed to providing farmers with effective and environmentally responsible products to enhance soil health and optimize agricultural productivity.  In this episode, Frank and John discuss: The process of chelation in herbicides The implications of using the same herbicide repeatedly over time Alternative approaches to weed management and reducing the amount of herbicide applications The influence of research funding and industry interests on agricultural practices The role of technological advancements and innovative products in improving agricultural outcomes The need to challenge conventional farming practices About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Steve Diver, Farm Superintendent at the University of Kentucky's Horticulture Research Farm in Lexington, boasts a rich background in sustainable agriculture. With a B.S. and M.S. in Horticulture from Oklahoma State University, he honed his expertise while serving as a horticultural and soils consultant in Central Texas. Diver founded Agri-Horticultural Consulting in 2010, specializing in soil analysis and consultancy services tailored to eco-agriculture, organic and sustainable farming, and environmental sciences.  Diver's professional journey underscores his status as a pioneer in sustainable agriculture, with a focus on regenerative farming practices. His extensive experience spans soil health, microbial ecology, and innovative water management techniques geared toward advancing regenerative agriculture principles. In this episode, Steve and John discuss: The rhizosphere, root exudates, and soil enzymes' role in agriculture How microbial inoculants can reduce synthetic nitrogen applications while increasing crop yields Habitat-based management and the resilience of biological systems Water structuring techniques and their potential impact on plant growth Introduction to plasma-activated water and its role in nitrogen absorption by crops Consideration of regulatory challenges in agriculture and navigating evolving policies Additional Resources "Tuning in to Nature: Solar Energy, Infrared Radiation, and the Insect Communication System" by Philip S. Callahan is no longer in print, but you may find used copies on thriftbooks.com or amazon.com  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Alpha Lo runs the Climate Water Project and is Co-founder of Regenerative Water Alliance. He's also a water researcher, writer, and podcaster. With a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of natural systems, Alpha advocates for rewilding initiatives and holistic land management practices to address environmental challenges. Through collaboration and education, Alpha works to promote sustainable solutions that enhance soil health, water retention, and ecosystem resilience. In this episode, Alpha and John discuss: The importance of rewilding and reintegrating keystone species into ecosystems The concept of the "small water cycle" and its influence on atmospheric water movement The need for collaboration among scientists, farmers, governments, and communities to address environmental challenges The impacts of groundwater depletion Additional Resources To follow the Climate Water Project and Alpha's work, visit https://substack.com/@climatewaterproject About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Brian Magarin has a background rooted in farming, spanning over a decade. Brian's journey has been shaped by hands-on experience and a commitment to sustainable farming methods after first starting in a conventional setting. Through years of trial and error, he has gained valuable insights into soil dynamics, irrigation techniques, and the impact of cover crops on crop and soil health. Brian manages 9,000 acres for Belltown Farms and grows corn, soybeans, wheat, and alfalfa. He also operates his own farm, growing organic corn, soybeans, and small grains. In this episode, Brian and John discuss: The importance of understanding soil dynamics Experimenting with strip-till and no-till management Challenging traditional chemical-centric practices The processes and challenges of using roller crimpers The benefits of cover crops in maintaining weeds and moisture The impact of cooler temperatures on crop growth and productivity About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

AEA Founder and Chief Vision Officer, John Kempf, gives a quick summary of the success of our first community raise and features six investors who share why they invested in Advancing Eco Agriculture. AEA has raised over $2.2 million thus far during our Wefunder crowdfunding campaign, aimed at expanding our regenerative solutions to support farmers worldwide and enhance our food supply. Hear from investors: Claudia Ben Erin Crampton John Pierce Kate Fileczki Laurenz Von Glahn Paul Ruger To invest in AEA and a regenerative future, please visit our Wefunder page: https://wefunder.com/advancingecoag About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Austin Frerick is an expert on agricultural and antitrust policy. He is a 7th-generation Iowan whose passion for agriculture comes from the weekends working on his grandpa's farm. He is a Fellow at the Thurman Arnold Project at Yale University. In 2022, he worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to organize a conference at Yale Law School entitled "Reforming America's Food Retail Markets," which explored competition issues in the nation's grocery industry. He is the author of Barons: Money, Power and the Corruption of America's Food Industry, which illustrates the concentration of power in the American food system. In this episode, Austin and John discuss: The monopolistic practices in the food supply chain The influence of politicians on food producers Breaking up monopolies vs removing regulatory barriers Foreign ownership of food companies and its impact on American agriculture Additional Resources To learn more about Austin Frerick, visit: https://www.austinfrerick.com To get a copy of his book "Barons," visit: https://islandpress.org/books/barons#desc About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Jean-Martin (JM) Fortier has over 20 years of experience developing, testing, and perfecting biointensive and regenerative growing techniques on his small-scale farms in Quebec that increase the soil's biology to achieve maximum yields on small surfaces.  Jean-Martin's mission is to promote the importance of human-scale regenerative agriculture in creating sustainable and resilient food systems. He achieves this goal by sharing his knowledge and expertise with thousands of farmers through the Market Gardener Institute. JM's multifaceted roles range from CEO to technical specialist, mentor, and positive leader. In this episode, Jean-Martin and John discuss: The economics of marketing gardening and direct selling Benefits of bio-intensive growing  How marketing gardening is an avenue for young people to get into farming How the right tools enhance efficiency and reduce workload The need to balance productivity and maintaining a fulfilling lifestyle The importance of the local food movement and getting people onto farms Additional Resources To learn more about Jean-Martin Fortier, please visit: https://www.en.jeanmartinfortier.com/ To check out his courses, visit: https://themarketgardener.com/ To get your copy of The Market Gardener: https://themarketgardener.com/books/the-market-gardener/ To get your copy of The Winter Market Gardener: https://themarketgardener.com/books/the-market-gardener/ To check out apparel created by Jean-Martin, visit: https://growers.co/pages/growing-change-program Software for small growers, Heirloom: https://heirloom.ag/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.  Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Taimur Malik founded Drawdown Farm, a regenerative farm in the Thal desert in Pakistan. Taimur engages in various regenerative agriculture practices, including planting diverse crops like bananas, implementing managed grazing trials, and using impact sprinkler systems powered by solar energy. Taimur emphasizes the importance of biological solutions and sustainable farming techniques to improve soil health, increase yields, and mitigate environmental impacts. His innovative approaches, such as using biologicals and adopting holistic land management practices, demonstrate his commitment to improving agriculture. In this episode, Taimur and John discuss: Creating healthy soil in desert sands  Weed management in poor-quality soils Johnson–Su compost, vermiculture, and living mulches Creating higher yields in sugar cane production The benefits of intercropping and diversification The impacts of livestock integration and managed grazing The economic benefits of regenerative agriculture from reduced input costs and increased crop resilience Additional Resources To learn more about Drawdown Farm, please visit: https://www.drawdownfarm.com About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Boe Clausen is a second-generation farmer in Eastern Washington. His parents immigrated from Denmark and established Stokrose Farm in 1981. Initially focused on vegetable seed production, the farm diversified into alfalfa, hay, corn, wheat, and cattle. Boe now manages Stokrose Farm alongside his siblings.  Boe's shift towards foliar applications, reduced nitrogen usage, and strategic nutrient management have improved crop health, reduced disease and insect pressure, and enhanced soil fertility. In 2022, he grew 250-bushel corn with only 20 lbs of nitrogen. In this episode, Boe and John discuss: The role of technology in modern farming practices Using molybdenum, sulfur, and nitrogen foliar applications How cover crops and crop rotations can build soil health The impact of incorporating a feedlot into his operation Using sap analysis to guide nutrition applications Additional Resources To learn more about Stokrose Farm, please visit: https://www.stokrose.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.  Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, proucing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Zack Smith is a fifth-generation farmer from northern Iowa. He is the owner and operator of Smith Seed and Agronomy, LLC, and co-founder and CEO of Stock Cropper, Inc. Zack previously worked in seed production and chemical retail as a certified crop advisor and then as a seed rep while farming on the side. He eventually became interested in soil health and started experimenting with strip-tilling and using cover crops, which marked the beginning of his shift towards regenerative agricultural. Zack recently developed a system called "stock cropping," a regenerative farming system that raises row crops in conjunction with multiple species of livestock simultaneously in the field. He and his business partners, Sheldon Stevermer and Lance Peterson, went on to develop the Cluster Cluck 5000, an autonomous, self-moving barn. In this episode, Zack and John discuss: The concept of stock cropping and its benefits to plant and soil health Developing barns for mobile grazing that integrate multiple species of livestock Implementing a rotational grazing system with frequent moves to optimize animal impact and pasture utilization Developing high-quality pasture mixes using cool-season and warm-season species The importance of innovation and collaboration in advancing regenerative agriculture practices Additional Resources To learn more about stock cropping and the Cluster Cluck 5000, visit https://thestockcropper.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Julie Rawson and Jack Kittredge are co-owners of Many Hands Organic Farm, an organic CSA farm that serves 150 families in Barre, MA. They met while doing community organizing work in Boston, and in 1982, made the decision to move out to the country to raise their kids in connection to the land and grow their own food. Julie and Jack share their farm's transformative journey from inception to becoming a model of regenerative, organic farming. In this episode, Julie and Jack discuss with John: Their journey from community organizing to farming and urban to rural living The financial and physical challenges of starting a farm The importance of soil remineralization, foliar feeding, and no-till practices Their careers with the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) The release of their new book, "Many Hands Make a Farm" Fostering community and the broader impact of their work  Additional Resources Julie and Jack's book, Many Hands Make a Farm: https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/many-hands-make-a-farm/  Many Hands Organic Farm: https://mhof.net/  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. ​Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.  Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.  Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Nicole Dooling and Michael Frey help operate Mariah Vineyards in the Mendocino Ridge alongside Nicole's parents, Dan and Vicki. As founders, Dan and Vicki have mindfully tended their land for over 40 years, putting in the hard labor of planting and growing this vineyard from the ground up. Their family and vineyard have thrived due to their dedication, adaptability, and resourcefulness in working with nature. Situated at 2,400 ft elevation without irrigation, they holistically manage their vineyard using organic and regenerative farming practices. In 2020, Mariah Vineyards partnered with the Savory Institute to pilot the Land to Market Ecological Outcome Verification program for vineyards worldwide. They are proud to be the first regenerative vineyard for Savory's Global Land to Market Verified program and are dedicated to helping expand regenerative viticulture. In this episode, John, Nicole, and Michael discuss: How regenerative agriculture is a constant path of exploration and learning Rewarding results coming from the process of trial and error Different generations of growers working together Cover crop management Pruning for sap flow Measuring and managing nutrient density Additional Resources To learn more about pruning for sap flow, visit: https://simonitesirch.us/ To learn more about the Savory Institute, visit: https://savory.global/ To get a copy of the Plant Health Pyramid, developed by John Kempf, visit: https://advancingecoag.com/growers-tools/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Marty Travis, a former furniture maker turned farmer, co-owns and operates Spence Farm in Illinois with his son, Will. Spence Farm grows a wide array of heirloom and native crops, heritage animals, and a huge diversity of agricultural opportunities on the 160 acres. Marty embraced sustainable farming, catering to Chicago's restaurant community. This unique partnership led to a thriving and sustainable business prioritizing soil health, livestock, and community relationships. The farm model evolved to support individual families in response to the Covid crisis and the closing of most restaurants during lockdowns. Leading a cooperative of farmers, the Travis family now serves numerous restaurants in Chicago and over 1,000 families, contributing to a positive shift in the food landscape in their area. In this episode, John and Marty discuss: The value of involving and mentoring young people in agriculture The challenges in managing growth and growing the number of farmer-to-farmer hubs The game-changing shift from selling per ton to per pound, enhancing profitability The emphasis on small plots and strategic crop choices for maximum revenue The positive impacts of increased soil biology on drought resistance, plant health, and reduced pest and disease pressure The use and outcomes of using Advancing Eco Agriculture products  Additional Resources To order a copy of Marty's new book, My Farmer, My Customer, visit: https://bookstore.acresusa.com/products/my-farmer-my-customer To learn more about Spence Farms, visit: https://spence-farm.com/  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Will Harris is a fourth-generation cattleman and the owner of White Oak Pastures, a holistically managed regenerative farm raising cattle, pigs, poultry, rabbits, sheep, and organic vegetables in Bluffton, Georgia.  After graduating college in 1977, Will returned to Bluffton, where he and his father continued to raise cattle using pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and antibiotics. By the mid-1990s, Will became disenchanted with the excesses of industrialized methods and decided to return to the "radically traditional" farming methods his great-grandfather once used. Since Will has successfully implemented these changes, he has been recognized all over the world as a leader in humane grass-fed beef production and regenerative agriculture. He's also the Founder of the Center for Agricultural Resilience (CFAR) and the author of A Bold Return to Giving a Damn.   In this episode, John and Will discuss: The evolution of the regenerative landscape Will's journey from conventional to regenerative ranching The consequences of narrow perspectives Will's motivation for writing his book, A Bold Return to Giving a Damn The economic impact of Will's operation in his local area Investing in regenerative farming and farmland How consumers drive change Additional Resources To learn more and get a copy of Will's book, visit: https://whiteoakpastures.com/pages/a-bold-return-to-giving-a-damn To learn more about White Oak Pastures, visit: https://whiteoakpastures.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.  Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Steven Cardoza is a second-generation organic raisin grape grower. His 400-acre farm is south of Fresno, California. His father transitioned from conventional to organic growing in 1998 after discovering some of the inputs he was using were making him ill. Steven took over the business in 2017 with a massive jumpstart on the pathway to regenerative agriculture. Since moving from an organic to a regenerative approach, Steven has changed his management methods to enact many exciting results such as increased soil organic matter, increased yields and quality, and the elimination of pesticide use. In this episode, John and Steve discuss: Tillage reduction  Spider mite challenges Nutrition management on organic vs regenerative systems Cover crop management Water percolation in sandy soil AEA products and applications Additional Resources To hear more about Steven's regenerative journey, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItT3FLaAZ6g The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast with Greg Pennyroyal: https://regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com/episodes/microbial-influences-on-crop-quality-with-greg-pennyroyal-2/  The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast with Mike Omeg: https://regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com/episodes/the-regenerative-orchard-cherry-success-with-mike-omeg-2/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

In this special podcast episode marking the launch of Integrity Grown™, AEA's verification standard, John Kempf shares the heart behind this new brand. John advocates for a shift towards verifying outcomes rather than solely focusing on processes. Integrity Grown prioritizes the verification of outcomes across several key areas: Harvest Quality and Nutritional Integrity: Ensuring the produce meets high quality standards and retains its nutritional value. Harvest Freedom from Toxins: Guaranteeing that the harvest is free from harmful substances such as molds, mycotoxins, toxic elements, and pesticides above defined thresholds. Soil Health and Ecosystem Regeneration: Promoting practices that foster soil health and contribute to the restoration of ecosystems Moreover, Integrity Grown assesses farming processes within the broader context of regenerative agriculture. Practices like tillage, limited livestock incorporation due to regulatory constraints, or the necessity of pesticide applications are evaluated on a spectrum, considering the specific farm and crop context. Integrity Grown extends its evaluation to the relationships between supply networks and farmers. It emphasizes the importance of developing synergistic relationships with growers, empowering them as stewards of the land, and ensuring fair compensation for producing exceptional quality. Through Integrity Grown, AEA aims to redefine agricultural standards by prioritizing outcomes, promoting regenerative practices, and fostering mutually beneficial relationships within the agricultural supply chain. You can learn more about Integrity Grown here.  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture. AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~ VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Join us in this episode as Amy Williams, who has three decades of clothing industry experience and currently serving as the CEO of Citizens of Humanity, shares insights into the transformative journey toward regenerative cotton. Amy delves into the organization's commitment to sustainability, emphasizing their shift towards regeneratively grown cotton after recognizing the critical role of raw materials in the sustainability conversation. Amy sheds light on Citizens of Humanity's aspiration to revolutionize the apparel and fashion industry by advocating for regenerative cotton sourcing. Their goal is to have 50% of the cotton acres in the U.S. verified as regenerative by 2030. The surge in market demand for regenerative agriculture has prompted the Citizens of Humanity Group and its family of brands, Citizens of Humanity, AGOLDE, and GOLDSIGN, to partner with Advancing Eco Agriculture to supply regeneratively grown cotton.  This collaboration aims to increase awareness about the many benefits of regenerative agriculture, fostering a positive impact for farmers, brands, and consumers alike. The initiative will leverage AEA's leading practices, products, and services to support farmers in the program to grow regenerative cotton and reap the benefits of healthier soils with year-after-year improvements. In this episode, John and Amy discuss: How food and clothing industries can work in parallel to promote regenerative and organic agriculture How CoH works directly with farmers to source regeneratively grown cotton in the U.S. Regenerative cotton as a widescale movement within the clothing industry Partnering with AEA to help farmers transition to regenerative practices Recycled vs new fiber development The important role that mills play in the industry and adoption of trends Additional Resources To learn more about the partnership, please visit: https://land.advancingecoag.com/integrity-grown About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Allen Williams is a 6th-generation farmer and founding partner of Grass Fed Insights, Understanding Ag, and the Soil Health Academy. He has consulted with over 4,000 farmers and ranchers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, and other regions on operations ranging from a few acres to over 1 million. Allen and his colleagues specialize in whole farm and ranch planning based on regenerative agriculture concepts. Their approach creates significant "value add" and prepares the landowner for multiple revenue stream opportunities that stack enterprises and acres, enhancing profitability and investment value. In this episode, John and Allen discuss: The ideals we seek for a highly functioning soil Fungal vs bacterial dominate soils Primary drivers of ecosystem development The relationships between mycorrhiza fungi, aggregates, and protozoa  Implementing regenerative practices into your specific situation The three rules of adaptive stewardship The performance of livestock in ecosystems Additional Resources To learn more about Allen's enterprises, please visit: https://soilhealthacademy.org/ or https://understandingag.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.   AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Joel Grosbach is a fifth-generation farmer and AEA customer growing dryland and irrigated crops in Southwest Nebraska. Since his area only receives seven inches of average annual rainfall, incorporating regenerative practices such as cover crops, crop rotation, animal grazing, and minimal tillage are critical for water management. Joel grows a variety of crops, including popcorn and dry edible beans, and grows for his neighbor, who owns a seed production business.   In this episode, John and Joel discuss: Regenerating local ecosystem rainfall Structuring his farm only to use 7" of irrigation each season  Choosing crops based on water needs Importance of cover crops and crop residue Reducing inputs and eliminating fungicides Mindset shifts that occur when transitioning to regenerative agriculture About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

It's the 100th episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast! In this special episode, AEA grower James Johnson interviews the voice behind the podcast, John Kempf.  James Johnson is a fourth-generation farmer in New Mexico and the Vice President of Carzalia Valley Produce. When James finally took over the family farm in the early 2000s, the outlook of his operation seemed grim. After many years of trial and error with various farming practices, James met the Advancing Eco Agriculture team and discovered the many benefits of regenerative agriculture. John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture. A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. In this episode, James and John discuss: The importance of nutritional and microbiome integrity for plant immunity How John started and built Advancing Eco Agriculture  The importance of sap analysis to see product efficacy How growers who work with AEA reduce inputs John's development of the Plant Health Pyramid Plant health vs soil health The future of Advancing Eco Agriculture Additional Resources To learn more about the plant health pyramid developed by John Kempf, please visit: https://www.advancingecoag.com/plant-health-pyramid To learn more about Advancing Eco Agriculture, please visit: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ or watch this webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cItpuQDX_M4 Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Dr. James White is a professor of Plant Pathology at Rutgers University. Dr. White obtained an M.S. in Mycology and Plant Pathology from Auburn University and a Ph.D. in Mycology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1987. Dr. White specializes in symbiosis research, particularly endophytic microbes. He is the author of more than 180 articles and author and editor of reference books on the biology, taxonomy, and phylogeny of fungal endophytes, including Biotechnology of Acremonium Endophytes of Grasses (1994), Microbial Endophytes (2000), The Clavicipitalean Fungi (2004), The Fungal Community: Its Organization and Role in the Ecosystem (2005), and Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis (2009). The overall hypothesis of this research is that bacterial and fungal endophytes of the plant microbiome function to defend plants from stress and provide nutrients that enhance the growth and development of plants. In this episode, James and John discuss: How plants get nutrients through the rhizophagy cycle Important microbes lost from commercial seed production  Indigenous wisdom in seed production Bacteria changing the behavior of fungal populations through nutrients How endophytes benefit plants  Reshaping agriculture to be based on how plants actually grow How plants cannot grow without microbes in their cells Additional Resources To take the course led by Dr. James White that teaches the Rhizophagy cycle, please visit: https://kindharvest.ag/courses/ra-ur-understanding-rhizophagy/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Bob Jones is co-owner and chief executive officer of The Chef's Garden, a family-owned farm in Huron, Ohio, committed to growing exceptional vegetables. Bob leads the farm's cutting-edge food safety and food quality programs, helping develop the most reliably healthy and nutritionally dense fresh vegetables. The direction of the farm changed in the 1980s from growing conventional vegetables when his brother, Lee Jones, had an encounter with a chef who asked him if their farm could grow squash blossoms for her restaurant. After that meeting, the family decided to take their farm in a new direction by focusing on the needs and desires of chefs, emphasizing flavor, sustainable farming practices, and quality over quantity. They have worked with chefs for over 40 years and ship produce to all 50 states and 17 countries. They also ship directly to homes in all 50 states and run an on-site retail store. The Chef's Garden grows a tremendous variety of vegetables, including microgreens, heirloom vegetables, microgreen herbs, specialty lettuces, and edible flowers. In this episode, Bob and John discuss: The importance of having multiple revenue streams Understanding what the marketplace is asking of you "Better is better before bigger is better." Food as health The importance of soil and sap testing Regenerative practices implemented on his farm Applying observation and knowledge to field production The nutrition of today's food Additional Resources To learn more about Bob and Chef's Garden, please visit https://www.farmerjonesfarm.com.  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Austin Unruh founded Trees for Graziers to help farmers establish trees in pastures on a large scale. Austin has worked on over 400 acres for 25 different working farms. Getting trees planted at a large scale and an affordable price led to lots of experimentation to ensure protection and integration into pasture that was minimally intrusive. It's his goal to make silvopasture as easy and cost-effective as possible for farmers. Trees for Graziers offers everything from planning, planting, and aftercare to growing silvo-specific nursery stock.  In this episode, Austin and John discuss: The importance of integrating trees into pasture How to protect young trees from rodent damage The many benefits that trees provide Tree species that have the greatest opportunities in silvopasture How to best match tree characteristics to farm goals Additional Resources To learn more about Austin Unruh and Trees for Graziers, please visit: https://treesforgraziers.com/ About John KempfJohn Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. ​Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Paul Greive founded Pasturebird after searching for high-quality pasture-raised chicken to feed his family. Unable to find this chicken in stores, Paul and his family took matters into their own hands, setting out to produce nutrient-dense pasture-raised chicken. In the spring of 2012, Paul's brother ordered 50 chicks, marking the inception of their business. Pasturebird is now the largest pasture poultry producer in the world, with a mission to make nutrient-dense chicken more affordable and accessible to all. Pasturebird is revolutionizing the chicken industry by integrating solar-powered, self-driving chicken coops. This innovation provides their birds access to the outdoors, fresh grass, insects, and sunlight and contributes to soil regeneration for future generations. In an unconventional move, the company partnered with "Big Ag" giant Perdue. This strategic partnership granted Pasturebird access to hatcheries, feed mills, and slaughterhouses, sparing them from the significant debt they would have otherwise incurred to build these resources. In this episode, Paul and John discuss: Improving the way "Big Ag" operates Scaling up operations to reduce costs Focusing on one thing and outsourcing the rest Pasturebird's collaboration with Perdue  The innovation behind self-driving chicken houses The importance of effective marketing and messaging Incentivizing regenerative ag through fractional land ownership Additional Resources To learn more about Pasturebird and to place an order, please visit: https://www.pasturebird.com/ Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgreive/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Austin Allred is a dairyman located in the Columbia basin of Washington State and operates Royal Family Farms. His parents started farming 50 years ago, and now Austin, as well as his brothers, own their own operations. Together, their four farms have grown over 1 million tons of potatoes, boxes of apples, boxes of cherries, bushels of corn, and bales of hay, beans, peas, asparagus, and more. Austin's dairy produces 1 million gallons of milk per month. Fifteen years ago, the family began their regenerative journey when they decided to become more self-sufficient and reduce their dependency on synthetic fertilizers. Their different farming operations work together to create a self-sustaining loop, a key to their innovation and success.  Today, Austin Allred is a strong proponent of regenerative agriculture and loves finding innovative ways to work together with his family to further the success and overall health of their soil, crops, and cattle. In this episode, Austin and John discuss: Reducing the need for fertilizers by bringing in cattle to his operation Using byproducts from neighboring farms for nutrient balance feed Increasing nitrogen independency Liquid manure management and composting systems Reducing water consumption by recycling it on the farm Utilizing marketing to showcase the story of products Developing other income streams on the farm The importance of collaboration between growers  Additional Resources To learn more about Royal Dairy, please visit: https://www.royaldairy.com/on-the-farm or watch their documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfSzdzgDXjE Friend Earthworm by George Oliver: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0980297613/ref=x_gr_bb_amazon?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_bb_amazon-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0980297613&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2 About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

In this special episode, hosted by Tim Hammerich and the Future of Agriculture Podcast, Tim and John Kempf will challenge several commonly held assumptions about the future of agriculture. Take regenerative agriculture, which is often defined by the ability to improve soil health and sequester carbon. But John Kempf says these are outcomes, even by-products, not the complete definition of regenerative. In this episode, Tim and John discuss: What it means to be regenerative AEA observations from working with over 10,000 growers and 4 million acres AEA's Wefunder campaign How to look at agriculture problems and solutions through a regenerative lens Future of Agriculture explores the people, companies, and ideas shaping the agriculture industry's future. Every week, Tim Hammerich talks to the farmers, founders, innovators, and investors to share stories of agtech, sustainability, resiliency, and the future of food. Future of Agriculture believes innovation is an important part of the future of agriculture, and real change comes from collaboration between scientists, entrepreneurs, and farmers. Lead with optimism, but also bring data. Additional Resources: To listen to more episodes of Future of Agriculture, please visit: https://www.futureofagriculture.com/ To learn more about AEA's Wefunder campaign, please visit: https://wefunder.com/advancingecoag About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Kelton Coleman has been farming since 2011 in the panhandle of Texas. He farms with his dad, grandfather, and father-in-law. He started with conventional agriculture in 2011 but shifted to organic peanuts and wheat in 2013, followed by organic cotton in 2016.  His initial journey into organic farming was based solely on economics, rather than soil or plant health. That has since changed, and now Kelton is deeply vested in his crops' health. He first got connected to AEA through the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast and then through personal connections in his community. He now uses several programs and products from AEA, and he is seeing many successes on his farm, such as reduced nitrogen usage, 20% more yield on his cotton (including a large increase in 6-lock cotton bolls), and better protection from root rot in his peanut crop. In this episode, Kelton and John discuss: Memorable failures that led Kelton to where he is today The unintended consequences of inputs on microbial organisms, insects, and plants How he implemented regenerative practices on his farm Working with AEA and their products Improvements he is seeing in peanuts and cotton Improving drought and heat resilience Crop-wide nitrogen reduction Improving no-till organic systems Additional Resources To learn more about developments of no-till organic systems, listen to this podcast episode featuring Helen Atthowe: https://regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com/episodes/episode-87-helen-atthowe/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Koen van Seijen has interviewed over 250 investors, investment fund managers, opinion leaders, farmers, and scientists to find out how money can best be used to regenerate soil, people, local communities, and ecosystems. He is currently a member engagement manager of Toniic, the global community of dynamic and active impact investors. Previously Koen supported Aqua-Spark, an impact investing fund focused on sustainable aquaculture companies. In this conversation, John and Koen discuss: Current investment activity in agriculture The role of capital in regenerative adoption Regenerative practices and topics attractive to investors Regenerating the water cycle at a local ecosystem level The benefits of nutrient absorption through foliage The need for education in the finance world Areas of opportunities for growers today Increasing consumer interest through nutrient density To learn more about Koen and the "Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food" podcast, please visit: https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/ Additional Resources "Back from the Brink: How Australia's Landscape Can Be Saved" by Peter Andrews "The Hidden Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben  "The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth" by Tim Flannery Walter Jehne YouTube Playlist  About John KempfJohn Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Dr. Stephan van Vliet performs clinical and translational studies to evaluate the effects of whole food ingestion and physical activity interventions on body composition, physical function, inflammation, insulin action, and intracellular signaling pathways that regulate muscle mass with advancing age. His work has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the Journal of Nutrition, and the Journal of Physiology. Dr. van Vliet earned his Ph.D. in Kinesiology and Community Health as an ESPEN Fellow from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He received post-doctoral training at the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. Dr. van Vliet also holds a Masters in Nutrition Science. As a member of the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute within the Duke University School of Medicine, his work focuses on the effects of primary (protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins) and secondary compounds (phytochemicals, polyphenols, antioxidants) and the molecular mechanisms by which they impact human metabolism. His work often involves physical activity interventions and utilizes an integrative approach to improve human health. In this conversation, John and Stephan discuss: Nutrient differences in grass-fed beef Other studies focused on beef, bison, and milk Implications of plant secondary metabolites being consumed Variations in phytonutrient density  Soil health and ergothioneine levels How different plant species provide different compounds to livestock Organic production and nutrient density Additional Resources Follow Stephan on Twitter: @vanvlietphd For more webinars featuring Dr. van Vliet, please search "Dr. Stephan Van Vliet" on YouTube Stephan's Google Scholar Profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=L5KcySQAAAAJ&hl=en To learn more, please visit his website: https://stephanvanvliet.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.   AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Anthony Corsaro is an entrepreneur, investor, and regenerative agriculture evangelist whose mission is to help heal our people and planet through ventures that inspire the production and consumption of healthy, nutrient-dense foods. Anthony's family has been deeply involved in the food system for almost 100 years since his orphaned grandfather started selling produce in the early 1930s. That business grew into one of the country's leading regional fresh produce distributors and today serves 2,500+ retail customers in 20 states. Anthony is the Founder and Managing Director at Outlaw Ventures: a family office backing the rebels, radicals, and revolutionaries building the better food system of tomorrow. Outlaw Ventures is raising a venture capital fund to invest in early-stage regenerative consumer brands. Anthony is also the Creator and Co-Host of The ReGen Brands Podcast: a podcast about the consumer brands supporting regenerative agriculture and how they're changing the world. He is also the Founder of Regeneration Nation: a clothing company and community hub for the heroes and advocates of regenerative agriculture. In this conversation, John and Anthony discuss: Regenerative vs. extractive relationships in supply chains Building regenerative infrastructure to create better routes to market Increasing market accessibility for growers Nutritional integrity and its impact on buyers "Upstream Disease" - examining the whole supply chain Opportunities and limiting factors for growers The importance of networking to expand market access About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.​ Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Jimmy Emmons is a third-generation farmer from Oklahoma. He and his wife Ginger have been farming and ranching together since 1980. They have a 2000-acre farm with a diverse rotation of crops that include: wheat, soybeans, sesame, sunflowers, irrigated dairy alfalfa, canola, grain sorghum, and several cover crops for seed. Jimmy has been monitoring soil health with soil testing since 2011 and is a proponent of using multi-species cover crops to enhance soil health. He is currently involved in a multi-year water holding capacity study examining the water use of cover crops. Jimmy also incorporates other regenerative practices, such as companion crops, to attract beneficial insects and decrease the need for additional synthetic nutrients. In this conversation, John and Jimmy discuss: The benefits of cover crops for water retention in the soil profile Drought resilience of crops and plants grown in diverse environments Companion crop mixes and their benefits The importance of talking to your legislatures about regenerative farming The negative effects on quality markers from grower practices and input decisions  Using nutrient-dense food as medicine About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Dr. Mary Lucero has over 30 years of experience in scientific research and education in agriculture. Her research examines the microbial relationships between plants and soil health and proves that the regenerative approach offers a way forward for growers and consumers. As Co-founder and Systems Biologist at End-O-Fite Enterprises, she works with growers and biostimulant producers to optimize regenerative techniques to restore microbial ecosystems.  Mary and her husband, David, run Jal Farms, a family-owned fruit and beef operation in Eastern New Mexico. Her farm focuses on regenerative practices to restore soil health and growing nutrient-dense foods and even has an on-farm lab for her research. In this conversation, John and Mary discuss: The importance of creating an environment for native biology to thrive How fungi are great shapeshifters  The Mycosome Hypothesis developed by Peter Atsatt The importance and complexity of endophytes Horizontal organism transfer Indigenous concepts and principles     Mary's experience with farm ownership  To connect with Mary and her work and to learn more about her online classes, please visit: https://endofite.com/  To learn more about the Mycosome Hypothesis developed by Peter Atsat, please visit: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12730709/. About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. ​Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide. To get started, contact AEA here: https://www.advancingecoag.com/contact ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Helen Atthowe is an author and farmer who has worked on developing systems that focus on ecological health by utilizing living mulches and minimal tillage. She is passionate about using the natural nutrient cycles present in ecosystems to reduce system inputs. Her research and experience have shown how focusing on the system can impact weed, disease, and pest management.  She and her late husband, Carl Rosato, co-owned and operated a certified organic orchard in California, where they pioneered methods for raising apples, peaches, and other crops to replace the need for pesticides. She also farmed and conducted additional research at Wood Leaf Farm in Eastern Oregon until early 2023. Now living in Western Montana, she is starting a new farm where she has planted a no-till orchard. Atthowe has a master's degree in horticulture from Rutgers University and has worked in education and research at many other institutions. In this conversation, John and Helen discuss: No-till living mulch systems in orchards Managing ecological systems with residues Strategies for disease and pest management  Minimizing inputs and maintaining yields Mowing management and the importance of timing Thinning and pruning practices Vole management outcomes Selective strip-till system in vegetable production  Click here to check out Helen's new book, The Ecological Farm About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.  Support For This Show & Helping You GrowSince 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.   AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.  Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.  Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products.  ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Charles Eisenstein is a speaker, teacher, and author. A graduate of Yale University with a degree in Mathematics and Philosophy, his work covers various topics, including human civilization, economics, spirituality, and ecology. His published works include "The Coronation," "The Ascent of Humanity," "Sacred Economics," "The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible," and "Climate—A New Story." In the last-mentioned title, he argues that reducing environmental discourse into the single issue of global warming is a huge mistake for the environmental movement. The book focuses instead on the "Living Planet" view, envisioning what our relationship to nature might be if we saw that everything is alive, conscious, and sacred. Overall, his primary interest is exploring the boundaries of what is possible according to our received beliefs, habits, technologies, and ways of knowing. In this conversation, John and Charles discuss: What defines regeneration What we need to do to embrace regenerative landscapes Why the quality of our life depends on the quality of our relationships  Indigenous knowledge of landscape management  The understanding of what real wealth is The differences between control and responsibility  The Importance of exercising our capacity to create The growing community and movement of regenerative farmers To learn more about Charles Eisenstein and his work, please visit his website at https://charleseisenstein.org/ or subscribe to his substack at https://charleseisenstein.substack.com/  To learn more about his published work, please visit https://charleseisenstein.org/books/  About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA is on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with their products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers around the world. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/ ~  VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Steve Tucker is a western Nebraska dryland producer who has been farming for 30 years. He introduced regenerative practices into his operation over 10 years ago and values diversity in his approach. Growing upwards of 10 crops per year while integrating livestock, such as chickens, pigs, and cows. Steve also uses no-till farming practices and biological applications on his farm. Steve advocates for growers to market themselves in order to access more opportunities and advises them to look for alternate streams of income for the crops they are growing.  Steve runs Agriforce Seed with his business partner Jeff Olsen. Steve grows sunflower, hay millet, oats, yellow field peas, winter wheat, Golden German hay millet, and forage pea/oat hay blends. His ultimate goal is to build soil health by mobilizing soil microorganisms to grow better, higher quality, more nutrient-dense food.  In this episode, John and Steve discuss: Being content with the size of the farm you operate Making connections by marketing yourself  Selling by the pound vs selling by the bushel Looking for sales opportunities around you to sell Pursuing multiple streams of farm income  Identifying opportunities that come from promoting more life on the farm Using biologicals, including AEA's BioCoat Gold Finding the freedom of doing things on your own terms AgriForce Seed is Nebraska's largest pulse seed producer. Agriforce provides yellow peas, chickpeas, and many other types of pulse crop seeds. Also available are hay millet seed and a large selection of cover crop seeds and forage products. To learn more, call 308-289-4853 To learn more about AEA's BioCoat Gold, please visit - https://land.advancingecoag.com/buy-biocoat-gold-now About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in the field of biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow The recognized leader in regenerative agriculture since 2006, AEA is on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable.  AEA works directly with growers on the application of its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with their products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers in North America to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers around the world who thirst for actionable information about regenerative agriculture. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products.  ~  VIDEO: For more conversations with John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this amazing conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Joel Williams is an independent plant and soil health educator who provides lectures, workshops, and consultations on soil management, plant nutrition, and integrated approaches to sustainable food production. Joel enjoys designing farming systems that focus on managing soil biology along with crop and soil nutrition to optimize plant immunity and soil function. He has extensive experience working in Australia, the UK, and Canada, integrating soil and plant analyses as a joined-up strategy for managing production. In this episode, Joel and John discuss: The differences between the chemistry vs. biology approach The importance of a well-structured soil Reasons for using biological seed coatings Efficiencies of foliar applications vs. soil applications Crop responses to incremental changes over extended periods Strategies for efficient foliar applications Nitrogen applications and management Yield expectations during regenerative transitions To learn more about Joel and his work, please visit https://integratedsoils.com/ About John KempfJohn Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture. A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow The recognized leader in regenerative agriculture since 2006, Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) is on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable.  AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with their products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers in North America to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers around the world. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products, and check out the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast. ~  VIDEO: For more conversations with John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this inspiring webinar featuring John and three AEA grower partners that share how regenerative agriculture is changing the way they farm and live: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

John Warmerdam is a third-generation stone fruit grower in the San Joaquin Valley of California. His grandfather came to the area from Holland in 1911 and started a small farming operation that John's father, John N. Warmerdam, eventually took over. Today John and his dad farm over 350 acres of peaches, plums, nectarines, kiwi, and almonds. The Warmerdams also have one of the largest cherry-growing operations in the southern San Joaquin Valley and have been innovators in the fruit packing industry for 45 years. In this episode, they discuss: Cultural management practices for stone fruit Transitions in his farming systems Mite management Driving factors for considering regenerative management Pruning and thinning management Future water usage issues Generational shifts in farming Additional Resources: Concepts for Understanding Fruit Trees by Theodore DeJong Learn more about Warmerdam Packing Learn more about John Warmerdam About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture. A top expert in the field of biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it. Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You Grow The recognized leader in regenerative agriculture since 2006, AEA (Advancing Eco Agriculture) is on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable.  AEA works directly with growers on the application of its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with their products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers in North America to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers around the world who thirst for actionable information about regenerative agriculture. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products and check out the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast.  VIDEO: For more conversations with John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this amazing conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Dr. Erin Silva is an Associate Professor and State Extension Specialist in Organic and Sustainable Cropping Systems in the Department of Plant Pathology as well as the Director for the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison.  After completing a Ph.D. in Horticulture at Washington State University, Dr. Silva obtained a faculty position at New Mexico State University. During her tenure at NMSU, Dr. Silva taught courses on organic vegetable production, including an experiential learning course integrating the campus working student organic Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. Dr. Silva initiated several organic research projects at NMSU, including work on a cover crop-based reduced tillage approach for organic vegetable crops and breeding vegetables for organic production systems. These research themes continued as Dr. Silva moved into the first organically focused research position at the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in 2006. Through her work at UW-Madison, she has developed an internationally recognized program that improves the management of organic production systems and increases the profitability and sustainability for organic producers and rural communities. In this episode, Dr. Silva and John discuss the following: To find out more information about Erin's research, please visit https://uworganic.wisc.edu/ograin/. OGRAIN, The Organic Grain Resource and Information Network, exists to provide farmers access to research and to form a community of organic grain producers. About John KempfJohn Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture, a plant nutrition and biostimulants consulting company. A top expert in the field of biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who are growing that supply. ​Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition - a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. Support For This Show & Helping You GrowThe recognized leader in regenerative agriculture since 2006, AEA (Advancing Eco Agriculture) is on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable.  AEA works directly with growers on the application of its unique line of crop nutritional supplements and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting edge plant and soil data gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.  AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with their products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers in North America to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits. Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers around the world who thirst for actionable information about regenerative agriculture. Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products. VIDEO: For more conversations with John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this amazing conversation between John and three AEA growers about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Fred Provenza, Professor Emeritus of Behavioral Ecology at Utah State University, is the co-founder of BEHAVE (Behavioral Education for Human, Animal, Vegetation and Ecosystem Management), an international research and outreach program that seeks to understand the principles of animal behavior. For the past 30 years, this group has produced ground-breaking research that laid the foundations for what is now known as behavior-based management of landscapes.  Through his research, books, and speaking engagements, Fred has paved the way for the behavior-based management of landscapes. His work has influenced researchers across disciplines. In this episode, Fred and John Kempf discuss: The consciousness of plants and animals, and our relationships to them The relationships between domestic animals, crops, and healthy landscapes Fred's understanding of the gut microbiome of livestock and how it changes with diverse diets  The pathway for regenerating millions of arid acres in the US West Appreciating the culture and heritage of animals  The functional significance of both human and animal family structures Fred has authored three books: Nourishment: What Animals Can Teach Us about Rediscovering Our Nutritional Wisdom: https://bookstore.acresusa.com/products/nourishment Also available on audiobook: https://www.audible.com/pd/An-Original-Audiobook-Adaptation-of-Nourishment-Audiobook/B0BKH5NBF5 Foraging Behavior: Managing to Survive in a World of Change: https://www.amazon.com/Foraging-Behavior-Managing-Survive-Change/dp/0970389922 The Art & Science of Shepherding: Tapping the Wisdom of French Herders: https://bookstore.acresusa.com/products/the-art-and-science-of-shepherding Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA), leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. AEA produces the highest quality biological and mineral nutrition products along with offering Plant Sap Analysis, and regenerative program development for your farm.  If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop quality, resilience, and profit — email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 today to be connected with a dedicated AEA regenerative agriculture crop consultant. To learn more visit https://www.advancingecoag.com  ~  VIDEO: For more conversations with John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this amazing conversation between John and 3 growers about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Kelly Mulville, a veteran agricultural consultant, is the Vineyard Director at Paicines Ranch in San Benito County, California. For more than 25 years, Kelly has been obtaining impressive results by merging his experience in viticulture with his understanding of Allan Savory's holistic grazing management techniques. His approach to extended-season vineyard livestock grazing and other ecological practices continue to capture an audience of vineyard managers around the globe. Kelly and John discuss in this episode: How Kelly developed practices around incorporating sheep into his vineyard management. Flooring a wildlife biologist with the bird population data on Kelly's vineyard after implementing new practices. The role plant-grazing animals play in reducing insect pressures. Kelly's cover cropping strategy and how it has led to a diversity of 50 species of plants growing in the vineyard. The specific holistic management techniques inspired by Allan Savory's work that have contributed to vineyard success. The adaptability of these practices on other crops like nuts and tree crops.

Joe Lewis is an internationally renowned scientist recognized for his work in entomology and agricultural studies. His discoveries in the behavioral and chemical interactions of parasitoids, insect herbivores, and plants have played a critical role in our understanding of ecological growing. He is also the author of A New Farm Language: How a Sharecropper's Son Discovered a World of Talking Plants, Smart Insects, and Natural Solutions. Listen as Joe and John discuss: Joe's introduction to agriculture growing up on a Mississippi cotton farm The discovery of plants utilizing chemical compounds to alert parasitic wasps to the presence of caterpillars.  The first demonstration of associative learning in parasitic wasps. Sensitivity of signals between plants and parasitic wasps, including how they differentiate from food and host. Environmental impacts that have led to unbalanced increases in insect pressures. The value of cover cropping to provide a nectar source for insects during production season. Changing the paradigm from "how to kill this pest" to "why is this pest a pest?" A New Farm Language by Joe Lewis: https://bookstore.acresusa.com/products/a-new-farm-language

Adam Chappell is a regenerative grower and cover crop advocate from Cotton Plant, Arkansas. Adam started growing with his dad and brother on their 7,500 acre property in 2005, but by 2009 pigweed issues alone had nearly pushed them into bankruptcy. Knowing there had to be a better way, Adam began educating himself about the power of regenerative agriculture, implementing a cover cropping strategy that he claims saved the family farm. Today, Adam's operation grows a variety of broadacre crops and continues to make strides in ecological health and crop performance. Throughout their conversation, Adam and AEA Founder John Kempf discuss: Adam's start in agriculture and how cover cropping brought the farm "from the brink of bankruptcy to a profitable enterprise."  Adam's current methodologies for crop rotation and cover cropping. How the adoption of regenerative practices has contributed to improved profitability. Adam's background in entomology and ecology and the shifts in insect populations he has seen over time. Questioning the necessity of soil testing and becoming wary of "sales tools." Implementing Dr. Norman Lupo's root intensification method and other row spacing strategies.  Livestock integration and the story of Adam's first purchase of cattle. Why Adam's goals for the future include "getting smaller."

Rick Clark is a fifth-generation farmer from Warren County, Indiana. Driven by a desire to work alongside mother nature, Rick has been implementing regenerative practices on his farm for almost a decade. Rick's commitment to soil health has allowed him to grow his operation to 7000 organic, no-till acres, in part by employing a variety of cover cropping and weed control techniques. In their conversation, Rick and John Kempf discuss: Rick's journey to a fully organic operation Conventional agriculture's "dependency on chemistry" and the best practices for conventional burn down  Rick's humbling experiences experimenting with cover crops in the early days How planting multiple cash crops together could be the future of agriculture  Handling foxtail and other difficult weeds through regenerative practices   The power of diversity and rotation in a no-tillage system Rick's take on farm economics and how he  is saving almost $1.7 million a year in inputs

Tim Parton is a regenerative agriculture advocate and Farm Manager at Brewood Park Farm in the United Kingdom. Tim has been implementing regenerative practices on his 300-hectare estate for over 15 years. He has received several accolades for his work, such as being named the Arable Innovator of the Year by British Farming Awards and receiving the Farm Innovator of the Year award from Farmers Weekly. Throughout their conversation, Tim and John discuss: Tim's background and retreat from intensive pesticide use.  How balancing plant nutrition helped Tim cultivate canola seedlings that are resistant to flea beetles. Tim's experience with Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (or BYDV) and how he manages aphids in an ecological system. Foliar application systems and their economic impacts. Increases in commodity fertilizer prices and what this means for the financial viability of regenerative agriculture. How Tim has managed to not apply any NPK fertilizers for more than a decade. The cultural management practices that have replaced fungicide applications on Tim's farm. The importance of carbon sequestration, educating consumers, and sharing information among growers.

James Johnson is a fourth-generation farmer in New Mexico and the Vice President of Carzalia Valley Produce. When James finally took over the family farm in the early 2000s the outlook of his operation seemed grim. After many years of trial and error with various practices, James found the Advancing Eco Agriculture team where he discovered the benefits of regenerative agriculture. Thanks to his partnership with AEA, James achieved an outstanding yield of 1,490 lbs/acre for Pima Cotton at the end of harvest season 2020 while his county average was 880 lbs/acre! In this episode, James and AEA founder John Kempf discuss: The shift in agronomy management on James' farm over the last 20 years. James' first encounter with John Kempf and the similarities in their personal stories. The long-term effects of herbicide, insecticide, and pesticide use on crops from the perspective of a self-declared "recovering glyphoholic" Solving onion thrips and western flower thrips pressure with regenerative foliar applications, rather than insecticides. James' observations on chlorpyrifos and diazinon—how their use affects non-target species and overall soil biology. The technology James uses as a self-proclaimed early adopter, including evapotranspiration platforms and an AI robot that pulls weeds.

Dale Strickler is an agronomist at Green Cover Seed and prominent author primarily focused on soil health. Dale grew up on a family farm outside Colony, KS, and received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in agronomy from Kansas State University. Dale has been an advocate for the use of cover crops for over three decades and continues to experiment, achieving increasingly exciting results. Dale has published two books, The Drought-Resilient Farm and Managing Pasture. His third book, The Complete Guide to Restoring Your Soil, will be released later this year. In this episode, Dale and AEA Founder John Kempf discuss: Dale's agricultural background and what inspired his fascination with cover crops. His experiences with heavy clay soil and implementing a subsurface, drip-irrigated pasture. How regenerative practices can affect water-holding capacity of soils and restore small water cycles. Dale's most memorable moments in his consulting work with growers across the country. Hand cropping, intercropping, and other practices forgotten by mainstream, mechanized agriculture. The reason farmers need to be "thinking like a scientist" and the power of self-education.

John Fagan is the Chairman & Chief Scientist at the Health Research Institute, also known as HRI Labs, in Fairfield, Iowa. HRI provides testing services that focus on the nutritional value and biofunctionality of food sources. HRI's research and collaboration efforts continue to help grow the global regenerative agriculture movement in myriad ways. Throughout their discussion, Fagan and John discuss: The scope of Fagan's work at the Health Research Institute.  How chromatography, mass spectrometry, and other analytical tools allow Fagan to identify plant and animal compounds. Fagan's research in comparing conventional vs organic production methods and his key takeaways. The diversity and variability of plant compounds and their potential for innovation in the world of agriculture. Fagan's tentatively named "Farmer Led Innovation Network" and how it is combining cutting-edge science and data collection.   How evidence of glyphosate presents across different crop types, agricultural products, and soil profiles. The evolution of glyphosate detection and what science can tell us about glyphosate levels in our food. Check out the glyphosate research mentioned by Fagan here: https://johnkempf.com/perspective-on-glyphosate-challenges/

Nicole Masters is an internationally recognized agroecologist from New Zealand. Fortified by her studies in ecology and plant physiology, Nicole currently serves as the Director of Integrity Soils, a collection of regenerative agriculture coaches that assist growers around the globe. Nicole is also the author of "For the Love of Soil: Strategies to Regenerate Our Food Production Systems." In this episode, Nicole and John discuss: Nicole's background in vermicompost and her strategy of customizing microbial applications to produce specific outcomes. The current rise in research on microbial quorum sensing and quorum signaling. Many case studies and examples that explain relationships between soil life and nutrition profiles and weed populations. The function of biology in response to plant signals and in enhancement of plant immune systems. The practice of bio-priming seeds or land, and how it helps to produce disease-suppressive soils, and to regenerate native plant populations.

Harriet Mella is an independent Austrian researcher known for her work uncovering the unexplained phenomena of plant growth and development. Informed by her background in microbiology, mycology, and biochemistry, Harriet has a unique capacity to describe little-known connections between emerging biological research and agriculture. During the interview, Harriet and John discuss:  Observations on epigenetic expressions and the role of optimal nutrition. The flexibility of plant architecture and its direct correlation with microbiome health. Harriet's insights on zodiac rhythms, humic substances, Biodynamic methods, and numerous first-hand agricultural experiences. When a plant is no longer absorbing nitrate and how this affects water use efficiency and carbon cycling. Harriet's findings on biophotonics and dark septate endophytes, and her explanation of their impact on plant health.   Building stable humic substances during the winter months with the assistance of specific fungal groups. Harriet Mella's new online course, "Carbon Micro Cycling," explores the connections between soil carbon and soil fertility. Sign up for the course on Kind Harvest today! https://kindharvest.ag/courses/ra-cc-carbon-course/

Steven Bierlink is an apple grower located in Quincy, WA. When Steven returned to work on his family operation after graduating with a business degree, he was driven to meet the many challenges their orchard faced. Looking for solutions to bitter pit, cork spot, and lenticel rot, Steven sought out the management practices that could renew the health of their orchard. Today, Steven abides by meticulous observation in his management practices that have brought many exciting successes, notably on his Honeycrisp blocks which have packed out at a stunning 160 bins per acre. On this episode, Steven and John discuss: Overcoming bitter pit in Honeycrisp apples by altering the interplay among excessive potassium applications, calcium timing, and manganese availability.  Steven's focus on observation resulted in a shift away from his previous conventional operational methods.  How Steven balances data collected from fruit analysis and sap analysis to maximize marketable fruit production. Managerial philosophies for happy, engaged employees, healthy work-life balance, and why he chooses to maintain a smaller-scale farm. Virtually elimination of alternate-year bearing, through a combination of pruning, bud and spur management, PGR's, nutrition, and lime-sulfur sprays. The importance of growers owning the decision-making process, working alongside consultants.

Jason Hobson is one of the initial Regenerative Agriculture Consultants at AEA, working alongside John Kempf in the early years and becoming the Chief Executive Officer in 2015. Jason joined AEA in 2011 and quickly became the lead consultant for larger scale operations, building relationships with distributors and other partners along the way. He gained his knowledge of soil fertility and plant nutrition through hands-on experience, developing a passion for agronomy and regenerative practices that fuels him today. Throughout their conversation, Jason and John discuss: How one Wendell Berry book would change Jason's career path forever. AEA's approach to nutrient and crop management, how it differed from conventional wisdom. Highlights from the last decade of working together: organizational victories and new agronomic discoveries. Jason's thoughts on the "layering of silver bullet solutions" and how farms can degrade in search of a cure. Common themes among growers and organizations that have seen success while working with AEA. The fallacy of nitrogen and other limiting factors for healthy crops.

Alvin Peachey is an Amish organic dairy farmer from central Pennsylvania. Over the course of more than a decade, Alvin has grown his operation to 90 100% grass-fed cows on 92 acres, implementing regenerative practices that flips the script of the status quo for dairy farmers. In this thought provoking and practical conversation, Alvin and John discuss: Alvin's background as a dairy farmer starting with only 25 cows and 10 replacements.  The difference between rotational grazing and management-intensive grazing. How Alvin tracks and manages his cost of production and how his economic models diverge from the mainstream. Unique approaches to creating balanced and diverse nutritional profiles, not just in grazable forages, but also in stored winter feeds. Important considerations for maximizing sugars and proteins in baleage.  The genetic and structural qualities Alvin looks for in dairy cows. Alvin's thoughts and observations on the financial future of dairy farming. "For the crop production acres, we have no budget on fertilizer… because we have unlimited potential, so why would we have a budget? Right?" -Alvin Peachey

Jesse Frost is the Co-Owner of Rough Draft Farmstead in central Kentucky and host of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast. Jesse's rich background in researching and experimenting with no-till practices lead to his first book, "The Living Soil Handbook: The No-Till Grower's Guide to Ecological Market Gardening," which will be published this summer. Throughout their conversation John and Jesse discuss: How Jesse got his start as a farmer and how a mission to uncover regenerative techniques lead to a promising career in market gardening. The economic opportunities surrounding market gardening, including the positive impact of collaboration and Jesse's thoughts on land ownership. The best way to strategize and implement a direct-to-consumers business model. Two management styles that work for no-till growers on a smaller scale: Jesse's thought on the basic cover crop model and the deep compost mulch system An overview of the four different types of compost: inoculating compost, fertilizing compost, nutritional compost, and mulching compost. The current state of the average farmer's psyche and the power of relationships and community building. Jesse's current intercropping practices and how they are implemented for pest and disease control. Pre-order Jesse's book here: https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook/d9z5gkf1bbnhu0w5xxb3trngiqhwgo Check out "The No-Till Organic Vegetable Farm: Human-Scale Methods for Intensive Commercial Production and Ecological Health" by Daniel Mays here: https://www.frithfarm.net/book.html

Jon Stika is an agronomist and former soil health instructor with the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Officially retiring in 2015, Jon now spends his time as environmental consultant for those looking to gain insight on the biological systems of agriculture. Jon is also the author of "A Soil Owner's Manual: How to Restore and Maintain Soil Health," which was published in 2016, yet continues to have an impact on agricultural thought leaders around the globe. Throughout their conversation, Jon and John discuss: Jon's realization that soil is not a chemical system, but a biological one. The impact of using synthetic fertilizers for several decades and how this has "sidelined" the true biology of our fields. What it means to be energy inefficient and the impact on mainstream agricultural systems and practices. Jon's 15-year journey to a regenerative approach; how rapid implementation and economics can inspire other growers to transition to integrating biological methodologies. The differences between building soil from the foundational bedrock versus the act of regenerating soil. Jon's belief in the power of educating beyond the growers, working with lenders, banks, agronomists, and landowners to help them understand and support the transition to regenerative agriculture. How models used in mainstream agriculture—and even sustainable agriculture—operate on a foundation of "dysfunctional soil." Pick up a copy of Jon's book, "A Soil Owner's Manual: How to Restore and Maintain Soil Health," today! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30084638-a-soil-owner-s-manual

Jay Fuhrer is a Conservationist & veteran Soil Health Specialist from the Natural Resources Conservation Services, located out of Bismarck, North Dakota. With over 4 decades of experience, Jay's work has been critical to the widespread implementation of regenerative agriculture across the globe. Of his many contributions, Jay is most known for developing the 5 Soil Health Principles: establishing soil armor, minimizing soil disturbance, continuing live plant and root presence, and integrating livestock grazing systems. Throughout their conversation, Jay and John discuss: Jay's early years at the NRCS, and his desire to move forward with agriculture's best interest at heart. The story of how Jay and his colleagues started a 150-acre demonstration farm with a focus on natural resource education. Examples of new research and discoveries being made at Menoken Farm, including the implications of water hydrology systems and the power of encouraging soil biology. Jay's observations from conducting Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and measuring infiltration rates over the years. Assisting growers by "starting with the geology" and how Jay's soil recommendations are rooted in the history of the land. Proper livestock integration and the benefits of diversity when it comes to grazing. The shortcomings of agricultural system labels and Jay's reasoning for working with growers of all backgrounds. Jay's concerns with shrinking native range land in the Dakotas and why he believes it is an ecosystem that we should maintain into the future.

Ben Taylor-Davies is a farmer and regenerative agriculture consultant from the United Kingdom. Ben was a conventional agronomist until his wife persuaded him to apply for an award through the Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust which enables farmers to travel and learn agricultural methods from around the globe. This ignited Ben's passion for regenerative agriculture and discovering better ways to treat soils, crops, and livestock. Ben currently shares his stories, both personal and professional, on his website RegenBen.com. He is also currently finalizing his first book, "MORE-ON: How to get off the UK agriculture's treadmill of input farming." Throughout their conversation, Ben and John discuss: How the Nuffield scholarship program allowed Ben to broaden his views on successful ways to farm from around the globe. The current management practices being implemented on Ben's 500-acre farm in the UK and how these practices have evolved over the years. Ben's "three free things" (sunlight/energy, precipitation, and carbon dioxide) and why they should be priority number one for all growers. Perspectives on carbon dioxide delivery and how farmers can improve their CO2 supply. The vast diversity of soil types and climates found within the UK. The UK's current mainstream agricultural methods and financial shortcomings of managing an ecosystem through high input costs. John and Ben discuss their recommended reading lists for growers. Check out Ben's website at www.regenben.com! For more information on his latest book, go to https://www.regenben.com/about/the-book/

Cannon Michael is a 6th generation family farmer in California's Central Valley. When Cannon first started working at the Bowles Farming Company, it was a broad-acre row crop operation, focused on cotton, barley, and alfalfa. After 15 years of overhauling the farm's management practices, Bowles now incorporates both organic and conventional methods as he raises a vast array of vegetable crops: tomatoes; watermelons; garlic; onions; herbs; and many more. Throughout their conversation John and Cannon discuss: The major changes over the 160-year history of Cannon's family farm, as well as the current scope and scale of his growing operation. What it means to be a grower in California: The culture of innovation, interacting with a rigorous business climate, strict regulations, and interest in promoting fair practices for people and the environment. A prediction around agriculture's decentralized, technology-driven future and how it will impact growers. The power of branding partners, communication, and the advantages of telling your story to end consumers. How bandwidth and a fluctuating environment can lead to significant limitations on operational efficiencies.

Jay Hill is a conventional farmer and agricultural visionary from the American Southwest. Jay is a new breed of American farmer, focused on reinvigorating the industry through a new perspective on what is possible for large-scale growers. Through his social media presence and weekly podcast, Jay is calling on farmers across the globe to abandon their old ways of operating and take back the role of "business owner" from outdated intermediaries. Throughout their conversation, John and Jay discuss: How Jay's growing operation has evolved over the years to be less resource exhaustive.    Why farmers need to position themselves as both marketers and business owners Jay's transition from "Price Taker" to "Price Maker," and how partnerships in processing give growers more control over their operation. The public perception of American farmers and what needs to be done change the narrative. Strategies to incentivize growing a more nutritious and agronomically beneficial product, and the role of the federal government in this process.

Dr. Dwayne Beck is well known for being one of the pioneers of no-till agriculture in central South Dakota and across the High Plains. For more than three decades, Dr. Beck has been creating comprehensive systems for both irrigated and dryland crop production throughout the region, educating growers on the power of crop rotation, diversity, and other regenerative practices. He currently serves as the Research Manager at the Dakota Lakes Research Farm, a non-profit made up of farmers committed to sustainable land practices. On today's episode, John and Dwayne discuss: Dwayne's background and his earlier work assisting local growers with their irrigation systems The continuing decline of the Ogallala Aquifer and how water infiltration can be improved by implementing no-till agricultural practices. Addressing the often-overlooked aspects of irrigation, such as percolation and water delivery, and how it affects soil health. Dwayne's observations on lake bottom soils, the power of macropores, and the prevalence of summer fallowing in the High Plains.  Utilizing de-percolation strategies to maintain proper nutrient levels in your soil. Using competition, sanitation, and rotation to control weeds, diseases and insects.   Dwayne's historical research on nutrient cycling and fertilizer placement.  Dwayne offers up a broader historical perspective on how agriculture, human nature, and mother nature  work together. A discussion on why moving to no-till options for all crops including potatoes, carrots and sugar beets are engineering and genetics problems. The shared vision, but much different methods, between regenerative agriculture vs. organic agriculture.

Rick Haney is a renowned researcher at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the creator of the Haney Soil Analysis, an innovative extraction procedure to assess overall soil health and plant mineral availability. Today, John sits down with Rick to hear his story and discuss a future of agriculture centered around agronomic realities and biological processes. Throughout the episode, John and Rick cover a wide array of topics: The journey Rick took to discover an improved system for analyzing soil health, eventually leading to the development of his namesake soil assay. How Rick's work and an emphasis on data can help growers save an average of $20 per acre in nitrogen applications. Over-fertilization and what soil respiration says about the fertility of a field. Rick's battle with calibrations and the industry's collective leaps in agronomic understanding since the 60's. The work of Dr. Richard Mulvaney, namely the Illinois Soil Test, and how it compares to Haney's soil nitrogen report.  The shortcomings of mainstream agronomic research and the power of "listening to nature." The importance of using water and biological activity as the gauge of soil mineral release rather than acids and extractants to judge soil mineral content. Why many growers are routinely able to reduce Nitrogen and Phosphorus inputs. The importance of looking at real yields rather than soil test data as the sign of a well-functioning fertility program. The power of  embracing new developments in ag research and the future of in-field sensors.

Bob Quinn is a 30-plus year veteran of Regenerative Organic practices and founder of Kamut International, an organization devoted to high quality Khorasan wheat and sustainable agricultural practices. After receiving his PhD in plant biochemistry from UC-Davis, Bob returned home to work on his family's wheat and cattle ranch just outside of Big Sandy, Montana. In the mid 80's, the farm became his "laboratory" as Bob began implementing regenerative organic systems long before they rose to prominence. The Quinn's began planting a Khorasan wheat they would call "Kamut"—an ancient Egyptian word for "wheat"—which would end up seeing a lot of success with whole grain bakeries in Southern California. "My business philosophy is start small and build on your success. I don't have a big pile of money, so I can't go out and just try big experiments, so I try small experiments. If they're successful, then I build on those. And that's what we did, we started with a half an acre [of Kamut®] which was all that seed that we had in 1988—30 years later, we are contracting with 250 organic regenerative farmers in Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan for over 100,000 acres of this stuff." Kamut® is a distant relative to the modern wheat crop that is known for its unique flavor and health benefits. Ancient Grains like Kamut® see much lower yield potential than modern wheat, which over time lead some manufacturers to mix Kamut® with lower quality grains. In an attempt to protect the quality of the grain and the end consumer, Bob decided to trademark the grain, guaranteeing an unhybridized, unmodified, and organic product for their growing list of customers—in fact today, a staggering 75% of their grain goes to Italy. During the episode, Bob goes into detail about how improved testing equipment led to a surprising discovery about minute glyphosate levels in their crops. Kamut International has been organic since its inception, but at one point almost a third of their farmers were sending grain that tested slightly higher than ten parts per billion in glyphosate. Bob was astounded when he discovered that glyphosate is so prevalent in American agriculture that trace amounts can be found in the rain during the growing season. Since this discovery, Kamut International has overhauled their testing protocols and mitigated trace glyphosate levels whenever possible. Whether you are the buyer, the manufacturer, or the consumer, Bob believes in a "everybody wins" approach to business. He believes his impact and scale was achieved by paying farmers more, so he prides himself in the ability to implement economic incentives anywhere he can. Bob recalls in his conversation with John that almost 30 years ago, he began offering three times the amount of the commodity wheat price for Kamut® wheat, which proved to be a very effective business move. Today, that incentive has grown to five times the commodity price. Bob's expertise goes way beyond wheat, for a farmer located in the Upper Great Plains he has an unlikely variety of successfully growing dryland produce. Throughout the episode, Bob goes into detail about how this production came to be and how regenerative organic practices allow him to grow things like watermelon and summer squash in Montana. Bob and John also discuss nutritional value of ancient grains, how the western diet has led to a jump in autoimmune disorders, and the concerning rise of glyphosate levels in our food. Bob also tells the story of how his company accidentally came upon creating cooking oil in the search to create a better diesel fuel.

In our latest episode, John sits down with one of Australia's most recognized thought leaders in Regenerative Agriculture, Dr. Terry McCosker. Over the course of three decades, Terry has worked with about 10,000 Australian farmers—a staggering 10% of all farmland on the continent—coaching them through an agricultural approach that emphasizes both soil nutrition & pasture ecology. Terry currently serves as the director of RCS, an Australian agriculture consulting firm, but his career started at an early age when he had the opportunity to work on an Australian cattle station. Driven by a fearless pursuit of excellence, Terry found that most of the problems that faced the cattle station, as well as other operations across the country, stemmed from an outdated reductionist view of farming. As he continued his research, which included traveling to farms across the globe, he saw firsthand the power of holistic practices and their effects on livestock. Terry began challenging the paradigms of conventional farming and what he observed were results like an increase in livestock reproduction and mortality rates. Throughout the episode, John and Terry discuss the work of Stan Parsons and Allan Savory, the importance of cell grazing alongside other regenerative practices, the proper strategies farmers use to approach succession planning, and the fascinating future potential of carbon sequestration. "A client of mine once said that he thought he was a livestock producer. And then he came to one of our programs and went away thinking that he was a grass producer. And then over time, as he's learned more and more, he now believes he's a soil manager. If you understand that you're a soil manager, the production and the economics of your farm will actually look after itself…to be truly regenerative, a farmer needs to understand that they are a part of the ecosystem, not apart from it." -Dr. Terry McCosker

In our latest episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews plant pathology veteran & agricultural visionary, Dr. Robert Linderman, discussing the benefits of mycorrhizal fungi and other bio-control agents that protect crops from soil-borne pathogens.  After receiving his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from U.C. Berkley in 1967, Robert would spend the next 40-plus years contributing pivotal research findings to the USDA and other agricultural organizations. During his time with the USDA, Robert was introduced to a colleague who was fascinated by the power of mycorrhizal fungi and their ability to keep pathogens at bay. Their conversation ignited Robert's pursuit to understand mycorrhizae symbiosis. Throughout the episode, John and Robert discuss the benefits of building up antagonistic organisms in the soil to create a disease suppressive environment, allowing crops to thrive. In addition to other educated approaches to battling pathogens in your soil, Robert also takes listeners into a deep dive of the Ashburner System, telling the story of how one Australian avocado grower utilized a mycorrhizal fungi strategy—without even knowing it—to suppress phytophthora outbreak across his orchard.  "Farms, whether they're seeding or transplanting or planting bulbs or whatever, need to treat that material where the infection is going to happen…to have something there waiting for the pathogen when it tries to get into the plant is the best chance. It's like immunizing a child for infections that might come. You build up some kind of resistance and the resistance is in a biological form." -Linderman Robert and John also discuss the thoughtful inoculation of propagules, mycorrhizal fungi's effect on photosynthesis, concerns about single factor analysis found in agricultural research, and the true price of the "instant gratification" chemical fix.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Loran Steinlage of Flolo Farms in Iowa. They discuss his experience in relay cropping, interseeding, cover crops, and controlled traffic farming. Loran grows grain crops for seed, has implemented youth programs on the farm, and has experimented with 60-inch corn. Listen for practical advice from a current grain farmer.  Loran grew up planning to be a livestock farmer like his father, but was hit by a semi at the age of 14, causing him to change his plans. Today Loran grows corn, beans, wheat, rye, barley, buckwheat, sunflowers, and oats. Typically, they do relay cropping and interseeding, though this year they have not been able to do relay cropping due to a freeze in May of their cereal crops.  In 2006 Loran began interseeding while his whole farm was corn on corn. Through interseeding, he found his way into cover crops and relay cropping. In the fall there are cereal crops such as winter wheat, rye, spring malt barley, or oats. Loran watches for stand quality, sometimes rolling over into corn if the stands aren't good enough. Otherwise, he sows soybeans at the normal time. Loran uses a 30-inch planter to give more room for the combine. In July winter wheat is harvested, then cereal rye, then malt barley. If there is a window with good weather, they add buckwheat and harvest it and the soybean crop together.  Loran's method has long been to focus on seed quality for economic viability. Uniform emergence is the key that ensures all the heads mature at the same time for a high-quality harvest. Once cereal crops dry and re-wet, germination quality goes down, so they try to harvest the cereal as it dries. For a few years, they were making $7-$8 per bushel on malt barley. Food grade wheat can earn a $2-$3 premium, but with grain cleaners the value can be almost doubled. Loran receives a minimum of $10 for cereal rye seed. He utilizes controlled traffic and stays on the tramlines to avoid creating compaction or driving on the crop.  Controlled traffic has great results in a field, but it requires more forethought and careful management to be successful so it has not been widely adopted. Even if there's a small yield loss, Loran avoids straying from the tramlines as much as possible. About 5 or 10 farmers participated in a tramline study with Bob Recker, with only Loran interseeding cover crops. The extra biomass in the tramlines was very valuable, and a 60-inch gap provided extremely high quality cover crops. Bob Recker did further testing of his "barcode plot" and saw that the 60-inch gap was significantly better than the 30-inch gap for cover crop production. This year, he plans to relay cereal crops into standing 60-inch corn, which in his experience has yielded equivalent or better to 30-inch corn. He attributes some of that to having a precise planter. He also questions if yield should be the ultimate goal. Loran believes growers around him who sacrifice some yield for grazing days can attain 2-3 months of grazing instead of one, which can substantially lower feed costs.  Loran believes kids belong in agriculture today, and that it isn't happening enough. He believes in self-education and the importance of allowing kids to learn on-farm, rather than going off to college. In pursuit of this goal, Loran's started a 4-H program on his farm and increased field days. Having the children working with soil scientists can inspire them so they want to enter the field, and he's seen some success stories already. He thinks that more people need to step out of the way and let young people take their place.  Loran sees the future of agriculture being focused on niche markets. He wants people to build an operation to fill voids in the market, rather than taking other people's ideas and trying to make them fit their operation. He would change government intervention in agriculture if he could. If inherent risk was returned to farming, he believes competition and innovation would return. He also wants people to learn more about practices used after the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression and to combine those with current knowledge to improve fertility and soil health.  Resources:The Steinlage Way Loran Steinlage on Twitter Growing Crops 365 Days a Year - Loran Steinlage Corn Maverick: Cracking the Mystery of 60-Inch Rows Jill Clapperton, Rhizoterra

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Professor Richard Mulvaney from the University of Illinois. Dr. Mulvaney is a prolific soil fertility scientist and researcher with many published papers relating to nitrogen and potassium uptake in crops. His work with Dr. Saeed Khan led to the development of the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test (ISNT). John and Dr. Mulvaney discuss nitrogen uptake in crops, how soil should provide most of the needed nitrogen, and the fallacy that applying nitrogen builds soil organic matter. He also describes the "potassium paradox", how significant amounts of potassium are available from the soil, and the damaging cycle that is created when applying potash.  Nitrogen Fertilization (00:00:53)Dr. Mulvaney began working in soil fertility in the 1980s with a focus on minimizing nitrogen fertilizer loss to increase crop uptake, specifically in regard to the isotope N-15. In collaboration with Dr. Saeed Khan in the 1990s, he found evidence that in some cases, fertilizer nitrogen on corn has no statistically significant response. At the time, most soil scientists were operating with the assumption that the optimal amount of fertilizer nitrogen is found by multiplying 1.2 times an expected yield goal, then deducting nitrogen credits such as a previous legume. In a project in Illinois studying on-farm plots, around 33 of 75 studied sites showed no significant response to fertilizer nitrogen, a finding inconsistent with the 1.2 method. The unfertilized yields, or check yields, were very high and not significantly increased with an application of nitrogen. Thus, Dr. Mulvaney hypothesized that the 1.2 calculation might not be as reliable as previously thought. Dr. Khan and Dr. Mulvaney conducted research to determine the difference between plots used in that study that were responsive and those that were unresponsive to fertilizer nitrogen applications. His wife noted that while soil scientists understand how carbon in plants is heterogeneous and decomposes at different rates, they assume that nitrogen is all the same. Examining the differences within nitrogen forms made clear that the plants at the non-responsive sites had sufficient levels of nitrogen available from the soil and so did not need nitrogen fertilizer applications. Using diffusion on the soil samples from the same study, they found that non-responsive soils were consistently testing higher in amino sugar nitrogen.  The prevailing thought at the time was that fertilizer is the primary source of nitrogen for crop uptake, especially for corn. However, Mulvaney's and Khan's data shows that at least two thirds of the nitrogen in the crop at harvest is supplied from the soils, rather than from applied fertilizer nitrogen. In soils with higher amounts of amino sugar nitrogen, applications of fertilizer nitrogen are a waste of money because most or all of the nitrogen is supplied by the soil. It follows that measured soil nitrogen is only correlated with crop response to applied nitrogen when soil tests measure amino sugar nitrogen.  The 1.2 method was developed from research trials on static plots. These corn plots received the same fertilizer treatments each year. On the unfertilized plots, corn used the nutrients from the soil with no nitrogen fertilizer added. Microbes will also use nitrogen from the soil to break down crop residues, depleting the following crop of nitrogen and depressing yields. The depletion of nitrogen resulting in depressed yields on the unfertilized plots makes the fertilizer effect appear more dramatic in comparison. Because the 1.2 method is based on static plots, it and its related assumptions are invalid when applied to farmer fields. Similarly, the assumption that one-third of the nitrogen will come from the soil is incorrect. In reality, two-thirds of the nitrogen is supplied from soils and only one third or less comes from fertilizer. These misconceptions have misled growers on the importance of nitrogen applications.  Because soil is the primary source of nitrogen for crop uptake, soils should be tested to determine how much nitrogen fertilizer should be applied. Dr. Mulvaney and Dr. Khan developed the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test (ISNT) to estimate the amino sugar fraction for variable-rate nitrogen application recommendations. A former student of Dr. Mulvaney runs the lab at Cropsmith, where the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test is available.  Expansion on Amino Sugar Nitrogen (00:24:15)Amino sugars are an organic form of nitrogen produced by microbial activity. They occur in microbial cell walls, spores, and in chitin. The bacterial cell walls are more decomposable. Nitrogen shows up in asparagine and glutamine, essential amino acids, which contain one nitrogen atom each in the amino group and the amide group, which is prone to break down. It is estimated that 5-10% of soil organic nitrogen is in the form of amino sugars, but Dr. Mulvaney believes it is likely higher. Amino sugar nitrogen, more specifically referred to as alkali hydrolyzable nitrogen, will also increase with more soil biological activity. Manured soils have higher levels of it, and thus have a diminished need for synthetic fertilizer nitrogen. Although his lab has not studied cover crops directly, he believes having active plants in the soil will increase microbial activity and thus the amino sugar nitrogen.   The Morrow Plots, located at the University of Illinois and established in 1876, are the oldest continuous research plots in North America. They are static plots with three rotations, continuous corn, corn-soybean, and corn-oats-hay. In his research, Dr. Khan noticed that the continuous corn plots were not as healthy and had lower yields than the corn-oats-hay plots, even though the continuous corn plots received significantly more nitrogen fertilizer. The results of the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test were lower on the continuous corn plots, which shows that synthetic nitrogen fertilizer is not necessarily building soil organic matter. Research comparing samples from 1955, 1967, and 2005 showed decreases in organic matter on the fertilized subplots. Dr. Mulvaney explains that the fertilizer actually "burned" organic matter. Carbon metabolism requires nitrogen, in a ratio of about 7 carbon to 1 nitrogen, so microbes can only access carbon from crop residue with nitrogen availability. When the microbes have too much nitrogen, they burn off the excess carbon as carbon dioxide rather than building soil organic matter. Additionally, conventional fertilizers have an oxidizing effect on soil microbial communities and stimulate respiration, which releases carbon from the soil as carbon dioxide.  Dr. Mulvaney notes that William Albrecht published a paper in 1938 in a handbook from the USDA where he stated that adequate nitrogen is needed to build organic matter. Later that year, Albrecht published an article in the Soil Science Society of America Proceedings based on results which showed that unfertilized plots had gained organic matter while fertilized plots had lost it. Albrecht never again said adequate nitrogen is needed.  Potassium Paradox (0:43:40)Dr. Mulvaney worked with Dr. Khan, an expert on potassium, to write papers on the potassium paradox. He was doing soil testing for potassium on the South Farm at Illinois, testing from the surface plow layer to about seven inches into the soil. The unfertilized plots increased in their average potassium levels, leading to the realization that the soil was releasing potassium. There are about 40,000 pounds of potassium per acre in just the top six inches of many Midwestern soils. A review of numerous potassium studies showed that there is no significant yield increase from potash fertilization. Clay layers, mostly found in the subsoil rather than the plow layer, hold significant quantities of potassium. When the plant roots reach those lower levels, they find large quantities of potassium that they extract with the biological functions of the root system.  Because potassium is a major plant cation, there are high levels of soluble potassium carbonate in crop residue. Salts are leached from crop residue during rainfall, resulting in most of the potassium in a corn crop returning to the soil and making potassium fertilization unnecessary. Potassium is also fixed in the clay due to its size, leading to high potassium retention in clay layers with sufficient moisture. These factors lead to sufficient potassium levels in the soil. A German researcher, Mengel, performed a greenhouse study where he removed the clay fraction from soil, and potassium uptake was still high. This led to the idea that potassium in the clay layers is unavailable to plants, but Dr. Mulvaney disagrees. He finds that the plants are able to make the potassium available by producing acids. Soil testers measure the exchangeable potassium in soils, and do not measure the non-exchangeable and mineral potassium. This means that they will underestimate the available potassium and will recommend potassium fertilization, though it may not be necessary. As further evidence that potassium fertilization is typically unnecessary, Dr. Mulvaney refers to Cyril Hopkins, a 20th-century soil scientist, who claimed that potassium is not a necessary input because the soil already contains enough.  The potassium paradox is based on the fact that applying potash to soil makes potassium less available by collapsing the clay layers. To demonstrate, Dr. Mulvaney tells a story about a fertilizer dealer who applied potassium to soils that had tested low for potassium. When they re-tested the field, the potassium levels were even lower. They assumed they had the wrong field, re-applied potassium on the same field, and again found lower potassium levels afterward. Thus, applying potassium can worsen potassium deficiency.  Dr. Mulvaney advises growers to use the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test or another similar test. It doesn't test for nitrate, which is dynamic, but tests a more stable nitrogen, specifically amino sugar nitrogen. This allows many growers to save money on purchased inputs such as nitrogen fertilizer if they do not need it.  Rather than soil testing for potassium, he recommends strip trials comparing strips with no potassium fertilizer and strips with a small amount, as large amounts are never necessary. He also recommends using sulfate for potassium fertilizer, rather than Muriate of Potash, because the chloride content in Muriate of Potash diminishes nitrate uptake.  Resources: Richard Mulvaney, Professor Cropsmith Solvita, invented by Will Brinton Solvita SLAN Test Rhizophagy Cycle: An Oxidative Process in Plants for Nutrient Extraction from Symbiotic Microbes by James White Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Dr. Mulvaney's Research The Potassium Paradox, Mulvaney and Khan Morrow Plots William Albrecht, "Loss of Soil Organic Matter and Its Restoration" 1938 William Albrecht, Variable Levels of Biological Activity in Sanborn Field after Fifty Years of Treatment Mengel paper, 1994 Bulletin No. 182 "Potassium From the Soil" Cyril Hopkins

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Dr. David Johnson, a New Mexico State University research scientist, Adjunct Professor for the College of Agriculture at Chico State, and Faculty Affiliate for the Center for Regenerative Agriculture. His research clearly outlines the importance of managing the ratio between fungal and bacterial populations in the soil for plant productivity and carbon sequestration. During his research on the salinity of manure compost, Dr. Johnson and his wife, Hui-Chun Su, developed the BEAM Soil Compost Bioreactor which develops compost with high fungal populations. John and Dr. Johnson discuss carbon cycling and the capacity of biology to sequester carbon and build soil organic matter. The conversation provides a fascinating look at the role of carbon dioxide in agriculture and the environment, how the ratio of fungal to bacterial populations in the soil are key to carbon cycling, and the methodology growers can employ to actively increase soil organic matter while decreasing costs.  Carbon Sequestration (00:02:00)Dr. Johnson explains that high concentrations of carbon dioxide are problematic due to the impact on the climate, increasing the global temperature, rather than the impact of CO2 on plants, which like high concentrations of carbon. Due to those effects, carbon sequestration must be part of sustainable agriculture. John mentions that he has seen organic matter gains in the fields of half a percentage point per year, a very rapid improvement. Dr. Johnson believes that rate is possible, but only with cattle or other grazers in the system. In his experiments based solely on biology, he sees a little over a quarter of a percentage point per year increase in soil organic matter, or 10 tons of carbon per hectare.  The Microbial Community (00:08:00) In order to realize these significant results in building soil organic matter, Dr. Johnson says the microbial community must be balanced. The microbes cycle carbon, improve carbon use efficiency, and create a healthy soil system. Plowing and the use of biocides destroy fungal populations, so those need to be restored in order for soils to function appropriately. John references a slide in one of Dr. Johnson's presentations comparing fungal to bacterial biomass ratios and the partitioning of the photosynthates. The explanation is based on an experiment with compost made in the BEAM bioreactor, where fungal dominant soils were shown to utilize five times the amount of carbon in the plants than bacterial dominant soils. An average of 11% of carbon captured by a plant goes into the root, shoot, or fruit of the plant in most agricultural systems today, but in a fungal dominant soil, 55% of the captured carbon can be partitioned into the plant rather than into the soil. This can dramatically affect plant productivity and growth. Maximum productivity and carbon capture happen when the fungal to bacterial ratio is one to one, which also causes soil respiration to decrease. There can be increased crop biomass as well as more organic matter in the soil. Dr. Johnson notices that as fungal populations in the soil are restored, farmers are often happier. About 60% of a crop must be left to effectively rebuild the soil even after the soil microbes are in balance, rather than 100% removal.  Balanced Systems (00:27:00) Dr. Johnson explains that having the right microbes is a necessary first step towards building soil health, but is not the complete solution. The compost his team uses as an inoculant has over 2,500 species of bacteria and over 400 species of fungi, archaea, viruses, and more. That is a balanced community of varied microbes. The energy flow and carbon flow is also critical, and the photosynthetic rate must be increased. All of those work together to make a much more efficient, restored system. When the soil biology is in balance, the microbes can make the elemental nutrients available for the plant. That takes out the human guesswork of trying to figure out how much of each nutrient is needed. In a corn trial, the amount of applied nitrogen was decreased to 15%, or about 37 lb. per acre, and two lb. of compost per acre were added. The result was a small decrease in productivity in the first year and $80 more an acre in profits. Although only 37 lb. of nitrogen per acre were applied, 261 units of nitrogen were measured in the soil, compared to the control of 256 lb. of nitrogen. The nitrogen was made available from the soil system rather than as a purchased input. Dr. Johnson believes that healthy soil biology leads to a resilient system. He has seen dramatic changes in water absorption and retention when cover crops are used and soil biology is improved. In compacted soil, it took 10 minutes for an inch of water to infiltrate, and it now takes only seconds for that same inch of water. The first 1% increase in soil carbon is associated with a five times increase in the amount of water the soil can hold. Agriculture currently uses 70 to 80% of the freshwater on the planet, but utilizing these methods can double crop productivity and save water. Importance of Observation (00:43:00)Dr.  Johnson explains that the information he has discussed so far was not the primary goal of his research. He was seeking a way to compost dairy manure, and his research serendipitously led him to this information. He believes that holding on to traditional methodologies is an obstacle, and that the farming of the future must be based on regular observation and be open to change. Farming for 40 years provides 40 different experiences, so paying close attention is the best way to improve. Resources he recommends include Chico's Center for Regenerative Agriculture, John Kempf's blog, Gabe Brown, Ray Archuleta, Allen Williams, and Will Harris. His final thought for listeners is to look at soils as a living organism, pay close attention to biology, utilize observation, and to transition to a system of regenerative agriculture to rebuild the soils. Dr. Johnson has seen that it's possible to rebuild soils and that it has the ability to make farming fun again.   Resources: Dr. Johnson's Bio Chico Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems John Kempf's Blog Gabe Brown's Ranch Understanding Ag, Ray Archuleta, Gabe Brown, Allen Williams  Will Harris Dr. Johnson's Research Paper "Development of soil microbial communities for promoting sustainability in agriculture and a global carbon fix" Dr. Johnson's Seminar at Chico State with referenced slide at 23:00

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Zach Bush MD, an educator and a triple board-certified physician who specializes in internal medicine, endocrinology, and hospice care. Zach brings his understanding of the systemic challenges in pharmaceuticals and farming to non-profits such as Farmer's Footprint and Non-Toxic Neighborhoods, where he works to create collaborative communities to solve these human and environmental problems. In this episode, John and Zach discuss the challenging problem of glyphosate. Zach describes the research showing the ramifications of this phosphonate compound and provides clear insights into the science of the problem before returning to an optimistic vision of regenerative agriculture as a solution.  Glyphosate/Roundup (around 00:02)With Zach's background in chemotherapy and cancer research, he was on the front lines in 2005 when it was discovered that the gut microbiome, made up of fungi and bacteria, has a significant impact on whether and how cancer affects people. Joining other researchers, he began to learn the importance of supporting beneficial fungi and bacteria and realized that glyphosate damages the microbiome. Zach explains that glyphosate was originally deemed safe due to the fact that it blocked the shikimate pathway, which does not exist in humans or animals. However, in time it was discovered that glyphosate limits access to some essential amino acids needed by humans for microbiome resilience. Zach says that glyphosate targets protein structures in human cells which can lead to a leak in the gut lining, furthering chronic inflammation. He says that some widespread chronic diseases, such as asthma, Alzheimer's, and cancer, can be traced to gut disruption and inflammation linked to glyphosate use.  Zach references the statistic that the Mississippi River collects 80-85% of the water-soluble residues of Roundup. The last stretch of the river is referred to as "Cancer Alley" because the surrounding regions have the highest rates of cancer in the world. When glyphosate was first widely used, it was thought of as safer than the chemistries it replaced because those were known carcinogens. What we're seeing now, a generation of 25 years later, is that vegetables can have high enough levels of glyphosate concentrations to lead to leaky gut, which is not fully explained by historical definitions of toxicity. In addition, Zach explains that there is an epidemic of autoimmune and neurological disorders that can be attributed to glyphosate. From a study done on mice, Zach knows there are cumulative epigenetic effects of Roundup. If a first-generation is exposed to Roundup, the second generation does not need to be exposed directly to have disorders, immune dysfunction, and a shortened lifespan. The third generation of mice in the study experienced cancers and stillbirths, still without direct exposure. Chronic diseases in children have been increasing exponentially, and Zach expects that trend to continue according to the models developed from this research.  Sixth Extinction (Around 00:20)John asks Zach to elaborate on the prediction that the human population will go extinct in 70 years. Zach bases this prediction on the rise of chronic disease combined with decreasing fertility. He cites the statistic that about 1 in 3 men and women are infertile. Zach explains how we are creating the sixth extinction event by destroying soils, increasing greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, acidifying the oceans, and other modern phenomena.    The Research(Around 25:00) Zach mentions that he is currently working on a book that covers this perspective. For current material, Zach recommends Stephanie Seneff's research correlating glyphosate to chronic disease epidemics. In the last seven years, Zach's lab has been working on the causation aspect, with that research available on ionbiome.com.  Zach's lab has shown that glyphosate disrupts the tight junctions that act as intelligent gatekeepers in a cell while inducing cells to show precancerous attributes.  White papers are available on his website for multiple studies he's been involved in, including one showing that gluten intolerance is actually glyphosate toxicity. Zach has noticed a great increase in immune dysfunction, especially in children, which he attributes to the leaky gut injury caused by glyphosate. He sees this as evidence that we are destroying our ecosystem. John recalls the prediction that within 60 years we will run out of topsoil, and Zach notices that is very close to the 70-year prediction for extinction. Zach finds it very important that we regenerate soils. He says 11% of GDP is lost each year with the loss of topsoil and hopes this might motivate larger groups of people to switch to a regenerative system because it is a notable financial statistic. Other Pesticides, Endocrine Disruption(around 41:00)The impact of pesticides on the endocrine system works in conjunction with the damage already done with glyphosate and can affect kidney and liver function. Zach explains that the decrease in fertility and increases in chronic diseases are also results of endocrine disruption by pesticides and other chemicals. In the process of filming the Farmer's Footprint documentary, Zach and his team noticed that rare disorders and dysfunction were unusually common in the farming community. Rather than seeing the increase in suicide and depression in farmers as a result of financial hardship, Zach sees it as a result of glyphosate impacting gut health and contributing to mood disorders. In addition, farmers are not eating healthy, nourishing homegrown food. 90% of the land in Kansas is used for agriculture, yet 90% of the Kansas food supply is imported. A large portion of the crops grown in large-scale agriculture do not become a part of the food supply but are grown for animal feed or other products. Both Zach and John agree that the midwest is largely a food desert, as societal and economic shifts have forced the agricultural sector to specialize and centralize production.  The Solution (00:58)Zach is excited that regenerative agriculture has a comparatively rapid effect on soil health, farm profitability, and on rebuilding communities. Farmers can begin to work on becoming healthier as individuals by growing their own food and eating a varied diet. Zach describes a product he has available called Ion Biome which utilizes soil redox chemistry to fix the damage done to the microbiome by glyphosate.  John asks Zach what he believes is necessary for food to be medicine. Zach's reply is that fiber is critical and that a balanced diet with nutrient-dense root vegetables, fruit, and cruciferous vegetables allows one to treat food as medicine. He also finds it important to eat food that is freshly picked, such as a tomato right off the vine, with its microbiome still intact. Zach thinks it can be really beautiful when farmers connect with their land again as regenerative farmers and recognize the importance to co-create along with Mother Nature.  Resources: Ion Biome Zach's Research Zach's Website Farmer's Footprint Stephanie Seneff Non-Toxic Neighborhoods Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Joel Salatin, a well-known lecturer and author and the co-owner of Polyface Farms in Swoope, Virginia. Polyface Farms is a "diversified, grass-based, beyond organic, direct marketing farm". Joel is well-known for his highly engaging public speaking style and is the author of twelve books relating his experience as a self-described 'lunatic farmer'. In this episode of the podcast, we visit the challenges of mainstream, conventional agriculture through Joel's paradigm-shifting lens, and learn why farmers are beginning to shift to a regenerative model. Joel also describes how farmers can learn the skills of marketing, communications, and public speaking, and broaches the uncomfortable topic of planning for farm inheritance and succession.  Joel's worldview, informed by both real-world experience and immersion in a broad range of literature from philosophy, history, and religion, to current events and business, forms the foundation of his farming practices. Joel states that deep soils were not built with 10-10-10 chemical fertilizer, but rather built with real-time solar energy converted to carbon and vegetation that rots or is eaten and manured in place. Joel describes why he does not believe such organizations as McDonald's or Monsanto are evil, but rather thinks they have misguided beliefs concerning ecological systems and food production. Most often, employees at these organizations truly believe they are helping the world. While their understanding of agricultural processes is wrong, they are not ill-intentioned. The ability to understand the opposition is an important skill Joel developed in high school debate tournaments that helps him to build bridges with those who see agriculture differently than he does.  Joel and John discuss how most farmers desire to better their land and none have the intention to degrade the soil. Yet, many farmers continue to practice mainstream agriculture with its soil-degrading effects. Joel explains that for farmers to change their practices, often they need to face a crisis. He describes how the symbol for "crisis" in Japanese is the same as the symbol for "opportunity". He sees crises as an opportunity for farmers to move towards more productive, regenerative practices. Joel also describes how we can elicit broader societal change to where regenerative farmers are viewed as the heroes within their communities. The benchmark of success most used in farming is yield. Farmers also consider equipment and infrastructure as benchmarks of success. Joel's take is that neither of these are a determinant of financial success or farm profitability. He relates an anecdote from his early years when his father, a tax preparer for the neighboring farming operations, mentioned that their own threadbare family farm was more financially stable than those farmers with large and fancy equipment and expensive facilities.  Joel believes the mantra that farmers must feed the world is a fallacy that encourages detrimental practices and unsustainable agriculture. The coronavirus pandemic has sharply defined the need for communities to be able to feed themselves and has placed a spotlight on the drawbacks of the current centralized system. Joel describes his belief in an intelligent creator who has loaned the world to us as an investment. In his words, no investor would accept dead zones, pollution, and species extinction. Thus, it is our responsibility to improve the land and help it become more fertile year after year. Seeing the world as an investment helps people to treat it well rather than deplete its resources for unsustainable growth.  The dysfunction of the current system is evidenced by the statistic that small-scale agriculture produces 70% of the global food supply with 30% of the inputs while the other 30% of the food supply is produced using 70% of the inputs. Joel makes the distinction that the size of a farming operation is not a determining factor in how regenerative or sustainable that farm can be. Rather, the sustainability of a farm can be rated on how centralized the operation is. He describes the growth of Polyface Farm as growth by duplication, rather than centralization. Although his farm is considered a large farm by the USDA, it has a small-farm feel partly due to his method of decentralizing 100,000 chickens in 300 field shelters on pasture rather than concentrating them in two giant poultry houses. He considers the ecological carrying capacity of the land when expanding, ensuring the land can absorb the livestock manure. Decentralized systems are much more resilient and much less smelly than concentrated, centralized systems. Although he cannot predict the future, Joel is certain that building healthy soil will stand the test of time. He emphasizes that an agricultural system of the future must be integrated, regionally focused, and full of complex relationships, and that it will be human and soil oriented.  Joel describes the profitability of growing corn versus a grass-fed beef production. Land that grows 100 bushels an acre of corn would produce grass that could support 400 cow days per year. He calculates that, no matter the price of cattle, there is approximately $300 per acre net profit for grass-fed beef, a profit never realized by corn farmers. However, very few of the farmers have actually shifted their production. That is because it is difficult for humans to make such a large change and admit to themselves that a new method could be better than their current practices. Farmer's identities are based around what they grow and how they grow it, so it is very challenging for change to occur. The truth, though, is that farmers must adapt or die. It may require a new generation of farmers for the needed change to happen.  Joel raises the uncomfortable topic of farm succession. Estate planning is especially difficult for farmers due to their love for the land. The average age of a farmer today is 65, so about 50% of America's farmland will shift in ownership in the next 15 years. At the same time, there are many young people hoping to enter the sector. While Joel has explored ways to connect young people with aging farmers who are looking for a successor, he also enforces the value of low-capital and mobile systems to help young people get started. The average American farm has $4.00 of depreciable equity for $1.00 in annual gross sales. At Polyface Farms, this ratio is $0.50 to $1.00. This more nimble style of agriculture requires no land equity, as mobile systems can be placed on land not owned by the farmer. Low-capital systems are becoming very important as young people gain the necessary experience, skills, and knowledge to start up a successful farming venture.  The practice of equal inheritance of farmland is a concept Joel discourages. His view is that farmland should be inherited by the person who has been stewarding the land. When the child who stayed home and held the farm together is given an equal inheritance with their siblings who pursued other careers, they must buy out their siblings to keep the farm which is an unfair burden. These conversations often don't happen, but they are necessary for families to have. As Joel jokes, "Why should I die on my tractor so my kids can run off to Las Vegas with my money?" This episode is a long conversation examining the importance of being well-informed and focusing on soil health and profitability above yields. Listen to gain a better understanding of the future of agriculture and what it will take to get there.  Resources:Joel's Bio   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Dr. Rattan Lal, an acclaimed soil scientist, researcher, and author. Dr. Lal has published hundreds of journal articles on soil ecosystems, effects of tillage, global food security, sequestering carbon in the soil, and more. In the early 1990s, Dr. Lal was a pioneer of the now mainstream idea that healthy soils are a defense against rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, leading groundbreaking research in Africa and later in South America.  After a long and storied career, he is currently the Director of the CFAES Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, where he works with graduate students to research soil carbon sequestration and climate change. In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Lal provides an in-depth description of the function of carbon.  Carbon is the determinant of healthy soil. As Dr. Lal describes, the reason that soil life is much more diverse in healthy soil is because organic carbon is the food for soil organisms. Thus, the healthier the soil, the higher the percentage of organic carbon, providing more diverse populations with the ability to thrive. This is also why, if crop residue isn't returned to the soil frequently, the soil organisms will starve and the soil will eventually die. By dying, Dr. Lal means the soil will no longer contain enough living organisms to carry on the biogeochemical and biogeophysical processes needed for healthy plant growth.  Dr. Lal outlines the concentrations of organic carbon in the soil, which should be approximately 2% in the top 8 to 12 inches. Maintaining this level of soil carbon is essential for water retention and for controlling soil erosion and leaching. It's also critical for nutrient cycling and improved soil structure. Dr. Lal states that CNPK should be the slogan for the application of elements, rather than NPK because carbon is such a critical component of a healthy soil system. Dr. Lal details how carbon is essential for the utilization of the nutrients in the soil, whether they are native or applied, and illustrates the management of soil carbon levels by describing it in similar terms to managing a bank account. In a bank account, the goal is to increase the savings, and therefore what is deposited into the bank must always be more than what is withdrawn from the bank. Soil is exactly the same way. If we want the organic matter to increase in the soil, what we put in as a biomass carbon must be more than what is taken out.  We lose carbon from the soil for four different reasons. These reasons are erosion, leaching, decomposition, and volatilization. It's important to know the amount of carbon loss happening from the soil so we can add a sufficient amount of biomass carbon back to the soil. The efficiency of humidification is about 15-20%, meaning the carbon added into the soil after harvest is 15 -20% of the original biomass after one year. Dr. Lal says that the ratio of carbon to nitrogen in corn or wheat residue is approximately 80:100, while the carbon to nitrogen ratio of humus is 12:15. That means the humus is more enriched in nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. Therefore, to make the most efficient use of the added biomass, microbes need nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and other elements to transform the residue carbon into humus carbon. In an experiment on Dr. Lal's current Columbus, OH research farm, he developed four plots with 4, 8, 12, or 16 tons of biomass per hectare respectively. He then cut each plot into two and added extra nitrogen and phosphorus on the one side of the plot and no additional nutrients on the other side. The results showed the percentage of residue converted into stable humus is substantially increased when extra nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients are added then when there are none. Dr. Lal also describes his thoughts on providing farmers with compensation for ecosystem services. As a society, we could ask farmers to provide services to the global community such as carbon sequestration and the improvement of water quality. Dr. Lal believes society should be willing to compensate farmers for these services. He describes how he's calculated the cost farmers should be paid and has determined a baseline of $16 per acre per year by calculating in terms of tons of carbon and the worth of that carbon ($125 per ton) sequestered in soil as organic matter. Dr. Lal's outlined system of ecosystem services is not similar to a subsidy but is rather a payment earned for services performed. Dr. Lal also describes the necessity of passing a Healthy Soil Act. Similar to the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, the Healthy Soil Act would be critically important to human health and to the slowing of climate change. Dr. Lal believes the passage of this act is especially critical because of the impact soil has on both air and water. Soil is the link between the atmosphere, the environment, plants, animals, and people. This episode is densely packed with information about soil health and how to achieve it, not only for farmers but also for policymakers and educators. As Dr. Lal says in his closing remarks, "Agriculture, if done properly, has to be a solution to environmental issues." Resources: Dr. Rattan Lal, Soil Rock Star Societal Value of Soil Carbon journal article Rights of Soil journal article Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John Kempf interviews Ray Archuleta, an outspoken proponent of healthy soil systems and the founder of Understanding Ag and the Soil Health Academy. Ray has spent decades working in conservation agriculture and, in this episode, he describes his journey from seeing nature as a competitive entity, in which all else should be killed in order for the desired crop to survive, to his understanding today that nature thrives on diversity and collaboration.  Ray describes how new science and technology have identified many examples of collaboration in agroecology, like arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, which share water resources and transport energy and nutrients from organism to organism. Even under stress conditions, these microbes provide water to the plant, an example of nature sharing resources rather than competing. He provides examples of research that illustrate fields with a diversity of species showing greater resilience and yields than monoculture plantings. Ray attended graduate school at New Mexico State University, after which he served as a livestock specialist in the Peace Corps and then as a conservation agronomist with the NRCS. During Ray's early years working in conservation agriculture, he started asking difficult questions: "Why is sediment the number one water quality problem in the nation? Why does it take so many acres to make a living?" Through these questions and more, reading books such as Allan Savory's Holistic Management, and coming to Gabe Brown's ranch in 2007, Ray had revelatory moments, realizing that robust soil ecology is the key to solving many of the challenges plaguing farms today. On Gabe's farm, Ray observed an ideal example of a thriving ecology. When he realized the crops had received no support from nitrogen or chemical fertility applications, he began to dig deep, looking for research that would explain how this ecosystem was working. What he found was that nature thrives when collaborations between compatible organisms are fostered, illustrated not only in agronomic studies such as Brown University's paper on Stress Gradient Hypothesis but also in the real-world operations of early-adopting farmers. John and Ray describe the collaboration taking place between plants, microbes, and bacteria in a healthy ecosystem as descriptive of a larger collaboration between farmers who are practicing these methods and sharing their information with other growers. Ray describes his own journey from viewing farming as drudgery to learning how the relationship between the living organisms works and feeling like he was a part of that relationship.  The conversation takes a deep dive into this farmer-soil-plant relationship, providing growers with the history of the soil health movement, the roles that policy, society, and agriculture play in the broader global health context, and the encouraging view on the vast gains that have been made in the field of soil health since the beginning of Ray's career as a soil conservationist thirty years ago. Resources: Understanding Ag The Soil Health Academy The Stress Gradient Hypothesis Holistic Management by Allan Savory Gabe Brown's Ranch Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Dr. Arden Andersen, who holds a Ph.D. in Agriculture and Biophysics. In this conversation on biophysics, John and Dr. Andersen explore topics such as the role of calcium, soil compaction, pest pressure, and more from the perspective of biophysics and energy. Dr. Andersen's career in agriculture started in childhood on his family's holistically managed dairy farm. This experience provided him with the daring to question accepted science and to forge new paths. While earning a bachelor's degree in agriculture, Dr. Andersen noted that his father's herd suffered from none of the dairy diseases he was studying, allowing him to draw a correlation between disease immunity and herd health. Through further study, he determined that immunity is influenced by nutrition and that this principle is the same for plants and mammals, including humans. Dr. Andersen dove into the world of biophysics, learning from pioneers such as Dr. Philip Callahan, Dr. Dan Skow, Dr. Fritz-Albert Popp, and Dr. Carey Reams, all of whom have had a vast influence on the fields of biophysics and energetics.  Dr. Andersen reiterates the importance of soil calcium and functional biology to plant health, but from the perspective of the energetic signals the minerals and plants are carrying. He says that calcium is the foundational messenger that allows communication within the plant/soil system at the cellular level and that if calcium is ample, foliar sprays become much more successful and effective. Similar to putting a cheater bar on the end of a wrench to gain additional torque, foliar sprays add the last touches of power to a plant that has a sufficient soil base of nutrition.  John and Dr. Andersen discuss clay chemistry and clay aging and how this impacts soil compaction. Clay aging is a term derived from the petroleum industry and it describes the process that develops when enough potassium chloride has been applied into the clay matrix to drive out the calcium and magnesium. At this point, the clay collapses and hardens at the molecular level, and soil compacts easily.  Dr. Andersen warns that high-powered artificially produced electromagnetic frequencies can exhaust antioxidants and essential nutrients. To overcome the negative impact of these frequencies, plants must have a solid foundation of biology to derive nutrition from the soil. He states that plant growth is restricted by energetic limitations, and not by time. The subtle energies that drive information exchange between and within living cells determine how fast that cell can grow. An insufficiency of harmonic energy can lead to an insufficiency of molecular movement. By harnessing these energetic life forces, plants can be grown to maturity much faster. Dr. Andersen notes that plant genetic information is carried by an energetic signature that determines the physical chemistry and describes how stray energetic current causes both plant and animal disease by interfering with the central energy signature of that living organism. Dr. Andersen stresses the importance of being in tune with the soil, plants, and life in the field. He reviews the scientific component of communication between plants and the human heart and mind, stating that it's the life force in plants that we are gaining from the food we eat which keeps us alive. Listen to this episode to explore how understanding energetic life forces can provide the key to gaining enhanced performance from our crop genetics and environment. Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John Kempf interviews Dr. Jill Clapperton, a plant physiologist with an intuitive understanding of the workings of the rhizosphere and an abundance of metaphors that clearly explain these mechanisms. Dr. Clapperton worked as the Rhizosphere Ecologist at AgriFood Canada and more recently started her own company, Rhizoterra, where she researches agronomic practices and develops technologies for scientific on-farm decision making. John and Dr. Clapperton delve into the science of the rhizosphere, discussing how the plant drives and controls the actions that transpire there. Each plant species exudes its own signature of carbon compounds, including sugars, amino acids, lipids, nucleic acids, and other compounds, which Dr. Clapperton refers to as 'carbon skeletons'. The plant then works with the rhizosphere to add the 'meat' of mineral nutrients, oxygen, hydroxyl groups, and more to make the long or short carbon chain 'skeletons' functional. Dr. Clapperton describes the function of these carbon chains as having multiple "command lines" or calls to action, available in their service of the plant. These actions include things such as calling in nematodes to parasitize insect larvae that are feeding on the roots of the plant, or calling in nitrogen-fixing bacteria if the plant is a legume.  Dr. Clapperton also details how the nutrient density of a crop varies based on the cover crop species grown prior to the crop. The root exudates of different plant species develop entirely different colonies of soil fauna to bind the nutrition they need and deliver it to the plant. Because of this, a multi-species cover crop will provide a greater number of different nutrients available in the soil to the following crop. Dr. Clapperton outlines a detailed list of the crops with a compatible rhizobium; for example corn and canola rhizobia are incompatible. Dr. Clapperton also describes the various forms that photosynthates can take within the plant structure, underscoring the need for a robust photosynthesis cycle. As a metaphor, Dr. Clapperton suggests it's like starting with the train engine, which is the photosynthate, and then continuing to add cars onto the train by building these very different molecules from photosynthesis. In the complicated plant/mycorrhizae relationship, the mycorrhizae may need slightly more acidic root exudates in order to grow its hyphae, so it gathers minerals and transports them into the plant, trading them for more amino acids and carboxylic acids and organic acids. Scenarios occur where secondary plant compounds used for fighting disease are made, and if the plant doesn't need them, they will be broken down and redeveloped into other compounds.  In addition, Dr. Clapperton describes how microbes seem to "hoard" amino acids and mineral elements and that if the soil fauna contained only microbes they would out-compete the plant for nutrients. Thus, predator/prey relationships come into play in which the plant calls for other organisms such as bacteria and fungi to eat and digest the microbes, making the nutrients being held by the microbes available for the plant. She describes the methods plants use to continually assess their needs and send chemical signals to the rhizosphere. For example, if there's an aphid on the leaves, the plant sends a signal to ramp up secondary metabolite production to lignify the leaves. Dr. Clapperton's latest research focuses on maintaining a preventative environment in plants, finding and replicating the factors that lead to plant resistance to disease and pest attack. For example, nematodes trying to puncture the roots of an onion crop can be parasitized by fungi, and insects trying to eat the roots can be preyed upon by nematodes. Dr. Clapperton is researching these interactions and learning how we can develop the conditions for them to occur. Learn more about her research on the Rhizoterra website. Listen to learn: How to switch plants from dependence on spoon-fed sugars to a healthy relationship with the soil rhizosphere. How feeding sugars causes unhealthy behavior in the rhizosphere that detracts from plant disease resistance. Why creating an environment where roots can grow rapidly inhibits plant disease incidence. Which plants develop rhizobia that work well with each other, and which plants to avoid planting together. How to grow crops with a proactive immunity so they acquire defense systems in place against pests.  How to work with research organizations to measure the efficacy of new practices, and why it is critical to measure yield and quality results comparisons. Resources: Physiological Plant Ecology by Walter Larcher Mineral Nutrition and Plant Disease by Dr. Don Huber Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants by Horst Marschner Gabe Brown on YouTube Dr. Jill Clapperton on YouTube Dr. Kris Nichols on YouTube Dr. Christine Jones on YouTube For the Love of Soil: Strategies to Regenerate our Food Production Systems by Nicole Masters Environmental Science and Sustainability by Daniel Sherman and David Montgomery Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Dr. Norman Uphoff, who was the director of the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development from 1990 to 2005, and is currently Professor Emeritus of Government and International Agriculture at Cornell University. In this episode, Dr. Uphoff relates how he learned about the System of Rice Intensification in 1993 when he was sent to Madagascar as part of an initiative led by Cornell University to develop a program to increase rice yields and help rural development. There Dr. Uphoff learned about the System of Rice Intensification, a method of growing rice that was claimed to increase yields dramatically that had been developed by a French Jesuit priest named Father Henri de Laulanié. Dr. Uphoff was skeptical that the full extent of the reported yields was true but thought the method merited further investigation and developed a plan for the Cornell program to run trials. The System of Rice Intensification focuses on providing plants with oxygen, photosynthesis, and soil biology, involving methods that were not the norm in the growing practices used in rice production, but that consistently increased yields from 50 to 200%. Farmers using this system saw many more tillers, greater root growth, and plants that stayed green longer. The plants intercepted more sun, gave higher yields, and were more resistant to pests and diseases. They didn't bend over in storms as easily and could withstand water stress and drought conditions. Dr. Uphoff describes how he trialed the method, demonstrating it on the ground in Madagascar and then expanding it to other countries. Dr. Uphoff describes the practices used in the SRI method for growing rice and then shows how those same methods, renamed to System of Crop Intensification (SCI), can work for other crops. One key characteristic of SRI and SCI is the use of compost instead of commercial fertilizers. Dr. Uphoff describes the situations in which compost shows the same efficacy as commercial fertilizer. This episode is a gem from one of the pioneers who achieved wide promotion of regenerative growing practices in an era when those practices were much less popular than they are today. Resources: Photo mentioned in the episode: (Note from Dr. Uphoff: "The two rice plants in Cuba are the same variety (VN 2081) and the same age (52 days after seeding in nursery). SRI plant on right was transplanted from the nursery at 13 days into SRI growing conditions, while the plant on left was removed from nursery at 52 days for transplanting at usual time in Cuba. 43 tillers vs. 5 tillers; as important are the differences in size and color(!) between the two plants. The size of the SRI roots says to me that the soil into which Luis Romero planted this seedling was really well-endowed with beneficial microorganisms that stimulated this root growth.") Links: Dr. Norman Uphoff's website Book: System of Rice Intensification; Responses to Frequently Asked Questions New York Times Article Cornell Article Modern Farmer Article Dr. Norman Uphoff's published research articles: All Dr. Uphoff's research papers The system of rice intensification as a sustainable agricultural innovation: Introducing, adapting and scaling up a system of rice intensification practices in the Timbuktu region of Mali Symbiotic Root-Endophytic Soil Microbes Improve Crop Productivity and Provide Environmental Benefits Grain yield and nitrogen utilization in response to reducing nitrogen rate in hybrid rice transplanted as single seedlings  Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Jason Mauck, an Indiana corn, soybean, wheat, and hog producer who thinks outside the borders of convention and who has pioneered a number of innovative practices. Jason describes the guiding force behind his experiments and innovation as the desire to gain as much control over the variables in farming as possible. Rather than embracing traditional planting and application methods, Jason experiments with new approaches to farming, measuring whether they give him more resilience and control over his inputs and yields. Jason is passionate about relay cropping, the practice of having a second crop growing before the first crop is harvested. An example of this is a cool grass cereal such as wheat or rye planted with a summer annual of corn or soybeans. He describes his experimentation with this approach, from the original plan of planting two crops together and doing all of the same things he would do for each crop planted separately, to his current understanding of the equilibrium needed to successfully bring both crops to maturity with a productive harvest. He has experimented with modifying the width of the rows to accommodate the needs of both growing crops. He also discusses the role manure management plays in his farming operation, and how his goal is to use this source of nitrogen to decrease his dependence on off-farm inputs. In this interview, Jason talks about seldom discussed ideas, such as the phi angle of plant expression, which he describes as coordinating plantings so the solar angles reach the intercropped species. Also, he describes how a farmer can influence 6-ear corn or 200-seed wheat by following the principles of the Golden Mean. Jason talks about the conventional rationale of farmers, by which seed is planted with high hopes, given plenty of nitrogen and all the "by-the-book" fungicide and herbicide applications, and how his approach differs. Alternatively, he thinks of maximizing his yield with on-farm inputs and minimal costs, as well as considering the benefits of water absorption and soil biology the planting adds to the ecosystem. Jason also talks at length about farm economics, and how to increase the contribution margin by decreasing the input costs while employing methods to increase yields. Listen to this episode to hear from one of the most innovative young farming voices in the United States, and follow his social media channels below to keep up with his stream of ideas and measured experiments. Resources: Jason Mauck's Twitter Jason Mauck's YouTube Constant Canopy website Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews French agronomist, Olivier Husson, whose pioneering work on soil pH and redox potential provides a groundbreaking look at what goes on within the soil.  Olivier has focused a large part of his research on the study of reduction-oxidation (redox) in rice production, where the crop is grown in paddies in anaerobic conditions. These conditions are ideal for the study of Eh. Eh, the short notation for redox potential, is a measurement of the availability of electrons, whereas pH is a measurement of the availability of protons. In order to gain a full picture of the soil's nutrient profile, we need to assess both the pH and the redox potential at the same time.  In this interview, Olivier details:  the difference between Eh and pH  how the Eh profile changes based on photosynthetic activity  how electrons in the soil are key to reversing oxidation and absorbing nutrition from soil mineral reserves how Eh determines water absorption capacity how the whole plant is regulated by the redox signal  the Eh and pH parameters that are present when pathogenic fungi, bacteria, and viruses manifest in a plant and cause disease.  John and Olivier have also presented on the topic of redox in a 6-hour course format, including graphs and visuals, which is available as a part of the Regen Ag Academy. You can access this course segment below for free. Resources: Redox Potential: Eh and pH as Indicators of Soil, Plant, and Animal Health and Quality Encyclopédie des plantes bio-indicatrices vol 1   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John Kempf interviews Claudia Carter, Executive Director of the California Wheat Commission. Originally from Ecuador, Claudia leads research around the marketability of California wheat and helps to develop and maintain domestic and international markets for this commodity. Through a partnership with the University of California Davis, the California Wheat Commission tests in-field performance of wheat yields and quality. With their in-house research lab, the Commission also develops pasta, bread, and other products to test wheat varieties for performance.   In this episode, Claudia describes her educational journey in cereal sciences, and her focus on the durum quality parameters that processors need to develop a good pasta. John and Claudia discuss biofortification, the process of breeding wheat varieties for a specific nutritional profile. For years, bakers have demanded wheat varieties with lower mineral content, since the presence of minerals interferes with flour performance. Claudia describes the work being done by wheat geneticist, Dr. Jorge Dubcovsky, to reverse this trend and breed wheat varieties with increased quality and nutritional value. Claudia also talks about the function of protein content in baking, and why higher quality wheat is essential for bakers to develop a premium product. If you're a grain producer, you will find the information in this episode especially useful.   Resources: California Wheat Commission Washington State University Wheat & Small Grains North Dakota Wheat Commission Kansas State University Wheat Production Whole Grains Council   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John Kempf interviews plant pathologist Dr. James White of Rutgers University, whose work provides a new perspective on plant pathology, susceptibility to soil-borne pathogens, and plant absorption of nutrients. Dr. White explains how endophytes, non-pathogenic fungal and bacterial organisms present in all plants, are a mechanism by which plants can absorb complete molecules, internalize and propagate soil-borne microbes, and nullify pathogenic organisms.  In the interview, Dr. White describes how plants cultivate microbes at the meristem, or root tip, where exudates are created. In this zone, these endophytes further attract and cultivate microbes from the soil in the rhizophagy cycle, from rhizo- meaning 'root' and -phagy meaning 'eating'. Through this process, plants attract and internalize soil-borne microbes. The microbes are then internalized by the plant and deliver nutrients from the soil directly to the roots. Dr. White relates how this endophytic process encourages oxidative interaction, fostering hardier, more stress-tolerant plants, and how nitrogen applications and fertilizer decrease the incidence of these endophytes, leading to disease-susceptible crops. In cotton culture, for example, the practice of seed de-linting prior to planting effectively destroys the endophytes present on the seed.  Besides stimulating growth and stress tolerance within the seedling by bringing nutrients from the soil, endophytes also colonize pathogenic fungi, resulting in their reduced virulence. The endophytes don't kill the fungi, but rather they colonize and weaken it so disease incidence is greatly reduced. In some cases, those pathogenic fungi will actually become endophytic fungi in the plant, as in the example of Fusarium oxysporum. Once Fusarium oxysporum is colonized by the endophytic bacteria, it grows more slowly and onto the plant leaf surface. However, as long as the endophytic bacteria are also present, the Fusarium organism doesn't cause disease.  Dr. White describes how researchers are just beginning to understand the significance of endophytic functions and the rhizophagy cycle. In the future, we are enabled to be more cognizant of what we're doing to the soil and plant microbiome in the process of cultivating plants.  In this absorbing conversation, John and James cover the science behind: How plants absorb living microbes How endophytic microbes change potential pathogens' behavior to provide plant nutrients rather than cause disease   How plants propagate soil derived-microbes  Why cultivated varieties are more disease-susceptible than wild varieties and how this can be reversed How plant breeding processes can contribute to the loss of beneficial microbes on the seed coat More details that will change the way you think about seeds, planting, disease, and nutrition Resources:Research Paper: Rhizophagy Cycle: An Oxidative Process in Plants for Nutrient Extraction from Symbiotic Microbes Research Article: Pest Management Science: Review: Endophytic microbes and their potential applications in crop management   Learn more about the rhizophagy cycle in a new 6-hour course from James White at https://www.academy.regen.ag/understanding-rhizophagy/   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this podcast interview, host John Kempf and Canadian farmer Derek Axten discuss Derek's path to profitable farming practices. This journey started in 2007 when Derek made a trip to Dakota Lakes Research Farm where he witnessed soil health and water infiltration levels beyond which he knew were possible. In subsequent trips to Dakota Lakes and visits to Gabe Brown's ranch, Derek learned soil and crop management principles which he's adapted to his own farm. In this episode, learn about the methods and systems Derek has applied and how they've changed the trajectory of his farm from soil health and economic perspectives.  Derek describes his system of inter-cropping and the management practices he employs to increase soil infiltration. He and John also discuss controlled traffic farming, Derek's liquid fertilizer regimen, and decreasing the use of applied nitrogen and other synthetic inputs. Listen to learn how Derek approaches: Soil management tactics and results   Water infiltration Intercropping with two or more crops Fertility applications and compost teas Tillage Controlled traffic farming   Support For This ShowThis show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant. Sign Up For Email UpdatesTo be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast email list. Feedback & BookingPlease send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or a booking request: production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com Email John directly: John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com CreditsThis episode was recorded by John Kempf and Derek Axten and produced by Nathan Harman, Robin Kitowski, and Anna Kempf. We've put together a survey; here's the link: advancingecoag.com/podcast. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!

Before we present our newest episode, we have a request for you. As we complete our second season of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, we have a supporting base of over 5,000 listeners who engage with our episodes shortly after we post them. We now ask for your feedback on the podcast, whether there are topics you'd like to hear more about, and what suggestions you have for improvement. We've put together a survey that allows you to tell us what you think. Here's the link: advancingecoag.com/podcast. We are appreciative of your feedback and we look forward to implementing it to make the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast ever better! Thank you for permitting the interruption…now, on to the show notes! In this episode of the podcast, John interviews Dan Kittredge, the Executive Director of the Bionutrient Food Association, whose development of sustainable agriculture techniques has connected him to farmers worldwide. In this interview, John and Dan delve into the science of growing crops as it relates to human nutrition, describing how agricultural production practices can produce a better nutrient profile in our foods and the potential this holds for human health. He explains why a balanced, as well as a higher nutrient density in crops, is desirable. He discusses the complex relationships between the sun, soil, and plants that lead to these higher and balanced levels of nutrition. Dan explains that across the same food types, i.e., all carrots, wheat, milk, etc., there can be discrepancies in the reported nutritional values and how nutritional data on food packages can be wildly incorrect. Over the past few years, Dan has been working on the development of a BioNutrient Meter, a handheld spectrometer which tests mineral levels in fruits and vegetables. Dan describes the science of spectroscopy, which is based on the frequencies emitted by each chemical element --this same technology helps scientists and astrophysicists determine the composition of stars six light-years away in our solar system. By measuring the frequencies and light particular elements emit, they can measure the percentage of hydrogen, helium and other gases. With the science of spectroscopy, and other new technology, Dan and his team at the BioNutrient Food Association have built a first-generation model of a miniaturized consumer-priced spectrometer for testing the nutrient levels in crops. Listen to this provocative conversation between two pioneers who are truly passionate about growing food as medicine to learn: How Dan founded BFA, and how this non-profit provides support and education for farmers about the use of biological systems The science behind plant resistance to insects, and why these resistant crops make good, in fact better, food for humans. The differences in nutrient density between instances of the same crop when grown on different soil under different conditions How soil and plant health correlates to nutrient density How the compounds that correlate with flavor and aroma are those that make the plant indigestible for an insect or disease The science of spectroscopy, and how the new BioNutrient Meter works Resources The BioNutrient Food Association is having their annual Soil & Nutrition Conference in Massachusetts on November 13 to 17, 2019. For more information, visit soilandnutrition.org.  For more information on the BioNutrient Meter, visit the BioNutrient Food Association website. Our community impact spot for this episode is provided by Hourglass Films. Hourglass Films has developed a documentary about regenerative agriculture called Sustainable, a film about the land, the people who work it and what must be done to sustain it for future generations. The film features some regenerative growers who work with AEA, and is currently available on Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and more. We hope you watch this documentary and find it engaging and useful. We've put together a survey; here's the link: advancingecoag.com/podcast. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.

In this episode of The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John Kempf interviews Walter Jehne, an Australian soil microbiologist and the Director of Healthy Soils Australia. Walter has written and taught extensively about the earth's soil carbon sponge and hydrology as they relate to climate change. Walter provides context for the extreme weather events we are experiencing, and clearly identifies the role that water plays as a climate regulator. He describes how we can manage water to safely and naturally cool the planet and regulate climate change. Walter has developed a perspective on the impact that farmers can have on the climate that is different than the dominant narrative on carbon sequestration. While carbon sequestration is an important piece of the puzzle, Walter explains how managing the way our soils retain and hold water has a much bigger impact due to the way the hydrological system functions as a regulator for the planet. Walter describes how specific tactics in the management of water in our soils can reduce extreme weather events.  Here are a few things Walter and John discuss in this engaging episode: Why rising co2 levels are a symptom, rather than the cause, of the abnormal warming of the past 250 years How improving the soil's water-holding capacity contributes to a more stable climate The foundational principles of atmospheric physics and the climate The effect of land degradation on the hydrological dynamics of the planet How regenerating the soil carbon sponge is the critical bridge between carbon management and hydrology management How increasing photosynthesis and "green longevity" is the key to restoring the hydrological balance, thus restoring climate balance and reducing extreme weather events   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Sign Up For Email Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast email list.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or a booking request: production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com Email John directly: John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com   Credits This episode was recorded by John Kempf and Walter Jehne and produced by Nathan Harman, Robin Kitowski, and Anna Kempf.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews French agronomist, Pierre Weill, who created a feed company in 1992 in French Brittany with the intention of producing health-oriented animal nutrition. He then went on to co-found a nonprofit association called Bleu-Blanc-Cœur, which connects all the actors involved in the food chain to help producers and consumers connect the dots between reduction in disease and the quality of food production.   Pierre's fascinating research trials examine the differences in human health when animal products from animals fed high-quality forage-based diets are consumed versus products from conventionally fed animals. In one group of six trials, conventionally fed animals were fed a diet of corn and soybeans, and the animals with a healthy diet were fed high-quality forages and seeds. Consumers in the trials were divided into control groups who ate milk, eggs, and other animal products from the conventionally fed animals, and experimental groups that ate the same from animals which were fed the higher-quality products.    The two groups ate the same quantity and type of foods. The only difference was the diet of the animals. In this way, the producer's behavior, and not the consumer's behavior, was measured.   As a proof of concept, the omega 6 and omega 3 levels, which correlate with the inflammatory processes, were measured in both groups of people, and a significant difference was found. The ratio of omega 6 and omega 3, which is healthy at a level of 5 and pro-inflammatory at a level of 10, was 15 in the control groups, and five in the experimental groups.   Pierre also talks about the structure of a new trial, currently underway, testing the immunity of breastfed children with the mothers' diets being the differential, once again measuring the quality of the diets eaten by the animals whose products the mothers consumed.    John and Pierre delve into the link between soil health and human health, and how the human gut microbiome is linked to a larger microbiome in the soil. The health of one is reflected in the health of the other.   John and Pierre also discuss Bleu-Blanc-Cœur, and how Pierre developed this organization to address the problems of access to high food quality among populations with lower economic status and producer incentives to serve these groups. Within Bleu-Blanc-Cœur, producers pay close attention to the quality of animal health and diet and are connected with consumers who enjoy better health because of the producer's choices.   As an experienced animal nutritionist, Pierre provides information on the most optimal diets for hens, cows, and pigs. He discusses the impact of a healthy animal diet, on-farm economics, and describes how the longevity, higher fertility, and higher yield of milk and butterfat lead to an increase on the bottom line for farmers employing healthy animal diets.   Pierre's recommended resources (that are not written in French): The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollack   To learn more about Pierre's work to improve the nutritional and environmental quality of our food, visit the Bleu-Blanc-Cœur website here.  Follow Pierre's research, and read the results of past peer-reviewed studies.   Our community impact spot for this episode is No-Till on the Plains, a non-profit organization that provides education, networking, and inspiration for growers who focus on soil health. No-till on the Plains will be hosting their annual winter conference in Wichita, Kansas, in January of 2020 where John Kempf will speak and present workshops about regenerative agriculture systems. To learn more about this conference and to register, visit the event information page on the web.   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Sign Up For Email Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast email list.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or a booking request: production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com Email John directly: John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com   Credits This episode was recorded by John Kempf and Pierre Weill and produced by Nathan Harman, Robin Kitowski, and Anna Kempf.

John Kempf and Vernon Peterson take the stage for a live-recorded conversation at the inaugural Acres U.S.A. Healthy Soil Summit, held at the University of California Davis Conference Center on August 21, 2019, for this Regenerative Agriculture Podcast episode.  Vernon's experiences from 30 years of growing tree fruit and other crops on both conventional and organic acreage in California's water, weather, and labor-challenged environment inform the wisdom he posits here.  Peterson was the recipient of the Grower of the Year Award from the California Certified Organic Farmers Association and the Organic Produce Network in 2017. He farms 300 acres of stone fruit, including peaches, plums, nectarines, and apricots. Vernon's operation also packs fruit for almost 80 neighbors, including stone fruit, pomegranates, and citrus.  Listen to hear Vern's strategies for activating employees to achieve their fullest potential, his knowledge of organic fruit production and marketing, and a call to farmers to tell their story through knowing the nutrient value of their food. Vernon also discusses how he's formed a unique alliance of growers that work together in marketing, sales, operations, and compliance areas, resulting in successes for multiple small-scale organic operations. Vernon describes the "aha!" moment when farmers realize that organic production is more than just the conventional input substitution.  He provides examples of measuring fruit tree production and worker productivity on his own operation, describing why it's important for employees to have access to the data and tools needed for their own improvement. He shares how a simple pay scale increased the output quality without costing him more while paying the workers double. He makes the case for how extraordinarily close relationships with employees lead to greater business success. Vernon also turns the ag production paradigm on its head when he suggests that growers should start by selling the crop, then focusing on marketing and packaging, before growing the fruit. He also shares his overarching goal of reinvigorating agriculture through organic production. He believes that documenting and publishing the nutritional quality of food holds the potential to turn the tide of agriculture in America. Vernon's recommended resources:  The Stockman Grass Farmer BizBooks Ag Software The nutrient meter mentioned by John: BioNutrient Food Association's BioNutrient Meter   Our community impact spot for this episode is the cover crop provider, Green Cover Seed. Green Cover Seed shares the benefits of cover crops with the farming community. They do an excellent job of conducting and disseminating research into cover crops species, blends, and uses. While there are many excellent cover crop providers out there, Green Cover Seed stands out for their education, outreach, and variety. Website: https://www.greencoverseed.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfrK9tSdYXpHFxbhKxgcMbw   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Sign Up For Email Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast email list.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or a booking request: production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com Email John directly: John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com   Credits This episode was recorded live by John Kempf and Vernon Peterson at the Healthy Soil Summit and produced by Nathan Harman, Robin Kitowski, and Anna Kempf.

Record rainfall has resulted in an unprecedented number of unplanted acres in 2019. Farmers must now consider how best to manage these fields for the remainder of the season. In an otherwise fallow year, cover cropping options abound during a unique summer planting window. In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John Kempf hosts a panel of American Midwestern agronomists and farmers, Steve Groff, David Kleinschmidt, Brad Hobrock, and David Chance, to discuss wet weather, the inability to plant in sodden areas and the options to sow cover crops in empty fields.  David Kleinschmidt, a midwestern agronomist, and owner of Progressive Agronomy Consulting Services, consults with growers across the Midwest where his in-depth knowledge of soils and soil health helps farmers realize better yields. Brad Hobrock is the owner of AgriBio Systems in Illinois where he farms several thousand acres of corn and soybeans. His voice and experience show the issues of cover cropping and weather challenges from a farmer's perspective. David Chance, the owner of Chance Farms and several thousand acres in Indiana, shares his expertise on cover crop mixes, dry weather planting, and farm subsidies.  Steve Groff, the Cover Crop Coach and founder at Cover Crop Coaching, is based in Pennsylvania. He travels across the country teaching farmers the techniques and value of cover cropping systems. John and his guests outline the challenges farmers are facing this season, with a record number of unplanted corn and soybean acres throughout the Midwest due to excessive rain and flooding. They explain how cover crops can pay for themselves by decreasing the need for fertilizer applications while improving soils and yields in subsequent years.  Listen to hear a broad array of perspectives on:  The benefits and drawbacks of various species and their best uses How to determine your cover crop mix with your goals and budget in mind A comparison of simple one or two-species blends versus a diverse mix of cover crops The differences between cool- and warm-season legumes The value of cover crops in diffusing herbicide residue  The value of cover crops in managing carbon and nitrogen The importance of bacterial and fungal inoculation The role of crop insurance programs  Which cover crops can shift the soil's microbial population from bacterial to fungal dominance  Which cover crops speed up the bioremediation process of pesticide residues in the soil profile This podcast serves as an invaluable resource for any grower whose planting window has passed without the ability to get in the field and for anyone considering the use of cover crops. The Community Impact Partner for this episode is the NOFA Summer Conference, a three-day conference that offers a wide-range of seminars, workshops, and other educational opportunities. Immerse yourself in a community of like-minded practitioners and curious learners eager to share inspiration and ideas for organic food, farming, health, activism, and beyond. The NOFA Summer Conference is a family-friendly event in Massachusetts where you can bring the whole family to enjoy workshops for adults, kids and teens, over 60 vendors, live music, games, and amazing food! Learn more about the conference and register here.   The Community Impact Partner for this episode is also the Healthy Soil Summit. This August, Acres USA will host the Healthy Soil Summit in Davis, California. Join farmers, consultants, researchers, and others for two days of engaging learning from world-renowned experts in the field of regenerative agriculture including John Kempf, Gary Zimmer, and Brendan Rocky. Wherever you are in your farming journey, this event will provide you the tools to enhance the productivity and profitability of your operation through biological practices. Go to acresusa.com to learn more about the Healthy Soil Summit. Email us at events@acresusa.com or call us at 1-800-355-5313.   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Sign Up For Email Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast email list.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or a booking request: production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com Email John directly: John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com   Credits This episode was recorded by John Kempf, Steve Groff, David Chance, Brad Hobrock, and David Kleinschmidt, and produced by Nathan Harman, Robin Kitowski, and Anna Kempf.

In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Dr. Jerry Hatfield, Ph.D., a plant physiologist who runs the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames, Iowa. Jerry has done extensive research on the interactions between soils, plants, and the environment. Jerry describes his findings from some of these tests which track interactions among different types of cover crops with different soil and plant variables. Jerry also studies agriculture as a molecular geneticist, testing which genes are activated in plants during drought versus flood conditions and other environmental factors. John and Jerry also discuss the differences between the terms sustainable agriculture and regenerative agriculture, and answer the questions: What are the steps to regenerative agriculture? What is the return on this type of system? To quote Jerry, "If you go down this road of improving your soil, you increase your profitability, you increase your yield stability, and you'll sleep better at night." In this episode John and Jerry cover: The carbon balance in terms of improving the soil-plant-health continuum The roadmap provided by regenerative agriculture for increased profitability The needs of biology and how to fuel those needs to provide climate resilience Listen to learn how the carbon cycle can shift and change when growers begin to manage soils and crops differently with regenerative management, rather than with present mainstream management. Jerry says, "Agriculture is in the carbon capture business," and this episode explains why, drilling into the role of carbon in regenerative agriculture. The Community Impact Partner for this episode is the Regenerative Organic Alliance, the developer of the Regenerative Organic Certification, a holistic agriculture certification encompassing pasture-based animal welfare, fairness for farmers and workers, and robust requirements for soil health and land management. Brands are already seeking to bring ROC-certified products into their supply chain. You are invited to research and join the ROC program. The first step is to download the ROC Participant Handbook on their website.   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Sign Up For Email Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast email list.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or a booking request: production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com Email John directly: John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com   Credits This episode was recorded by John Kempf and Jerry Hatfield, and produced by Nathan Harman, Robin Kitowski, and Anna Kempf.

In this episode, John interviews David Montgomery, Professor of Geomorphology at the University of Washington. John and David discuss soil regeneration at length, pulling from David's experience developing new topsoil in dead, stony ground and his deep dive into the science behind it. David came to the field of regenerative agriculture from a unique position. As a geologist studying erosion, he became curious about agricultural impacts on soils.   When David set out to write his first book, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations, he imagined it would tie the subject of landscape formation over millennia to how soil erosion affected ancient civilizations. He ended up writing about the history of farming, because that's where soil erosion and degradation connects back to human societies. Spending more than a decade looking at how agriculture has influenced soil loss resulted in an epiphany that led him to see regenerative agriculture as the solution to historically degenerative agricultural problems. In this thought-provoking interview, John and David discuss: How conventional farming practices have contributed to mining the soil, and how this impacts the future of global societies. David's observations of rebuilding soil at scale and the science behind it The 3 principles of successful soil regeneration: Minimal ground disturbance Keep the surface covered Grow diverse crop rotations How the key to rapid restoration of soil fertility is about kick-starting the biology Why David is an unrepentant optimist on the issue of reversing soil degradation, something he didn't think would happen when he wrote the book on erosion. John and David explore the soil-life effects of glyphosate as an antibiotic and mineral chelator, and conjecture as to it's human health impacts. There is a fascinating glimpse of a South African farm that doubles as a cheetah rehabilitation area, that may spur new ideas on meshing agriculture with wildlife conservation. David shares about his two musical projects as well. https://www.bandmix.com/bigdirt/   David is the author of two books: Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations  2007 Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life  2017.   David's recommended reading list from the episode: Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown Organic No-Till Farming by Jeff Moyer The Third Plate by Dan Barber   The Community Impact Partner for this episode is Jerry Hatfield, director of the National Lab for Agriculture and the Environment at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. The ARS seeks partners to participate in on-farm research to further our collective knowledge about best farming practices. Please consider getting involved with this important work as a citizen-scientist, and look forward to a future podcast interview with Jerry soon! Website: www.ars.usda.gov/nlae Email: jerry.hatfield@ars.usda.gov Phone: (5l5) 294-5723   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Sign Up For Email Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast email list.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com Email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com   Credits This episode was recorded by John Kempf and David Montgomery,  and produced by Nathan Harman, Robin Kitowski, and Anna Kempf.

Mike Omeg is a 3rd generation cherry grower who has spent the last few decades farming 350 acres of cherries in The Dalles, Oregon. Mike is an innovator with the vision for new approaches and the analytical mind to measure results. He's tested myriad techniques in his quest for the best and most profitable methods of growing cherries, and was awarded the Good Fruit Grower award by the Fruit Grower News in 2017. In this conversation, John and Mike delve into the type of bio-intensive system Mike has developed and the data he has collected in his trials. Mike has shown that profitable large-scale agriculture and regenerative practices are entirely compatible and speaks to how his operation has scaled regenerative practices. He also thinks deeply about return on investment, the economic growth of his operation, and discusses the positive impact that regenerative methods have had. Believing that one of the fastest ways to improve soils is to grow a healthy crop, Mike explains his view of the tree as the conduit for putting carbon into our soils more efficiently than mulch or compost. Supported with the correct nutrition, the tree is simultaneously building this year's crop and boosting nutrient levels in the soil for building future crops. In the episode, Mike gives in-depth information on his experiments with different types of cover crops saying, "When we talk about having a return on our investment, we need to have every seed that goes into that mix be there because we know it's going to earn us a return - not because we want to feel good that we're maybe doing something that we read in a book was important." Close to the end of this conversation, Omeg says, "I'm excited for every day to bring new challenges in farming. And focusing upon biological and restorative agriculture has just brought a real sense of joy to me when I walk through the orchard. It's exciting, and I love it." Mike is truly an important figure in the landscape of stone fruit production. Check out his YouTube channel where he covers not only some of the most innovative stone-fruit production methods, but also a host of other fascinating topics. Whether you grow cherries or cherry tomatoes, you will find this conversation between John and Mike to be fascinating and informative, with lessons that span all of agriculture. Listen to this conversation to hear Mike explain: His very practical experience and cost/benefit analysis with mulch, compost, cover crops and interplanting How mow-and-blow replaced Mike's use of compost How plant sap analysis influenced his inputs management process Mike's extensive trials, and thinking process, for finding cover crops suitable for orchard alleyways Specific information on Ajuga (Ajuga reptans), Moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia), and Comfrey (Symphytum officinale var. patens) Nutritional defenses against the two major cherry diseases, bacterial canker and powdery mildew that he never imagined possible An interesting anecdote on freeze resistance The value of fish and other inputs on orchard plantings The ROI on a bio-intensive system based on increased cherry size and firmness How biologically intensive practices and large scale production fit together Resources: SeaShield (fish product mentioned by Mike) Mike's recommended sources for information: YouTube The Farming Ladder by G. Henderson Please remember to support our Community Impact featured partners! Acres USA is North America's premier publisher on production-scale organic and sustainable farming. For more than four decades they have been helping farmers, ranchers and market gardeners grow food organically and sustainably. Acres USA is dedicated to the mission of educating growers about the benefits of ecological farming, with content that is designed to help you grow your operation in an ecologically and economically sound way. Check out their books, podcast, and monthly magazine!   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Sign Up For Email Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast email list.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com Email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com   Credits This episode was Recorded by John Kempf and Mike Omeg, Edited by Nathan Harman, Produced by Nathan Harman, Robin Kitowski, and Anna Kempf.

Pascal Fafard is a consultant and crop advisor in Quebec, Canada, working primarily with fruit and vegetable growers. He holds a bachelor's degree in agronomy and has been supporting and mentoring fruit and vegetable growers for more than 25 years. While working in IPM, nutrition and vitality advising, and the typical agronomic considerations, he realized that taking care of growers is as important as the grower taking care of plants. This shift in focus led to his unique take on agriculture that has inspired advisors and growers to adopt more intuitive farming practices in the hopes of fostering greater peace of mind, increased clarity and enjoyment, better plant vitality and improved business productivity. As you will hear, Pascal is committed to life in all its many forms and brings a perspective that stresses the importance of a close partnership between man and nature. His innovative approach encourages advisors and growers to unlock their full potential and to strive to realize what is most important to them. This episode is largely the story of Pascal's thought journey on the nature of farming, the relationships we hold with nature, and the opportunity to make both more meaningful. He and John talk about the development of techniques to increase communication between growers and their plants, and a much more subtle way of interacting with our crops, which is intended to provide greater fulfillment to the grower, and better results. We may be challenged to step outside our comfort zones, hearing what Pascal offers, but one may find it to be of great value. "If there is something I want to say today...my only desire is... open new possibility to the grower, and if there is something that resonates in themselves from what I say, just take it. If there is something that doesn't talk to you just...throw it in the garbage." In this episode, John asks the question "What is it that plants desire from the grower?" This episode introduces a Regenerative Agriculture Podcast first: quotes from actual plants, as translated by Pascal. He notes that "When you communicate with nature you can receive information as a thought, as an image, as an emotion, you can be pulled to go somewhere in the field. It depends on the person...be open minded...it's got to be your way." There are many stories from the field and a few action items, but this interview is not about science and agronomy. It's about a farmers relationship to life, and passion for the work of farming. These are esoteric concepts that Fafard presents eloquently and practically. Pascal's course suggestions: Maya Kincaid: The Sedona International School for Animal and Nature Communication Pranic Healing - International course offerings: (USA EAST site: https://pranichealingusa.com/) (USA west site: https://pranichealing.com/) And John's suggested reading on the topic: The Lost Language of Plants and The Secret Teachings of Plants, both by Stephen Harrod Buhner. If you have questions or would like to set up a consultation with Pascal, please reach out to him at info@pascalfafard.com   Please remember to support all of our Community Impact featured partners! Chelsea Green is an employee-owned and mission-driven company and a leading publisher of hundreds of great titles, including Gabe Brown's recent book, From Dirt To Soil -- which we featured Gabe & his book on this show, in Season 1. If you like this podcast, you will love their books. And there is just enough winter left to read a few. Visit them at www.chelseagreen.com and enter the code "REAG30" at checkout, for a generous discount just for listeners of this show. And finally, we are very pleased to announce the recent release of AEA's new online learning platform, the Regen.Ag Academy, https://academy.regen.ag/ The first course is ready and more are on the way. This self-paced series of courses, each comprised of multiple video lessons, and graded quizzes, is geared toward the agricultural professional, Certified Crop Advisor (CCA), student, or highly motivated grower who wants to further their studies in regenerative agronomy. It is an accredited course and can be taken for CEU points from the ASA. We've been working hard to set up a platform where the best of John Kempf's teachings can be received, and where you can assess your own knowledge. We look forward to your participation and feedback. Check out Regen.Ag Academy here, and sign up to be notified of future course releases. Thanks for Listening!   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, helping professional growers make more money using regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you grow on a large-scale and are looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Sign Up For Email Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast email list.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com Email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com   Credits This episode was Directed by Geoffrey Shively and Nathan Harman, Edited by Nathan Harman, Produced by Nathan Harman, Robin Kitowski, and Jenna Sodano.

Hi Friends! Welcome to Season 2 of The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast! Thank you for listening, spreading the word, and helping to make this show such a hit, while expanding our community in the fast-growing regenerative agriculture movement. It is my honor to be part of this community along with you as we launch Season 2 of this show. For this season-opening episode, we are immeasurably pleased to bring Dr. Don Huber back again, sharing more of his wealth of accumulated knowledge. Don was our first guest on the show in Season 1, and you can listen to the first-ever Regenerative Agriculture Podcast episode with Don, here. Dr. Don Huber is a leading plant pathologist, Professor Emeritus at Purdue University, and prolific author, contributor, or editor of more than 300 published academic writings and three books. For more than 50 years, Don has been a renowned researcher and principal voice in the field of crop-plant pathology, especially as it relates to the overlapping spheres of mineral fertility and microbial ecology. As a research partner, consultant or advisor, he has contributed to work in more than a dozen countries and been awarded numerous honors and awards for his copious scientific contributions. Critical among these, has been his work in: nitrogen efficiency; nitrification inhibitors; plant and microbial metabolite interactions; development of aminopeptidase profiling, whereby unknown micro-organisms can be rapidly identified and then cultured, by their amino acid profile; and copious work vastly furthering the understanding of mineral/ microbe/ disease/ herbicide interaction. There are some heavy science topics in this show that may compel your own further research. But no matter what or where you grow, there are some truly high-value practicalities laid out in this conversation. This all makes him a really exciting guest to have on the show. In this episode, listen as Dr. Don Huber covers the following and more: Reducing vs. non-reducing sugars and the role they play in energy storage and metabolism. High levels of reducing sugars (glucose and fructose) are an attractant of insects and disease. Manganese is an enzyme cofactor for the sucrose phosphate synthase enzyme that converts glucose and fructose. Reducing sugars are exuded from roots, attracting pythium, Phytophthora, actinomycetes, oomycetes. Non-reducing sugars are less exuded and a poorer food source for these organisms. Most soil pathogens remain dormant and harmless until activated by external nutrient sources. The grower can control this. In disease suppressive soils, soil bacteria colonize the resting structures of dormant fungal or oomycete spores, causing fungistasis, keeping them dormant. Reducing sugars, as root exudates, disrupt this suppression by giving bacteria a more ready food source. Airborne pathogens are also attracted to a deficient nutrient profile of the above-ground plant parts. Rusts require an exogenous source of Zinc on the leaf surface for spores to germinate. Siderophores can be prevented by antibiotics, nutritional integrity, and immune responses. Some early fungicides did not affect the fungus, but rather the amino acid profile of the plant, denying the fungus its food source. Apple Scab example. Aminopeptidase profiling that Don developed. Not directly practicable for farmers, but a fascinating and now commonly used lab practice, in microbiological research. Nitrogen is not just N, from the periodic table. Ammonium, Nitrate and Amino Nitrogen must be considered as unique substances, that affect systems differently and should be used differently. Molybdenum's role in the Nitrate Reductase enzyme functioning, and other details on nitrogen conversion and storage. Ammonium is the most efficient form of Nitrogen for corn and wheat. Nitrate requires 12-16% of all sugars just to convert to a plant usable form. Ammonia, however, cannot be stored and must be metabolized as its taken up, which can be stressful for very small plants. Efficient urea use and its reliance on the relatively abundant urease enzyme to hydrolyze ammonia. At the end of the show, Don gives this reminder: "It's truly remarkable how everything is integrated to such a dynamic degree that it all relates together… Just look at the whole picture and make sure that we're meeting the needs of the plant… We need to look for the specific elements, but recognize that they're all part of an integrated system." ~Don Huber For more reading of Dr. Huber's work, view his selected bibliography and further bio. Be sure to check out the links below as I have some exciting announcements to make! Enjoy! John and The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast team at AEA   PS...  I am excited to announce that, in alignment with my mission of making regenerative agriculture the new standard for agriculture, and due to popular demand, I am opening an online academy, the Regen.Ag Academy! The first course is entitled Precision Ag Nutrition Management, offering powerful and engaging information, along with 2 CEUs upon completion. We will be launching soon so signup for our Regen.Ag Academy email list here. In the introduction section of this episode, you will hear the amazing Seth Godin (author of 18 best-selling books) mention his new Business of Food Workshop. It is worth checking out. I find a terrific amount of value in Seth's workshops. If you are a large-scale grower of corn, popcorn, pinto beans, or other grains and broadacre crops, I welcome you to attend an event I will be hosting on February 27, The Regenerative Soil and Plant Health Academy and AEA grower lunch in Garden City, Kansas. Click here to learn more. Hope to see you there!   ~   Support For This Show This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Sign Up For Email Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast email list.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Credits This episode was Directed by Geoffrey Shively and Nathan Harman, Edited by Nathan Harman, Produced by Nathan Harman, Jenna Sodano, Robin Kitowski, and Anna Kempf.

John Kempf and Ed Curry take the stage in Louisville, KY at the ACRES Conference 2018 — a hotbed for regenerative agriculture practitioners for the last 30 years — to record the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast's first ever LIVE show. The Acres Conference isn't just another trade show or conference; this is a gathering of passionate and purposeful people working to share information and tools, and challenge the status quo in agriculture for the greater good. This is why we chose Acres 2018 for our first ever Podcast LIVE and why John and Ed make such a great pair to co-create this inaugural episode at this event. Ed is an old-school breeder and grower with a new-school mentality. More than 90% of the green chiles grown in the US and Mexico are from Ed's breeding program. He is now the only breeder of his kind in the world. Even if you don't grow chiles, you can certainly learn something from this discussion. The show covers important topics such as: The art of visual phenotyping Soil health's impact on genetics Increase in yield by maximizing genetic potential over time Visually measuring the yield and quality of a chile crop within 30 days of planting The relationship between early vigor and crop yield How Ed's management practices have brought steady decreases in Phytophthora and Xanthomonas bacterial spot Ed's prediction for the coming capsaicin revolution and its many positive benefits One of the most powerful things Ed says is, "The soul of farming is the soil." We agree. The finale of our first season, episode #30, represents a huge milestone and our first ever Podcast LIVE. A huge THANK YOU is in order to all our amazing listeners around the world in the regenerative ag community who have supported this show and helped to make it such a success. We hope you have a lovely holiday and we look forward to sharing the second season of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast with you in the new year. Thank you, The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast Team     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.   Credits This episode was Directed by Geoffrey Shively, Edited by Nathan Harman, Produced by Nathan Harman, Robin Kitowski, Jenna Sodano, and Anna Kempf.

"It's a very exciting time to be in agriculture, and a really great time to be a farmer, I think, and a great time to be an entrepreneur." ~Pam Marrone   Pam is the founder and CEO of Marrone Bio Innovations, a leader in bio-pesticide research and manufacturing. She is a Ph.D. entomologist, turned entrepreneur.  Pam is an inspiration to not only the next generation of microbial Ag researchers but to women in science and business. In addition, her work has helped farmers who are looking for more benign ways to address pest challenges.   Marrone's career has taken her from Monsanto and Novo Nordisk to entrepreneurial ventures such as Agraquest Inc. and MBI.   Her research screening for microbes and their products has yielded a library of tens of thousands of potentially useful microbes, and has given the world several of it's most widely used Bio-Pesticides.Pam also co-founded the Biological Products Industry Alliance to help growers understand HOW to make the best use of these materials in a combined whole farm program.   Throughout this fascinating conversation you will discover: 50% of pharmaceuticals are derived from natural products, but only 15% of pesticides Environments where one is more likely to find insecticidal microbes compared to fungicidal microbes Technologies that are enabling faster and more effective microbial and metabolite research Microbial shifts observed due to different farming practices Ecological and profitable advantages of BioControls over synthetics The great need for more multifactor, on-farm, holistic research as opposed to single-factor, silver bullet research Why it's not necessarily the bacteria or fungi themselves, but the compounds they produce that we are looking for   Enjoy! John   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Episode Resources Marrone Bio Innovations Bio-bites articles and podcasts linked on Pam's blog ATTRA IR4 at Rutgers Biological Products Industry Alliance (BPIA) Biocontrols market growth [article, report]     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

This week, we present a follow-up to the interview I conducted last week, in Episode 27, with Gary Zimmer. I hope you enjoy the chance to dive deeper into some of the topics raised in the previous episode.  Gary has been a key figure in the development of regenerative agriculture in America, is a sought-after speaker, and is the author of both The Biological Farmer (now available as an updated and expanded second edition), and Advancing Biological Farming. He is the founder of Midwestern BioAg, a consulting and fertility provision company headquartered in Madison Wisconsin. Gary's consulting has largely been in broad-acre crops and dairy, but the powerful information he offers can be universally transferred to any crop. Gary's analogies between ruminant digestion and soil mineralization helps us understand concepts in biological farming.  This talk is sprinkled with fast-paced wisdom, anecdotes, research, and philosophy. The conversation centered on three topics which are critical to every farm:   Trace Minerals Gary's preferred trace mineral nutrition sources and distribution methods A lively discussion on sap, tissue, soil and dairy ration testing Using mineral inputs when and where needed, with purpose, based on data   Nitrogen Management Nitrogen management is NOT merely a numbers game Digestibility and solubility are the critical considerations in N management The use of various nitrogen stabilizers such as polymer coatings, humates and carbohydrates The use of S, Mg and Mo to stabilize nitrogen in the soil Growing crops without purchased nitrogen Removing N availability as a limiting factor by growing N   Carbon A perceived N response which is actually caused by solubilizing carbon and releasing CO2 The economics of mineral balance in terms of yield bump vs. yield loss How to best think about cover crops and their use   Thank you to Gary for joining us twice and hope everyone enjoys the show!   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Gary Zimmer's impact on modern regenerative agriculture technique and proliferation is hard to overestimate -- with an enthusiasm and zeal that are positively infectious -- we are privileged to have him as a guest on the podcast. Zimmer is the founder of Midwestern BioAg, a company which advocates similar principals to Advancing Eco Agriculture, while focusing on dry soil amendments. He farms with his family in Sauk County, Wisconsin and is the author of two seminal books on biological agriculture, which I highly recommend: The Biological Farmer (now available as an updated and expanded second edition), and Advancing Biological Farming. In this episode, Gary: Provides stories and insights from his decades-long career Clarifies the distinction between soil-correction and crop-fertilizer Reiterates the need to focus on biology in our soils and to use crop variation Warns against simply replacing fertilizer sources point-for-point when transitioning to organic production The discussion is lively, informative and short. Thus, we decided to invite Gary back for a follow up episode which will air next week, where Gary and I dive deeper into specific actionable steps growers can take to better manage nitrogen and trace mineral nutrition delivery from the soil. Hope you enjoy! John   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Gabe Brown is a clear, collected, and inspired voice for regenerative agriculture, having implemented and seen great changes on his family's ranch in North Dakota over time. In fact, Gabe's A-Horizon (topsoil) is 27 in, and the soils on surrounding farms only have 4-6 in of topsoil! Gabe is the author of the recently published and highly-acclaimed book, Dirt To Soil, from Chelsea Green. I highly recommend reading this truly inspiring and informative book. Speaking and teaching about the practical steps for soil regeneration and farm profitability for more than 15 years, Gabe is also a partner with Soil Health Consultants LLC, an all-star group of ag thinkers and doers engaged in challenging the status-quo of agriculture. In this episode Gabe and I speak about: The time when Dr. Norman put a 4 ft long probe into the ground and the soil would collapse with only 2 ft in the probe because of tremendous pore space. The reception of his book and the increased adoption of regenerative agriculture he's observed. How to drive wholesale change in agriculture: the role of producers (most), consumers (a lot), processors (plenty) and government (not much!). His desire to educate consumers regarding their role as potential Regenerative Ag advocates who leverage their food purchasing power. The need for growers to focus on photosynthesis, carbon cycling, and support of  biological systems. The relative value of soil testing, which test is most valuable, and what to measure. The idea that Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium are abundant enough in soils and the atmosphere to supply all NPK needed for crop and livestock production, and can be made available through cover cropping and biological cycling. Dr. Norman's research on Gabe's farm documenting soils with up to 70% pore space. The real potential to increase nutrient density, environmental conditions, and farm livelihood in the near-term. And the one thing he wishes every farmer in the country would do. This is Gabe's second time on the show and I am pleased to welcome him back. Listen to Gabe's and my previous episode, which received great feedback, here. Hope you Enjoy! John   P.S. Next Tuesday, Nov 7th, I will be hosting an AEA webinar to discuss our seaweed product and why plants respond so differently to it than to other seaweeds. Sign up for the webinar here.   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.      Related Resources Book: Dirt To Soil, by Gabe Brown TEDx Talk: Gabe Brown on Regeneration of Our Lands: A Producer's Perspective Webinar: John Kempf on How Crops Benefit From Robust Soil Microbial Populations Podcast: Eliminating the need for synthetic fertilizer with Kris Nichols Webinar: John Kempf on Changing Agronomy With Biology Webinar: Capturing Residue to Build Soil Organic Matter Book: Soil, by David Montgomery       Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.   Credits This episode was Directed by Geoffrey Shively and Nathan Harman, Edited by Nathan Harman, Produced by Nathan Harman, Jenna Sodano, Robin Kitowski, and Anna Kempf.

In this episode, I explore the characteristics shared by farm managers whose operations are exceptionally successful, and consistently outperform similar farms in the region. In my experience as a field consultant and working with AEA's growers, I've observed a set of distinctive managerial patterns in the more successful growing operations. These traits bring outstanding results when farmers apply them over time. Listen to this episode for insights on these characteristics, and how they make growers more successful on their operations. This podcast episode was originally recorded an exclusive webinar and received such fantastic feedback, I wanted to share it with you. Because this was a webinar, the audio quality is a somewhat lower than usual. The concepts I cover include: Focusing personal energy on increasing revenue, while delegating responsibility for decreasing costs to  managers Developing an intimate understanding of the agronomic science needed to increase revenue Focusing on developing manageable data, measuring, and documenting which techniques work or don't Making decisions based on data, particularly economic data Having an intuitive heart connection to your crops   Click here sign up for our email list and get updates when new episodes are available.       Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Related Resources Extraordinary farm managers do more of these things, than others: Focus their time and energy on increasing revenue (spend 80% of own finance related planning time) Delegate decreasing costs to accountants, advisors, and/or other staff (spend 20% of own finance related planning time) Develop an intimate knowledge of the science needed to increase revenue Put a big focus on developing data sets, measuring, and documenting the techniques that work and don't work Are decisive and make decisions based on data, particularly economic data Plan for the long-term Expect perfect implementation and execution from themselves and staff Have close relationships with staff, bordering on family Spend time learning new information (reading books, attending events, listening to educational media) Are open-minded to exploring new information Think big, start small, and scale fast Have an intuitive heart connection to their crops       Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Peter McCoy speaks for the fungi. His mission is to increase awareness, appreciation and the practical use of all manner of mushroom and mycelia. Peter is a co-founder of the grassroots advocacy group, Radical Mycology. He is also the author of a book by the same name which I've found to be the most thorough, current, and inspiring mycological reference available. For those of you new to the wonderful world of Fungi and regenerative agriculture, mycology is the study of fungi (mushrooms, lichens, molds, etc.) and is a fundamental element of building soil health and profitable regenerative systems. Peter is in high demand -- appearing in publications, speaking, and recently starting the world's first mycology school (Mycologos), dedicated to the practical arts and science of working with fungi and, after much fanfare, being successfully funded on Kickstarter. Peter is well-versed in fungal impacts on agriculture systems on which this podcast episode focuses. His advocacy also covers ecological restoration, medical research, manufacturing, human nutrition, and more. Actionable Information Within This Episode: Why fungi should be considered a primary component in agricultural systems. Types of fungi to know in farming and how to encourage them. Utilizing fungal roles in the carbon cycle, soil aggregation, stability, and porosity. Calcium syncing and phosphorous harvesting. Myco-remediation techniques for neutralizing toxins. Drought, heat and disease resilience and tolerance.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Related Resources Animation: Mycorrhizal Fungi in Action Regenerative Agriculture Podcast: Eliminating the need for synthetic fertilizer with Kris Nichols Good Life Revival Podcast: Permaculture, Rewilding, and Homesteading with Peter McCoy Webinar: John Kempf on How Crops Benefit From Robust Soil Microbial Populations Webinar: John Kempf on Changing Agronomy With Biology Webinar: Capturing Residue to Build Soil Organic Matter Organization: Open Source Ecology (Peter McCoy, Advisor) Wikipedia: Mycology     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Dr. Silvia Abel-Caines is a Veterinarian with a Ph.D. in Ruminant Nutrition, who is currently working as the Staff Ruminant Nutritionist for Organic Valley. She has researched neonatal immunity and colostrum supplementation in dairy calves and has also performed research on improving the fatty acid profile of milk through nutrition. Combining the knowledge from her experience with ruminants and her technical training and research, Dr. Silvia Abel-Caines provides grazing insights and key information on maximizing dairy production by managing all aspects of cow health. On this episode of the podcast, Silvia and I talk about The roles of key trace minerals in plant health and performance The science behind immunity with nutrition How the lack of key mineral access leads to plants being largely comprised of nitrogen Animal behavior and the feeding sequence How farmers can change what ruminants graze for by what they are fed prior to letting them out to pasture     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Resources The Farm as EcoSystem by Jerry Brunetti Grass, the Forgiveness of Nature by Charles Walters Management-Intensive Grazing by Jim Gerrish The Albrecht Papers The Art and Science of Grazing by Sarah Flack Soil, Grass, and Cancer by André Voisin        Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

In this episode, John discusses specific methods for the management of nitrogen and phosphorous for maximum benefit while reducing leaching, runoff, and pollution. Learn how to address nitrogen and phosphorus from both organic and conventional approaches. This episode contains effective, actionable information geared towards responsible and regenerative fertilizer management. This episode is sourced from a previously recorded AEA webinar and contains specific AEA product recommendations -- which means, you can also tap into visual versions of this information, here: Recorded Webinar presentation (video) Webinar Slide deck       Preventing Nitrogen and Phosphorous Leaching - Episode Highlights  Key Points: Plant nutrients should be available without being water soluble Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers can be stabilized to prevent them from leaching We can maintain and increase yields while reducing nutrient runoff when the right technology is used   Phosphorus exists in the soil in four states: Plant available inorganic, orthophosphate (1 lb per acre) Microbially complexed, organic, unavailable (50 lb per acre) Adsorbed to soil particles, unavailable (150 lb per acre) Mineral, (includes precipitated), unavailable (up to 9000 lb per acre)   Phosphorus can be lost to water by: Loss of soluble inorganic P shortly after applying Loss of small soil particles with adsorbed P (majority)   Plant available inorganics: Become rapidly complexed Adsorption Precipitation  Binds with Fe, Al, Mn in acidic soils, and Ca in alkaline soils Best availability at ph 6-7   Microbial Complexed Microbial processes mineralize and release orthophosphate, Can tap into adsorbed P and mineral P  Optimal soil temperature of 65-105º F   To prevent phosphorus leaching Accelerate the mineralization process to release more P from unavailable reserves Mychorrizal fungi and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (BioCoat Gold) Apply P that is available but not soluble Add stable humic substances which have a high anion exchange capacity, can hold P without leaching (HumaCarb) Microbial stabilized nitrogen, added carbon, sulfur, molybdenum Rejuvenate and ATS     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Resources http://nmsp.cals.cornell.edu/publications/factsheets/factsheet12.pdf https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/961-the-phosphorus-cycle https://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/nutrient-management/phosphorus/the-nature-of-phosphorus/docs/the-nature-of-phosphorus.pdf http://www.cropnutrition.com/availability-of-phosphorus-fertilizer http://soilquality.org.au/factsheets/phosphorus http://blog.nutri-tech.com.au/the-phosphate-equation/     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Sometimes growers apply fertilizers to crops that don't respond to the applications like they're expecting. When plant health and vigor is in a decline, and nutrient applications don't move the needle, how can we reclaim the situation?    Through our consulting experience, we have learned that when nutrient applications bring little response and plants are going downhill, applying the right biology will reverse the direction of a declining crop with a speed and effectiveness that is almost magical. I discuss the three steps we take to flip directions in short order.    Enjoy!     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Sarah Singla is a farmer, agronomist, and educator from Southern France. Her family farm has been in no-till production since 1980. When she took the reigns in 2010 she additionally pursued a wonderfully complex diversified cover-cropping, mixed species, multi-income-stream approach that is highly thought-out, yet fluid. Sarah has visited growers the world over in direct communication about their production systems. Her experience is broad, yet she consistently finds the most successful producers reducing erosion, increasing soil microbiology and working with nature. She has since become a champion of regenerative agriculture. In this episode, you will find particularly useful information on cover/crop/animal/bee systems in grain-based production. Sarah expands on her compelling vision for the regenerative future in agriculture with multiple examples and options to fit any farm. We discuss: How learning and education for farmers is linked to farm profitability Goal-based thinking in agriculture - what it is and how it works better than following any one methodology such as organic, no-till, sustainable, etc. Techniques for preventing erosion Techniques for reducing fuel consumption of tractors and equipment Improving degraded soils Fertilizer reduction     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.         Resources Dirt, The Erosion of Civilizations, by David Montgomery     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Jonathan Lundgren is an agroecologist, Director of the ECDYSIS Foundation, and CEO of Blue Dasher Farm. He received his Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Illinois in 2004 and was a professional pesticide evaluator with USDA-ARS for 11 years. Jonathan's research and education programs focus on assessing the ecological risk of pest management strategies and developing long-term solutions for sustainable food systems. His ecological research focuses heavily on conserving healthy biological communities within agroecosystems by reducing disturbance and increasing biodiversity within cropland. In this episode, Jonathan and I discuss How diversity in insect populations decreases pest problems Why the term "pesticide safety" is meaningless, and the ecological implications and risk assessment of pesticides How to develop agroecosystems that reduce the need for insect management products and other agrochemicals How to design a proactive pest management system Beekeeping, varroa mites, overwintering, and other interesting aspects of bees and honey production   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Resources Ploughman's Folly One Straw Revolution Mark Winston Carl Sagan     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Soil analysis should be used as a milestone to monitor progress towards growing healthy crops; they should not be used as a goal. Every nutrient and soil amendment application needs to produce a strong crop response, not just a soil analysis response. When we apply this understanding properly it means that we will not apply uneconomical quantities of soil amendments to balance a soil analysis that do not first provide a benefit to the crop.   On the mini-episode this week, I talk about  where soil tests are needed for optimal farm performance how a soil test can be a detriment  what to look for in a soil report what the numbers aren't telling you why you can decrease your annual fertilizer inputs and get a better crop response   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Resources https://www.advancingecoag.com/soil-samples-analysis    Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Greg Pennyroyal is the Viticulture and Enology Coordinator at Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards in Temecula, California. He is also the Professor of Viticulture for Mt. San Jacinto Community College. Greg has worked in many industries including medicinal organic herb production, traditional eastern medicine, and botanical medicine research and development. Greg has been active in researching neurodegenerative diseases in conjunction with the University of California, Santa Barbara and has a breadth of knowledge about plant health that is a true delight.   In this episode, Greg and I discuss How the microbiome determines 'terroir' and influences flavor and quality, Using plant sap analysis, and how well it correlates with field observation Can you produce fruit with more flavor and metabolites in a stressed environment, or in an optimal environment? Plus many more highlights   Support For This Show This episode is brought to you by AEA - Advancing Eco Agriculture - leading regenerative agriculture since 2006. Visit www.advancingecoag.com today and learn how AEA can help you increase quality + yield.   Resources The Farm as Ecosystem by Jerry Brunetti Science in Agriculture: Advanced Methods for Sustainable Farming by Arden B. Andersen Mineral Nutrition and Plant Disease by Lawrence E. Datnoff, Wade H. Elmer, Don M. Huber Tuning In To Nature by Philip S. Callahan Nutrition Rules! by Graeme Sait Postmodern Winemaking: Rethinking the Modern Science of an Ancient Craft by Clark Smith Chemistry Made Simple: A Complete Introduction to the Basic Building Blocks of Matter by John T. Moore Khan Academy  Acres U.S.A.   Music Greg recommends: For a musical translation of what it's like when you feel a sense of elation when new concepts click into place: Beethoven's 9th Symphony, otherwise known as the Ode of Joy For when you gotta clean out your barn: Led Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love Episode 16 - Greg Pennyroyal - Highlights   2:30 - Greg's journey bringing him to where he is today Greg started on a family farm, not having any experience or idea what he was doing Greg's advice on finding a mentor, and how a local dairy farmer became one of Greg's first mentors How Greg found his practical experience and down-home logic helped him when thinking critically about what he was taught in college Why Greg moved on after a decade, and him ending up at Trout Lake Farm for the decade after   8:25 - Integrating business and agriculture The importance of not being greedy when developing a solid place in the market   9:00 - Greg's movement to Leiner Health Products and his increase in research possibilities Why looking for alternatives to standard agriculture doesn't mean we need to be looking for alternatives to science Greg's views on having a perspective of connecting the dots on a higher level than deep science   10:30 - Standardizing natural products like medicine Greg's breakthrough on finding plants growing in ecosystems closer to where the plant was native to, where biological principles were used, had much less variation from season to season and farm to farm This was because plants that are built better and grown in a biological system tend to have more biochemical homeostasis   13:10 -  The connection between biological integrity and the human genome   13:30 - Greg's homeopathic testing with interesting results   15:45 - Greg's work on an MS medication from a rare Tibetan herb, and how it was similar to California white sage   17:20 - The importance of being aware of misinformation on both sides of unconventional and conventional agriculture   17:50 - Greg at Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards Greg loves making wine! Viticulture is one of the few agricultural crops that a paid for quality. Great grapes = higher wine prices. x6 value of the commercial value of grapes How different regions of growing contribute to the taste of wine - which is due to the microbiome of the area (microbial patterns)   23:05 - More info on plants being grown in their native environment grown using biological practices Level 1 - plants struggling to survive Level 2 - getting in balance Level 3 - enhance production of what plant has difficulty producing when not balanced Highest level -  Disease and insect resistance plant producing healthy offspring   26:10 - Bringing plants into balance Both from a nutritional perspective and from a microbiome perspective Getting plants onto a positive cycle and out of a negative cycle   29:10 - The amazing resiliency of plants How quickly stressed trees can recover when given the proper opportunity   30:15 - Great results of plant sap analysis over petiole analysis   32:00 - Plants expressing different chemical profiles based on the nutritional and microbial environment Everyone cares about flavor and aroma Stressing a plant vs. producing in an optimal environment The debate in the wine world on deficit irrigation Greg doesn't believe enough research has been done in this area, but Greg thinks for plants "stress is stress", and that plants want to produce great output   37:40 - Reverse bell curve on plant water and nutrient deprivation Needing to balance macronutrients and micronutrients   42:10 - What has been something that has really surprised Greg?  How the land-grant university system has been co-opted by certain interests The backlash on people speaking out against conventional agriculture practices How Greg has seen misinformation reinforced from his time working in the pharmaceutical industry   44:35 - What does Greg believe to be true about modern agriculture that others do not? The whole idea that we are stewards of the ecosystem isn't true - we ARE the ecosystem, and the microbiome connects all of us This makes the idea of spraying roundup on plants very questionable How this relates to a decline in human health   48:15 - What is a resource Greg would recommend? See the resources section (above).    50:40 - What question does Greg wish he was asked? Greg's small growers' co-op Greg's work in teaching vineyard skills to kids on the autistic spectrum     Feedback, Booking, and Production Contacts John@RegenerativeAgriculturePodcast.com Booking@RegenerativeAgriculturePodcast.com Production@RegenerativeAgriculturePodcast.com

I've been asked a lot recently about how to manage vegetative growth versus reproductive growth. On the mini-episode this week, I talk about which nutrients drive strong vegetative growth, and which drive strong reproductive growth and development, along with the hormonal interactions which drive plant dominance. Nutrients in both categories interact with and synergize or antagonize certain plant hormones. These interactions shape how trees and plants develop reproductive buds and fruitwood versus shoot growth. On this episode, I talk about which nutrients are vegetative, which are reproductive, and how to switch plant dominance between vegetative and reproductive stages.   4 Vegetative Growth nutrients: Nitrate Nitrogen (not ammonium or urea) Potassium Chloride Calcium   Reproductive nutrients: All other nutrients will bring a slight reproductive response but the below 3 drive the strongest reproductive growth. Manganese Phosphorus Ammonium    Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Dr. Jerry Pollack is a pioneering water researcher whose work in structured water and cell biology has been described as being some of the most important research that will be conducted in the 21st century. His research creates a completely new paradigm of cell biology and nutrient absorption. He is recognized worldwide as a dynamic speaker and author, whose passion lies in plumbing the depths of natural truths. Dr. Pollack received the 1st Emoto Peace Prize and is a recipient of the University of Washington's highest honor, the Annual Faculty Lecturer Award. He is founding Editor-in-Chief of the research journal WATER and Director of the Institute for Venture Science. Dr. Pollack's (award-winning) books include The Fourth Phase of Water (2013), and Cells, Gels, and the Engines of Life (2001). Dr. Jerry Pollack maintains an active laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle. In this episode, Jerry and I discuss How water moves to the top of a 100-yard tall redwood How nutrients are absorbed across cell membranes and plant roots The role of EZ water in moving nutrients through vascular tissue How plant roots can absorb complete compounds from the soil solution   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.    Resources Cells, Gels and the Engines of Life The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor   Episode 15 - Dr. Gerald H. Pollack - Highlights 4:50 - What is exclusion zone water? (EZ Water)   We all learned water had 3 phases, but the idea that water could have a phase between liquid and solid has been around for some time EZ water is between solid and liquid. Gel-like, almost like raw egg whites EZ water has a negative charge, unlike ordinary water Energy comes from infrared light EZ water is also called fourth phase water, ordered water, or structured water   13:10 - John strongly recommends reading two of Gerald's books:     Cells, Gels and the Engines of Life The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor     13:40 - How are nutrients and water transported inside a plant? How are nutrients absorbed by root systems? How does EZ water relate?   How a tube in water that allows water to continuously flow works in the same way that trees can transport water Energy is coming from light absorbed in the water will drive the flow of water How this same idea can apply to the cardiovascular system in the human body   27:45 - How is this related to nutrient mobility?   31:35 - Alternate mechanisms for nutrient absorption by cells   The assumption that the cell membrane is impermeable is questionable Why the idea of thousands of pumps and channels in the membrane doesn't work The cell gets its electrical potential from the negatively charged water If there is no impermeable barrier, then substances can be absorbed by the cell   42:40 - Simplicity is the essence of science   45:50 - What is the limitation of what cells can absorb?   Substances could move in and out of the cell in transition areas of water to EZ water   49:25 - Water crisis in agricultural - soils that cannot hold water well anymore   Soils need charge distributions just right to build EZ water Water holding capacity is diminished when the soil is destroyed, directly related to the ability to make EZ water   54:30 - What is the question Gerald wishes he was asked?   The role of water in health - absolutely central. Cells cannot function properly unless properly hydrated The role of grounding in health and in its ability to convert water to EZ water Juicing to get EZ water from inside plants     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

On the mini-episode this week, I focus on why we should develop regenerative agriculture, how it is different, and why it is important. In the past 10 or 12 years, a lot of conversation has been had on sustainable agriculture. In this episode, I explore what it is that we want to sustain, why regeneration is important, and how regenerative farming systems impact the bottom line in a way that sustainability cannot.   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.   Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Steve Diver has earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Horticulture and has conducted research on fruit and nut production, and seasonal changes in elemental concentration in pecan fruit and leaves. He has served as the Extension Horticulture Agent in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, and has also worked as an Agriculture Specialist with the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.  In 2010, he established an independent firm, Agri-Horticultural Consulting, which provided soil analysis and consultancy services in eco-agriculture, organic and sustainable farming, and environmental sciences.   In this episode, Steve and I discuss rock powders, biology, and bioenergetics, the oxidation/reduction potential in soils, the use of liquid biological agents in soil health and crop success, and the value of bioenergetics in agriculture. Steve has some really great knowledge from his many years of experience in the lab and in the field.   Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Resources Acres U.S.A William Albrecht, Gary Zimmer, Neal Kinsey Korean Natural Farming (KNF) Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)    Episode 13 - Steve Diver - Highlights 3:06 - What are Steve's memorable moments leading him to where he is today? Steve got a good introduction to organic and biodynamic farming   4:35 - What did Steve encounter that was different compared to the work he had been doing? Steve has been interested in organic agriculture for a long time 3 pillars of eco agriculture: minerals, biology, bioenergetics   6:50 - What lead Steve add bioenergetics to minerals and biology in these pillars?   9:10 - Discussion around Oxidation/Reduction Potential -Eh (Redox)   12:40 - What is something that has surprised Steve over the years?  Prairies have a very fungal nature Steve was finding high ratios of fungal to bacteria on prairies (7.5:1) Liquid biological amendments (LBA)   14:40 - What kind of crop response was Steve seeing? Using both a LBA and some kind of management practice (with some sort of rotational grazing) can lead to impressive changes in species composition Roadmap: Above ground plant succession is mirrored by below ground soil food succession   16:50 - Can the use of LBAs change the health of crops, and also types of plants that would become dominant in certain ecosystems Yes! The story of the postage stamp farm and the very effective use of LBAs   18:20 - When we consider applying biological inoculants to the soil profile, how do we ensure this inoculant actually survives? Qualitative assessment, lab testing, and microscopic analysis   19:50  - What is something that has puzzled Steve for a long time? The slow nature of the agriculture as a whole - industry, government, education   21:30 - What is the opportunity in agriculture today?  The ability to grow crops that perform well, yield well, are pest resistant, have high nutrient density without relying on so many chemical inputs Soil health has taken a back seat (soil testing, mineral balancing, etc.)   24:30 - Substantial yield/quality responses from integrated systems In most cases when regenerative principles are applied, there is a strong yield response - Often in the first year, always by the second year.   26:30 - Based on Steve's experience, how much are growers leaving on the table? There is a perceived dichotomy of organic vs. conventional farming, but there is a difference between the terms organic, sustainable, biodynamic, zero budget natural, integrated crop livestock, etc. Regenerative agriculture is a good term to cover what you can do to regenerate and improve farm ecology For the conventional farmer still chemically based - there are many resources: information, field days, workshops, seeing what others are doing. Actionable advice: Conventional farmers can greatly benefit by simply adding cover crops Bioenergetics are the icing on the cake - you need the fundamentals down first (organic matter management, nutrition, fertility)   32:00 - What is a non-mainstream view that Steve believes to be true? Korean Natural Farming (KNF) Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) Read some more books, tap into more of these topics! Slowly add new principles to the farm, do testing Increasing species of cover crops can make a huge difference   35:20 - What are some resources Steve would recommend? Acres U.S.A Plug into the 3 pillars of eco-agriculture (minerals, biology, bioenergetics) William Albrecht, Gary Zimmer, Neal Kinsey Remember: It's a lifelong learning process   36:15 - What Steve has learned about farmers Incredibly innovative Regardless of where in the world - farmers have a lot of brainpower!   39:40 - What is the question Steve wishes he was asked? More depth into bioenergetics - what do the terms mean? Steves advice: look into what is going on in holistic health and holistic agriculture   41:40 - Going through different eras in agriculture Through the chemical era, into the biological and ecological era Organic produce and holistic health used to be black sheep - now they are becoming widely accepted     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Professor Lynn Long has worked in sweet cherry research and Extension at Oregon State University since 1988. At that time, the main cherry variety being grown was Bing on a Mazzard rootstock, leading to disease and susceptibility to weather pressure. Lynn has been an advocate for diversity in varieties and rootstocks, maintaining a cherry variety trial since 1996, and evaluating nearly 100 varieties and selections for potential adoption by the sweet cherry industry in the Pacific Northwest. He has been instrumental in progressing the use of dwarfing rootstocks and new training systems in commercial orchards. Long has authored many publications and has spoken in grower oriented meetings in 16 countries around the world.  In this episode, Lynn and I discuss the future of sweet cherry production. Lynn believes the future development of tree fruit will emerge when we begin better managing 'the other half of the tree' - the root system.   How soil health and compost applications contribute to varietal performance How modern dwarf rootstocks compare to older varieties What is the future of biological and mechanical solutions to automate harvesting Successfully reducing bacterial canker with plant nutrition ...And more!  Very thought provoking for any tree fruit grower!       Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.       Resources Cherries: Botany, Production and Uses https://extension.oregonstate.edu/people/lynn-long     Episode 12 - Lynn Long - Highlights 2:45 - What are some memorable moments that have lead Lynn to where he is today? In the 90's, cherry production was focused on one single variety. There wasn't a lot of diversity at the time. In 1994, Lynn went to Europe and gained knowledge that changed the way cherries are farmed in the US   4:10 - What shift happened, and how did Lynn start managing trees differently? Lynn had been researching cherry rootstock Lynn saw what farms in Germany, France, Spain, and elsewhere in Europe were doing, and brought this knowledge back to help growers understand   7:40 - How does the vigor of modern dwarf rootstock compared to older varieties? A lot of farmers prefer older varieties Dwarfing rootstock seen to be more shallow   9:10 - What has been missing in looking at the "other half of the tree" Everything from research to management has been focused on only half the tree - the top half. We are seeing more and more research being done on what is happening below ground with the tree   11:20 - What are some of the things Lynn has observed to cause him to start to wonder what is happening in the soil profile? Dwarfing rootstock in hard soil affecting the growth and behavior of trees Leaves look stressed and wilted, impacting food quality Keeping microorganisms alive throughout the entire year to affect the health of the ecosystem and the tree   14:20 - What has Lynn learned from compost trials? Struggling orchards turned around Taking stress off the tree by keeping soil cooler How can adding organic soil help the health of the tree? Success Lynn has seen in Chile   18:00 - What has been something that has surprised Lynn? The grower community being open with ideas and their operations Growers who share the most often receive the most   21:30 - What is something that Lynn believes the be true that is different from the mainstream?  Mainstream agriculture is only focusing on the top half of the tree   23:30 - How does managing what is happening below the soil change how we manage above the soil? Issues we are struggling with now may become minor issues later   26:00 - How will the canopy be affected by a changing root system? Getting high-quality fruit all around the tree, not just the top   29:20 - Success in reducing bacterial canker through ecosystem management   33:30 - What is a resource Lynn would recommend? Cherries: Botany, Production and Uses https://extension.oregonstate.edu/people/lynn-long    35:40 - What does Lynn wish he was asked? Where is cherry production going in the future?   37:00 - What does Lynn think the future holds in fruit and vegetable production Labor shortage problem Mechanical and biological solutions to getting cherries off trees without laborers   40:00 - How does Lynn see an orchard of the future? Being able to automate the process of collecting cherries without dropping quality     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Dr. Kris Nichols has conducted innovative research on soil biology, understanding how to regenerate soil health quickly. She is the founder and principal scientist of KRIS (Knowledge for Regeneration In Soils) Systems Education & Consulting Services. Dr. Nichols has also been the Chief Scientist at Rodale Institute and a Research Soil Microbiologist with the USDA. In this episode, Kris and I discuss how to harness the power of fungi to decrease the use of synthetic fertilizers, the symbiosis between bacteria and water retention, and climate-resilient crops.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Resources David Montgomery Judith Schwartz (Cows Save the Planet, Water in Plain Sight) Kristin Ohlson (The Soil Will Save Us) William Schlesinger (Biogeochemistry: An Analysis of Global Change)      Episode 11 - Kris Nichols - Highlights 3:00 - What are some of the highlights that have lead Kris to where she is today? Kris researched mycorrhizal fungi at the University of Minnesota Kris worked with USDA and fell back in love with agriculture, especially when seeing concepts from the lab being practically implemented 7:00 - Not being able to regenerate soil to full potential when using synthetic fertilizer Organisms in the soil have huge potential to resolve nutrient issues in plants In a lab, Kris could see this to be true - but many growers were still relying on synthetic fertilizers Need to put the tools in place to optimize organisms in soil (mycorrhizal fungi especially) to maximize effects on plants 10:10 - Applying soluble phosphorus fertilizers removing the need for a symbiotic relationship between plants and mycorrhizae Timing is very important when adding amendments - making sure the plant needs are being met when it has those needs Many times, plants are unable to make use of all the fertilizer applied Can't "outsource" the job of mycorrhizal fungi   17:10 - What other fertilizers could have a damaging effect? Soluble fertilizer does the most damage in "outsourcing" the jobs of the microbial community Organic fertilizers are broken down by the microbial communities, and so they do not cause this same damage   19:20 - Plant and root absorption of amino acids and proteins The untruth of using synthetic fertilizers to avoid "mining" the soil   27:10 - Water use efficiency We have no idea how much water a plant actually needs! There are cellular water needs, but also in the rhizosphere around the plant Getting efficient mycorrhizal fungi (especially early on) allows the creation of a network for water and nutrient delivery in plants   34:10 - Layers of efficiency from mycorrhizal fungi Able to extend beyond the root system Phosphate soluble bacteria interactions with mycorrhizal fungi An analogy for how this bacteria helps: Plants are figuring out how to get water "from the driveway to the house", instead of "from the neighboring town to the house" Nutrients moving between plants in a system through mycorrhizal fungi   43:00 - What has been something that has really surprised Kris? Kris' experience with cancer lead her to think about how essential carbon exchange was in plants Stopping the flow of carbon - "What is stopping the payment from flowing?"   46:30 - What does Kris believe to be true about modern agriculture that is not a mainstream view? Regenerative systems allow us to "have our cake, and eat it too" - meaning are able to feed 14 billion people nutrient dense food while having a high quality of life and while maintaining and enhancing ecosystem services Incredible potential to do so much more than we are   50:00 - What is the impact of biology on producing higher levels of plant secondary metabolites? Many compounds are coming directly from soil compounds which find their way to plants - which end up in the food chain There has been so much focus in plant nutrition on nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus Building up a more resilient network - making more soil aggregates Creating a mycorrhizosphere Making a good network allows for making secondary compounds   59:20 - What are some resources that Kris would recommend? Go out there and explore different types of resources! David Montgomery Judith Schwartz (Cows Save the Planet, Water in Plain Sight) Kristin Ohlson (The Soil Will Save Us) William Schlesinger (Biogeochemistry: An Analysis of Global Change)     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

Dr. Hatfield is the laboratory director for the USDA's National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment. He has also served on the faculty of the University of California-Davis and is a Past President of the American Society of Agronomy. In this short but very powerful episode, Jerry and I discuss the mechanics of improving plant efficiency in capturing water, nutrients, and light and put that into productivity. We talk about the role that the soil-plant continuum plays in not only developing the productivity but also the quality of the products that plant is harvested for. Jerry and I discuss the fundamental functions of the soil aggregate structure and the value of gas exchange and water infiltration.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Episode 10 - Jerry Hatfield - Highlights 3:10 - What have been some of the highlights that have lead Jerry to where he is today? What drives Jerry:  Finding out how can we improve the efficiency of plants to capture water and light, and put that into productivity What is the role of all this in increasing productivity and quality of what is harvested   5:30 - Why should we care about soil health? What does the surface of the soil look like? (Aggregation structure) Getting air and water into the soil helps drive the biological processes under the soil This determines what the plants are doing (how well they can take up nutrients) We need to care because this makes the whole plant system much more efficient - the soil health is the unifying factor   11:10 - How does soil quality improve so many various characteristics of plants  Creating a more balanced soil - creating a condition for the plant to store more carbohydrates more efficiently, for example Allowing the plant to optimize itself   13:00 - How do we regenerate and improve soil health? Restoring biological activity - Biology has four needs: food, water, air, and shelter Putting a cover over soil Allowing the biology to express itself when it's not being cooked at high temperatures Supplying food to the biological system the entire year Diversity of plants increase diversity of biological system   18:30 - How fast can we regenerate and improve soil health? We can begin seeing changes within one growing season   20:30 - What has Jerry observed regarding a diverse number of plants producing soil changes? Comparing cover crops  - Cover crop cocktails changes are much more rapid Crops begin behaving differently with crop rotation   27:45 - Are we just regenerating soil, or also the thought processes and models around agriculture?   29:00 - Increasing water use efficiency and nutrient efficiency Water and nutrients are tied together - optimizing together leads to stability The plant may be nutrient limited - leading us to expending water to little effect How efficient is the plant at capturing solar radiation?   33:10 - What does Jerry believe to be true about modern agriculture that many others don't believe to be true? How important improving soils are to increasing productivity - allowing genetics to be optimized   35:20 - What is the opportunity for improved yield and quality? What does this mean for growers in terms of profitability? If you improve soils in "bad" parts of field, immediately improve overall profitability No tillage growers have been able to drop nitrogen by 50% without affecting yields because soil is providing nutrients Producers need to think about what they are getting out of their inputs   38:10 - What action should farmers take right now? Getting a cover crop on system Increasing biology in soil Crop rotation and diversity Cover crop cocktails Reduce tillage       Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Larry Phelan, a professor at Ohio State University where he heads research programs studying the role of soil communities in plant health and susceptibility to disease and insect pests in biological farming systems. Larry also heads programs researching the identification and behaviors of plant secondary compounds and insect pheromones that affect host finding and other behaviors. In this episode, Larry and I discuss plant and insect communications, soil communities, and the concept of biological buffering - the capacity of biology in the soil to absorb large amounts of nutrients that are applied and contain those in their cells and release them over a period of time. We also talk about Larry's new initiatives in the city of Cleveland to incorporate urban agricultural systems. I had a lot of fun with this episode - some of the topics Larry touches on are absolutely fascinating.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Episode 8 - Larry Phelan - Highlights 3:10 - What are the memorable moments leading up to where Larry is today? Larry was trained as a chemical ecologist - where he would identify pheromones and plant attractants As he started talking to organic farmers, he noticed they had fewer issues with insect pests than conventional farmer neighbors   5:30 - What were the differences that Larry noticed in organic farming? During this time, many organic farmers were doing their own research Many organic farmers had animals integrated into their farms "If we have healthy soil, then we are going to have a healthy plant, and insects don't like healthy plants" - Larry was seeing the truth to this and wanted to test Larry wanted to figure out if insects could tell a difference between plants from organic farms, and if this was more related to the short-term effects of fertilizer or the long-term effects of mismanaged soil The results: Regardless of fertilizer used, the plants growing in soil from the organic farm received few insects eggs   9:20 -  Biological Buffering With an influx of organic matter, you create a soil community that is beneficial to the plant Nutrients absorbed into the soil community are released over time - putting the plants in better nutrient balance Plants are almost always limited by nitrogen levels - they're going to take all they can get and will take more than they can deal with Insects are also limited by nitrogen, so plants with excess nitrogen are very nutritious for insects No difference in production between organic and conventional farms   15:20 - Why can insects not utilize plants as a food source that doesn't contain as many amino acids Free amino acids can short circuit the plant defense system - Insects get these free amino acids they don't have to break down Proteins vary in digestibility in insects   18:20 - What had surprised during Larry's research into all of this? 30% ammonia and 70% nitrate resulted in best plant growth Where the plant was out of balance, that's where the insects grew the largest and had the best survivorship Survivorship of insects dropped as they approached the 30/70 ammonia/nitrate ratio   22:40 - What is some practical advice growers can implement? The importance of organic matter added to the soil to sustain a beneficial microbial community Important to distinguish between old organic matter and biologically active organic matter - need to focus on active organic matter   26:10 - What is the impact of a nitrogen application on soil biological profile?  Plants can shut out mycorrhizae and can grow a shallow root system When the plant invests in growth above ground, it doesn't have as effective of a root system to gather water and nutrients We don't want plants to encounter any extremes Starter fertilizer isn't allowing plants to grow resilience they need and can cause plant growth to stall out   35:00 - Applying only insoluble start applications Resulting in large root systems High phosphorus levels without phosphorus application   Mineral profiles not very different in organic plants regardless of fertilizer application   38:10 - What is something that Larry believes to be true about modern agriculture that is different from mainstream views?  The use of soluble fertilizers has been one of the most disruptive practices in mainstream farming How different organic farms view what they do - Conventional farmers have a prescriptive approach. Organic farmers had more of a system perspective "Tied up" nitrogen isn't a bad thing - It gives you "money in the bank" in your soil   41:30 - What is a resource Larry would recommend? Lots of great advances in organic research ATTRA Natural Resources Conservation Service   43:10 - What is a question Larry wishes he was asked? Soils in urban centers under vacant lots opening the possibility of urban farming Do what degree has the legacy of smokestacks, heavy metals, etc affected soil community. Can these soils be rejuvenated or are these soils effectively lost? The influx of organic matter are reducing levels of lead and the bioavailability of the lead - allowing cities to reduce the danger of lead in soil Lead is going to be there - need to find a way to bring it out   49:20 - Damaging impacts of chronic pesticide use and exposure      Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing a great farmer and friend of mine, Klaas Martens. Klaas has been farming for more than 30 years and has driven the adoption of sustainable farming practices through his work with numerous national organizations and advisory committees. This episode contains some really great information from Klaas's many years of experience developing sustainable farming systems. In this episode, we talk about the cultural practices that form the basis of weed control, how Klaas thought he had discovered a pathogen that could become a new herbicide, and what it turned out to be, how to see and monitor field variables, crop rotations, and how Klaas has managed the weed control on his farm in upstate New York for the past 30 years.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.       Episode 8 - Klaas Martens - Highlights 2:50 - Going from conventional farming to completely organic   3:40 - Having to unlearn some things from a university education   4:20 - Klaas was noticing that his observations in farming were contradicting his learned models and assumptions   5:15 - What have been the memorable moments that have lead Klaas to where he is today? Learning that cultural practices form the basis of all weed control - chemicals are auxiliary only Cultural practices are everything you do in the tending of your fields - what you do to set up the situation the crop is growing in What happens if you abandon a field? See the crop rotation in nature   10:20 - Why was Klaas looking for info in books written before 1945? These chemicals were all recent - agriculture had existed long before Knowledge was lost when chemicals came long   12:00 - How does this relate to how Klaas manages crops and weeds on his operation? Klaas realized work today will have results later Reframing from "How do I kill it?" to "Why is this here? What is its function?" Klaas started to study what various weeds and pests actually did in the soil - How do you read what the soil is trying to tell you?   15:00 - The weed that frustrated Klaas and made it seem organic farming was going to be impossible  Pests were moving in because they were attracted to unhealthy weeds   18:00 - John's experience with Canadian thistles There is an organism that lives on the deeper roots of Canadian thistles that it needs to survive - it can only live in anaerobic soil   21:30 - What advice would Klaas give to growers to emulate some of his success? Shifting soil biology leads to shifting weed populations Changing the microbiology of the soil   24:50 - What practices lead Klaas to this result? Diverse rotation Cover crops - tried not to have soil uncovered over winter The importance of the smell of the soil We are looking above ground at the plants when we should be looking below ground at the soil   27:00 - Healthy Soils, Sick Soils by Dr. Franz Sekera and Margareth Sekera Sekera took soil and put it under a microscope to see what he could see - discovering the organisms were water living Soil breaking down at 70 degrees F   31:00 -  Klaas's experience with producing dry beans and mustard Klaas had a great experience with dry beans, but it dropped very significantly over the years Klaas's rotation wasn't reducing pathogens, it was promoting them Some plots had great looking beans, some had beans that died - Some crops made the problem worse, some didn't have an effect, and some resulted in very healthy beans. One that was very beneficial was yellow mustard   36:00 - How did Klaas's weed profile change after incorporating these changes? The soil was trying to say something - that's why the mustard kept coming up   37:40 - What is Klaas's crop rotation? 20-30 different crops Flexible - Klaas wants to respond to what the soil is telling him They used a basic rotation, but they worn it out   41:30 - What are the variables Klaas is monitoring? Fields having a certain color point to different problems. Yellow points to sulfur. Blue is often a phosphorus indicator. White can be potassium or calcium. These are little data points, still need to do soil testing'   45:40 - How has Klaas seen the ecosystem evolve in regards to disease and insect resistance? Bugs don't hit healthy plants Using epsom salts instead of insecticides when plants are low on magnesium Insects will avoid plants when all three magnesium, sulfur, molybdenum are adequate supply   51:00 - Putting on a nutritional application resulting in all insects disappearing.  Plants can launch a defence when they have supplied proper nutrition   52:30 - Most nutritional imbalances are not a result of deficiencies, they are the results of excess of products that growers apply. Overapplication causes imbalances   53:40 -  What does Klaas believe to be true about modern agriculture that others do not believe to be true? The soil is basically screaming when the farmer is doing something they shouldn't be - in the form of weeds, insects, etc. These are the symptoms. We aren't dealing with the underlying problem Too reliant on point and shoot solutions   56:00 - What are some books or resources that Klaas would recommend? Weeds by Walter Conrad Muenscher Soil Grass & Cancer by Andre Voisin Use what you already know and draw your own conclusions on your farm   1:00:45 - What is a question Klaas wishes John had asked? "Where do we find help and guiding in managing our farms?" No one person is the source of knowledge for these topics Sharing observations and ideas with other farmers is invaluable - but also to keep yourself and others grounded     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Steve Groff, a farmer and cover crop pioneer who has also worked with the University of Maryland on extensive cover crop research. Steve founded Cover Crop Coaching in 2016 and has spoken to audiences across North America, Europe, Australia, Japan, and many other parts of the world on the use of cover crops across the full range of agricultural applications. In this episode, we talk about important management tools to incorporate with cover crops, the causes of erosion in a soil system, and how farmers can supply consumer demand for nutritional value. We also discuss farm economics, the books Steve read that started him in cover cropping and a step by step guide for growers who want to start developing healthy soil.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.       Resources recommended by Steve Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life by David R. Montgomery The Biological Farmer: A Complete Guide to the Sustainable & Profitable Biological System of Farming by Gary F. Zimmer Stubble Over the Soil: The Vital Role of Plant Residue in Soil Management to Improve Soil Quality by Carlos Corvetto Lamarca The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming by Masanobu Fukuoka     Episode 7 - Steve Groff - Highlights 3:00 - What are some of the memorable moments that have lead Steve to where he is today? Steve started no till in the early 80's - Solely to stop soil erosion A key moment for Steve was 3 years into doing no till - He noticed his soil was beginning to "mellow out" Today we can transfer to no till much faster than ever before In 1995 Steve started researching cover crops - he noticed after a drought year that he had 28 bushels more of corn preceding the previous 3 years Steve is all-in on cover crops!   8:20 - Erosion is a symptom of a bigger problem Healthier soil isn't going to blow or wash away We don't have a runoff problem, we have a water infiltration problem Steve is encouraged by seeing mainstream agriculture start to clue in   10:00 - Can we completely resolve erosion with the use of cover crops? We can greatly reduce it Not just cover crops - there are many other practices however they are a key component. Cover crops are a tool - you need to manage them properly Having a living root in the soil as long as possible is important Having diversity of species is important - we can enhance this with cover crops! Less/zero soil disturbance is important   12:30 - What are some of the other important tools farmers should incorporate? Fertility management - (Ex: Avoid anhydrous ammonia, high salt fertilizers) Once you get your soil functioning, you can start unlocking things that were locked before, such as allowing more access to certain minerals Steve isn't saying everyone needs to be no till - but does advocate it. Tillage is a destructive event   15:10 - How important is it to have a diversity of cover crops? There is a time and a place for single species cover crops Steve always plants mixed species You have to play around and see what works on your farm! How many species do you need? Going beyond 6-8; advantages start to level off. Mixed species doesn't necessarily have to be expensive Cover crop mixes can be thought of as a "one plus one equals three" solution   20:30 - What is something that Steve has puzzled over? The link to human health from how we grow plants and nutrient density Steve noticed that the USDA doesn't say how they establish the averages for nutritional value Steve is looking into creating branding for nutritional basis   26:00 - Does Steve believe it is possible that farmers will be compensated for growing quality Generally, Steve thinks yes. Majority of plant genetics are made for yield - so it may take awhile to get right There are some plant breeders that are now breeding for quality over yield   30:50 - Buyers care about flavor and aroma - These are the same markers of nutrient density Flavor and aroma is what makes repeat customers These can also be traced back to plant genetics and breeding - it's important to build from the ground up Big similarities between microbiome of our gut and the microbiome of soil   35:50 - What is something that has surprised Steve in his work? The importance of soil health - What tools like cover crops and no tillage are capable of Once you get the system working, you don't need as much input! Steve expects to continue being surprised as he tries to discover more   38:00 - What does Steve believe to be true about agriculture that many others do not? Reducing input is not going to lead to "mining out" the soil That the use of insecticides and fungicides can be reduced "Would you take chemo to prevent cancer?"   41:40 - What does Steve believe to be the biggest opportunity in agriculture today? Cycles always come and go Regenerative agriculture and growing with reduced input Steve believes there is a bright future ahead   45:00 - What is a book or resource that Steve would recommend? Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life by David R. Montgomery The Biological Farmer: A Complete Guide to the Sustainable & Profitable Biological System of Farming by Gary F. Zimmer Stubble Over the Soil: The Vital Role of Plant Residue in Soil Management to Improve Soil Quality by Carlos Corvetto Lamarca The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming by Masanobu Fukuoka   46:50 - What ideas or technology is Steve excited about for the future of agriculture? Advancement on cover crop equipment   50:10 - Is Steve having fun? YES! Steve finds it fulfilling to help farmers and being a steward of God's earth   51:10 - What would Steve recommend to a farmer starting down this path today? Ask: What do you want to accomplish? Good to prioritise when you're new Time of year will determine species to plant Only apply a new practice to the amount of plants you can afford to lose Learn all you can - Talk to and follow those who are achieving what you want to do   54:40 - What does Steve wish John had asked? How the economics work out - "How can I do this, and flourish?"   56:20 - What has been the economic impact of cover crops on Steve's operations? Looking at 5 years - Fertilizer went down 50%, and chemicals went down 37%   58:20 - What was the cost of these results? Growing your own cover crops cuts down on cost 60-80 lbs of nitrogen instead of 175-200 lbs Average corn yield is between 185-200 For pumpkins: Can cut nitrogen rate to 45-50 lbs      Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Don Huber, a leading plant pathologist and Professor Emeritus at Purdue University. We discuss how to manage soil-borne diseases by managing crop rotations, and the management needed to grow 500 hundred bushels corn. Don shared intriguing observations on how soil-borne disease pathogen populations remain present in the soil constantly and are actually 'beneficial' saprophytic fungi until the right environment is present. Root diseases are a result of the soil environment, not a result of the presence or absence of the organism.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Related Resources Mineral Nutrition and Plant Disease by Lawrence E. Datnoff  (Author, Editor), Wade H. Elmer (Editor), Don M. Huber (Editor) Marschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants by Horst Marschner (Author)     Episode 4 - Dun Huber - Highlights 2:40 - What are Don's most memorable moments leading him to where he is? Don has fun wherever he is! 3:10 - What has puzzled Don in his research work? Studying soil ecology is looking at a black box. Need to slowly build a picture of everything involved.   4:10 - What is something that has surprised Don? How seemingly contradictory things all work together, such as a lot of nutrient relationships Secondary functions of things like manganese and iron start to come into play What are the ecological niches that make the system work?   6:30 - Challenge of manganese availability. What is contributing to that? It's a dynamic relationship with soil and fungi. Need organisms and nutrients to increase uptake Need the bacteria that are responsible for the valiant state - oxidizing groups and reducing groups Manganese can be there, but not available for uptake   11:10 - Pathogens dependant on manganese oxidation. Are they directly dependent, or are they producing a manganese-deficient plant?  Both can be correct. They don't necessarily need the oxidation. Enzyme isn't going to work for you without a cofactor     13:50 - How do populations change when you have a crop infection? The plant is providing nutrients and resources for the pathogen Soil inhabitant vs soil colonizer A soil colonizer is an organism that can be provided its nutrient base from a host Infection isn't the result of the presence of the pathogen, but the level of plant health and microbial ecology in the rhizosphere   20:20 - What are the tools the growers have available to manage soil ecology most effectively and to develop a disease suppressant soil profile. Crop rotation - each crop influences a certain group of organisms in the soil Cover cropping Time of tillage Farming is really managing ecology   28:30 - Is it also possible to use these tools to manage and suppress soil-borne pathogens?  Definitely!   31:20 - What are some useful crops or cover crops that have a strong disease suppressive effect?   Depends on disease and overall soil biology Perhaps the best crop: Oats!   36:50 - What are the key characteristics shared by disease suppressing crops? Boils down to nutrition - may be indirect or direct   39:10 - Can fall tillage application create a rebalancing effect of both reducing organisms as well as oxidizing organisms?. Yes! Doesn't have to be every year Long term no-tillage can reduce the efficiency of ecology   41:20 - What are the impacts of nitrogen on developing disease suppressive soils? Most soil organisms are hungry for 2 things: nitrogen and carbon Changes can cause massive stimulation   44:30 - What is the impact of ammonium on an ecosystem with reduced nitrogen Tremendous reduction of disease Reducing environment creates an increase of manganese availability   46:30: What is the impact of carbon-nitrogen ratio on disease suppressive soils as well as yield? Depends on the carbon source It's not the carbon to nitrogen ratio, it's the form of nitrogen involved Ratio works if working with the same nutrient source   48:30 - Quality/Quantity of photosynthesis - How can we increase quantity of photosynthesis and quantity of root exudates in soil profile. Manganese, manganese, iron, sulfur, etc. are essential for photosynthesis Mineral nutrient deficiency will reduce overall efficiency.   54:30 - We are not tapping into efficiency of plants by limiting carbon dioxide   55:10 - Increase in photosynthesis producing increased biomass   55:30 - What is the potential for plants to increase their volume of photosynthesis?  The potential is 100% 5-10x depending on what the plant it, starting point, etc.   1:00:30 - What kind of yields did Don achieve during his yield trials? What plant populations were growers using?  350+ bushel   1:07:10 - What happened from then, to today when growers are struggling to grow 250 bushel? Why were these not adopted on a broader scale? Focus moved to other areas when there was "too much production" Requires a long term commitment Private company interest is the bottom line We forget it's an ecology that needs to be managed   1:11:30 - What is something Don believes to be true about modern agriculture that others do not believe to be true? Have to think about entire systems, and not focus on a single piece You have to make a few mistakes in order to get there   1:14:00 - What does Don see as the biggest opportunity in agriculture today?  Reinventing the wheel! Getting back to nutrient density Eliminating pesticides, especially glyphosate Agriculture is the basic infrastructure of society. Recognizing the stewardship we have to the soil   1:18:10 - What are some books or resources Don would recommend? Mineral Nutrition and Plant Disease by Lawrence E. Datnoff  (Author, Editor), Wade H. Elmer (Editor), Don M. Huber (Editor) Marschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants by Horst Marschner (Author) Systems looking at nutrient density   1:22:30 - What is a question Don wishes John had asked him? Glyphosate's impact on soil ecology Don is excited to see cover crops being used Maintaining balance within soil environment Supporting the crop with nitrogen       Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

In this episode, I interviewed Dr. Matt Kleinhenz, a professor at the Ohio State University in vegetable crop physiology who has done research in many areas of horticulture and crop sciences. We talk about high quality food production, how growers and consumers view nutrient density, how farmers can influence the market, Matt's views on nutritional yield, and how growers can stay up-to-date on the latest crop breakthroughs.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.       Episode 5 - Dr. Matt Kleinhenz - Highlights [0:03:20] - Matt's memorable moments that have brought him to where he is today  Matt's interactions with growers bringing him questions, especially focusing on "how to produce more of a better quality product?"    [0:04:10] - Where is the demand coming from for growers who want to produce a higher quality product? Some demand comes from grower's ethics who see themselves as part of a larger picture. Business wise - maybe coming from complaints or questions of the quality of their product.   [0:05:00] - What defines quality for growers? What are they seeking to produce? What does quality mean in the eyes of a particular group? Shape, size, texture, aroma, flavor, etc.   [0:07:00] - What has Matt observed in terms of nutrient density? Will there be a demand for "nutrient dense" foods? Nutrient value/density is a complex topic, and we need to be specific when discussing it. Will there be a time when more people are paying more attention? Matt thinks so, but we aren't there yet.   [0:11:00] - Is there evidence we have lost nutrient density in our food supply?  Matt thinks it's possible.   The market is not demanding nutritional value, so it makes sense farmers are not focusing on it. How does a farmer display nutritional value?   [0:19:00] - Organic industry confusion   [0:20:40] - What has been the one thing that has really puzzled Matt for a long time? Matt has seen some farmers have a lack of understanding around the basic biology of the crops they grow. You can't be as effective as possible without a firm grasp of the basics. People are following a process, not understanding the crop they are growing.   [0:23:40] - What are the important pieces growers should study? Understanding can come from many different places. Study the process of farming: Take notes, take pictures, and review these. Install ways to record information such as temperature and rainfall. This information is good for farmers themselves, and when getting outside help. Read, listen, watch videos. Keep a healthy skepticism, but not to the point of being close minded. Implement as many ways of knowing as possible, and start with the simple ones. How do other professions describe nutritional value?   [0:30:00] - One characteristic of the most successful growers They seek to understand "How do we make money?" They seek to understand the specific characteristic to their crop that is most desired by the market, and how to manage it. Repeat sales come from quality. Improve the value of the transaction by improving the product. BRIX has little bearing on nutrition   [0:34:54] - What does Matt believe to be true about agriculture today that most don't believe to be true? One area Matt hears about less is asking what role growers play in society and our daily lives?   [0:36:35] - How to remedy underappreciation for growers? Matt thinks growers need to ask more of themselves, and they could be more assertive about what they do, how, and why.   [0:38:50] - What makes growers who make an impact stand out from the rest? Growers need to be able to see their product as the buyer sees it, not as a farmer.   [0:42:50] - John's story of farm with hail damage with an interesting crop response   [0:48:05] - What is the job the buyer wants from food? Growers should be as informed as possible about what their buyers expect from the product, and what they aspire to. The different perspective of food of cancer survivors, for example. Are growers knowledgeable about what these people are looking for?   [0:52:20] - Where is the greatest opportunity for growers today? Continue to do what they've done, but better! Be a partner in the process of enhancing the social component of what they do; be connected. Use natural resources well. Be a student of the farm and all aspects of the business.   [0:54:20] - Matt's single recommendation for growers to learn more Learn something new. Challenge yourself to learn new things about your crops or your farm. Get an alternative point of view, and don't become too comfortable with what you "know" to be true. Get exposure to research if you have none. Be aware of some of the newest trends   [0:57:30] - What technology or ideas is Matt excited about for the future of agriculture?  Grower-friendly technology for monitoring environment. More computing power to take advantage of data   [1:00:10] - What is the question Matt wished he was asked? What would Matt like to discuss the most? Nutritional yield = yield x nutrient value Can we move the needle on nutritional yield? What are growers hearing from people in terms of quality?   [1:02:00] - Should we measure crop production in terms of carbohydrate or protein production per acre? Some of this is already being done. It's hard to ask farmers to fully understand this, but getting an understanding is important. Growers need to create the market, not just respond to it   [1:02:40] - How can a grower shift perspectives in the market? Be as informed as possible. Be conversant with this information to be able to showcase nutrient density when it isn't obvious Being able to understand what contributes to making better color and flavor, for example, and how these characteristics relate to the nutrition of the food.     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Tom Dykstra, the founder and laboratory director at Dykstra Labs, who also has advanced degrees in entomology and has worked with Dr. Phil Callahan. In this episode, we talk about plant and insect communications, and how plants can only see and feed on plants who are unhealthy (insects are only attracted to unhealthy plants). We also discuss Dr. Dykstra's current day work in bioelectromagnetics, entomology, and agriculture. This episode is a truly amazing glimpse into these very fascinating areas and how they relate to plant physiology.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.       Episode 4 - Dr. Dykstra - Highlights 3:00 - What memorable moments lead Tom to where he is today? Getting fired at the University of Florida leading to the path he's on now Work with flea larvae leading into Tom's PhD project Insect bioelectromagnetics   5:40 - What is the potential impact of Tom's work on agriculture? What might farmers be able to apply? Optimizing photosynthesis to optimize Brix level - leading to healthier plants   8:30 - Photosynthesis thoughts. How much is it possible to increase photosynthesis beyond what is normal? What tools can optimize it?  You can increase it substantially Most plants between 4-8 brix. 12 serious insect damage stops. 14 is a genuinely healthy plant Plants are not working up to anywhere near their potential It's a matter of getting the photosynthetic rate up Need to not be putting up blockages - ex. pesticides Brix is by far the easiest thing to do to measure plant health Need to be weaning off pesticides immediately   17:30 - What can we do to increase energy flow in the soil profile? How much can you afford to lose? Start here Allow weeds to grow here - put out sugar as often as you can This is the cheapest and simplest way to clean out soil as fast as one season Switching over immediately can be a little painful, but anyone can transition slowly Cover crops can also help, but not quite as fast Erosion has recently become a problem   25:00 - Cover crops or applying sugar directly Cover crops take time and can help soil more over time  - directly applying sugar is a massive dose Variety of cover crops is better than just one   27:30 - Why has erosion become such a challenge? Because microbes are gone - leading to fluffy soil that is easily washed away   28:40 - What has been something Tom has puzzled over for a long time? How insects smell - Tom's own research 10-15 years where Tom was unable to put the pieces together In Nov 2016, they were able to decipher details in how insects smell   31:20 -  Why some insects are attracted to certain regions while others are not? Insects smell with antenna and palps Certain insects are "tuned" into certain smells Some plants will advertise themselves as unhealthy - insects will not attack healthy plants Insects are only looking for digestible plants (unhealthy)   35:20 - What are some of the compounds that serve as insect attractants we could manage and monitor?  Ethanol is a universal odorant advertising plants as unhealthy - a lot of plants will release some sort of alcohol Every insect has its own brix cutoff where it will not attack a plant Massive brix level drop before a storm - temporary measure in plants   42:30 - Are nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen insect attractants? Indirectly, yes! High nitrogen is not a direct attractant, but the imbalance in the plant causes the plant to advertise itself because it's stressed   48:10 - What are the possible detection distances for these insect signaling compounds? They can be detected by great distances! Tremendous. No matter the distance.   50:20 - Why do some people seem to attract mosquitoes, and some do not? Like plants, this is the difference between healthy and unhealthy people. Mosquitoes seek people who advertise themselves as having disgestable blood. Mosquitoes have a choice, and are going to choose the most digestible blood available   54:10 - What are the differences between healthy and unhealthy mosquitoes? Not all insects are going to have the same diseases. They have states of health and unhealth   57:00 - What has been something that has really surprised Tom? How different insects are smelling the same molecule - Tom's focus in his research Insects have multiple receptors for smell Tom has learned throughout his life how little we know so far on these topics   1:01:20 - What does Tom believe to be true about agriculture that many others do not believe to be true?  Insects are only attracted to unhealthy plants  Because of this, pesticides are unnecessary   1:06:30 - What is a book or resource Tom would recommend? Going out there and talking to farmers directly Tom likes giving direct advice     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

In this episode, I had an awesome time interviewing Dr. Michael McNeill, who is an agronomic consultant with several degrees in soil fertility, plant physiology, and quantitative genetics. We discuss how fertility and genetics impact plant response to disease invasion, what causes the suppression of soil health, Michael's experience quickly regenerating soil, how farming has changed since the green revolution, and how to develop a plant profile that protects against disease.   Mentioned In This Episode: N. A. Krasil'nikov SOIL MICROORGANISMS AND HIGHER PLANTS     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, Episode 3 Timestamps: 4:10 - Michael's background   Michael's seen the transition of his farm going from all horses, to the GPS guided tractors they use today. He sees a need to bring back certain aspects of the type of farming he learned from his grandfather, especially In terms of improving soil health and maintaining soil fertility. Michael's operation has gone completely organic. Around 42,000 acres of organic crops in Michael's area, with farmers ranging from 320 acres to 15,000 acres of organic area.   6:50 - Michael's professional work   Michael left the farm for a few years for a degree at Iowa State University, majoring in agronomy for a B.S. degree in soils and soil fertility. Michael has a masters degree in plant physiology, and a PhD in quantitative genetics. After university, Michael studied the impact of diseases as weapons and how to defend crops against diseases. Michael learned about how fertility and genetics can create environments that can defend against pathogenic invasion. Michael had experimented with GMO's and moving genes from different species into plants, which he chose to step away from. This lead to focus on a quantitative genetic approach, and more into soil fertility and health. Michael has moved into agricultural consulting as well 11:00 - What is the scope of Michael's work?   Most of Michael's work is working with soil health and soil fertility. Michael says soil health never used to be a big issue compared to today 11:30 - What has changed with soil health?   Michael noticed plants in old photos looked much healthier Michael asked: what changed from back then? He says it's due to use of herbicides.   14:30 - Production dropping on farms   Michael has observed a drop from 200 bushels per acre to 70-80. Michael has seen this across many farms.   16:10 - How do you go from depressed yields to back up to larger numbers Michael advises to firstly figure out what is going wrong, and stop doing that. "Get the food right" for the soil. There is no magic bullet solution   19:00 - What is causing the suppression of soil health?   Excessive tillage doesn't seem to bother soil. However, you must be careful with which tillage tool to use. Tillage does not cause the same damage as herbicides, anhydrous ammonia, or high sulphur fertilizers   21:40 - What are the damaging effects of herbicides on soil health?   Michael thinks we haven't paid enough attention to soil micronutrients They are important to plant growth, and easily chelated by pesticides.   23:00 - What did Michael learn from his grandfather would be relevant today?   Crop rotation is lacking. Michael's grandfather had to grow oats for his horses, which are great at improving soil health. Michael says we should think of oats as an excellent cover crop. No better fertilizer than animal manures.   26:00 - What did Michael learn from studying diseases as a weapon?   Diseases can continue to kill crops for many years. Antibiotic type products can strip soil protection It hard to fix contaminated soil. There is microbial life in soil that will keep everything in balance, provided you can provide the right nutrition.   29:40 - Is it possible to grow crops that don't have disease?   Michael says yes! It's very hard to get disease to invade a perfectly healthy plant An unhealthy plant cannot convert sugars into complex sugars, which disease can't use.   33:10 - What has been something that has puzzled Michael?   Michael's answer: The impact of lack of micronutrients in crops. Minerals are being chelated inside the plant tissue by herbicides Sap analysis correlates more with what plants are showing visually   36:20 - What are the things Michael believes to be true that others don't believe to be true?   Michael believes soil can grow healthy and high yielding plants with minimal additional inputs   37:10 - How to grow healthy, high yield crops without fertilizer   Creating healthy soil that allows plant roots to go deep into the soil for access to needed minerals   40:10 - What does Michael not believe to be true?   Michael's answer: Most people believe you have to put a lot of inputs in to get decent yield. Most people don't understand how the system works and are trying to swim upstream.   41:20 - What technology or ideas is Michael excited about?   More involvement in food production Wasting too much good soil   42:10 - Where is the biggest opportunity in agriculture?   Growers that are looking to improve sustainability of their operations   43:00 - What is the one book Michael would recommend for growers?   Mineral Nutrition and Plant Disease - Lawrence E. Datnoff, Don M. Huber, Wade H. Elmer Books relating to microbial life in soil   45:20 - What is the one action Michael recommend growers take?   "Stop poisoning the soil" Transitioning vs. stopping all at once Michael has had total success with other farmers implementing this     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

In this episode, I interviewed Gabe Brown, a rancher who is a veteran no-tiller and the owner of Brown's Ranch in Bismarck, N.D.. We discussed Gabe's experience farming without applying any fertilizers, the ability to feed more people with regenerative agriculture than with the current system, the economics of grazing beef, and the tremendous opportunity of growing non-commodity crops. This episode is a great look at the practical applications of regenerative agriculture systems. Gabe's new book, Dirt to Soil, will be available in fall 2018 from Chelsea Green and Amazon.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.      Episode 2 - Gabe Brown - Highlights 0:02:40 - What moments have lead Gabe to where he is today?  Since Gabe wasn't born and raised on a farm, he didn't have any preconceived notions, and was open to new ideas Gabe went to no tillage Gabe learned how to use the land without the use of synthetic inputs   0:04:40 - What were the key pieces Gabe changed to how he had been farming? Incorporating livestock Lowering synthetic inputs   0:07:20 - How important is it to incorporate livestock? Soil health revolves around carbon We can still definitely improve soil health without livestock, however they will not reach the levels of soil that had livestock Cover crops are still a no-brainer, however!   0:12:00 - Commodity crop mindset We have a human health crisis Nutrient density is a fraction of what it used to be Health of soil ecosystem is causing downward trend in nutrient density Focus on human health is a coming wave   0:16:40 - Do we actually have a food production problem?  We have a distribution problem, not a food production problem.   0:20:50 -  Iowa's change from 1946  Gabe is succeeding by focusing on growing different things Money coming from working on little things   0:25:00 - Agriculture is fun again! Much more enjoyable to work with a model of life rather than death   0:26:20 - We have a model of agriculture antagonistic to growers core values  There are human health implications   0:28:30 - Can we increase meat consumption globally and produce an equivalent or greater amount of meat using the system Gabe has described? Absolutely yes! Not having animals out on the land causing issues Commodity vs regenerative model - growing cover crops, grazing   0:32:40 - Growing food as medicine  What's Making Our Children Sick?: How Industrial Food Is Causing an Epidemic of Chronic Illness, and What Parents (and Doctors) Can Do About It by Dr. Michelle Perro (Author), Vincanne Adams (Author)   0:34:10 - What has really puzzled Gabe? Dealing with perennial weeds We have to get fungal activity back into soils   0:38:20 - What has surprised Gabe? Not able to be truly regenerative without removing or significantly backing off the use of synthetics   0:40:40 - What synthetic fertilisers has Gabe been using? Dry synthetic fertilisers such as urea They were significantly over applying nitrogen and phosphorus Need to wean off of synthetics      0:43:40 - What does Gabe believe to be true about modern agriculture that others don't believe to be true? We aren't given an owners manual for our soil Need to realize soil is living, dynamic, resilient ecosystem What thing that sets Gabe's operation apart: Living growing root in the ground as long as possible throughout the year   0:47:00 - Most growers haven't observed truly healthy plants   0:48:20 - What is the biggest opportunity in agriculture today? Advancing soil health to produce more nutrient dense food Consumers are starting to think of food as health Farmacology: Total Health from the Ground Up Daphne Miller M.D. (Author)   0:51:00 - What is a book or resource Gabe recommends? A Soil Owner's Manual: How to Restore and Maintain Soil Health by Jon Stika  (Author) What's Making Our Children Sick?: How Industrial Food Is Causing an Epidemic of Chronic Illness, and What Parents (and Doctors) Can Do About It by Dr. Michelle Perro (Author), Vincanne Adams (Author) Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown (upcoming)   0:53:30 - What ideas and technology is Gabe excited about for the future of agriculture? Leaps in knowledge of soil biology Instrumentation to scan a food item to scan nutrient density Advancements in measuring carbon   0:58:00 - What actions would you recommend for growers? Educate themselves - have a desire to learn 5 principles - least amount of disturbance possible, armor on the soil, diversity, living root in ground as long as possible, animal integration. Try these 5 on a given field for 5 years Getting more perennials growing   1:01:50 - What question does Gabe wish John had asked? Just try something! Don't have to do it all to start Need to not drive young people away from agriculture       Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.     Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Robert Kremer, a microbiology scientist for the USDA who also works as a professor in plant sciences at the University of Missouri. In this episode, we discuss Robert's project with the USDA decomposing weed seeds in soil, native soil microorganisms and microbial interactions, and the implications of AMPA and glyphosate on soil biology. We also discuss Robert's thoughts on the challenge of manganese availability, how growing GMO's impacts soil health, building soil carbon, how to choose soil inoculants and many more fascinating insights from a highly respected soil scientist.     Support For This Show & Helping You Grow This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006. If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.     Episode 1 - Dr. Kremer - Highlights 0:03:00 - What are Robert's memorable moments leading up to where he is today? Robert was asked by the USDA Agricultural Research Service to look at the possibility of decomposing weed seeds in soil used in microbiological approaches. Robert saw in the 80's, weed and pest management was mainly chemical based. Through trying natural ways of controlling weeds and attempting to understand what pesticides do, which lead him soil quality/health.    0:05:50 - Has Robert had success in developing biological controls? Are there tools available for farmers to use today? Robert found it almost impossible to control all weed growth. Modern input based agriculture ecosystems built up many weed seeds in the operations Robert was working on. Robert's work has helped set the stage for other work that has been done in this area.   0:08:10 - Is Robert aware of any development relevant to fruit and vegetable production systems? Or in areas where ecosystems have longer crop rotation incorporating cover crops?  Agri-Food Canada has contributed to this area However, Robert doesn't believe there is a lot of development    0:09:40 - The impact of pesticides? Robert has found some pesticides to be damaging to certain microorganism, while the same pesticides can be stimulating to other microorganisms   Microorganisms were able to adapt to commonly used insecticides and herbicides These compounds were building weed resistance, but also altering the soil microbial community at the same time Finding residual glyphosate in the soil   0:14:40 - How long does Robert find that glyphosate residues are remaining in soil? Plots that had gone a year without RoundUp had as high glyphosate levels as plots that received the glyphosate in the same year, showing there was a carry over of residual glyphosate Robert found it seemed random which plots had high levels of residual glyphosate AMPA can be just as toxic as glyphosate itself Robert was observing 10-50x more AMPA than glyphosate   0:17:40 - What are the implications of high concentrations of AMPA in soil profile? AMPA has very similar effects to glyphosate on soil   0:18:30 - What defines soil quality and health?  Two main indicators: soil organic carbon, and microbial diversity A high proportion of soil organic carbon is active carbon. This is the portion of carbon that supports the microbial community and plant growth protection Diversity in fungi and bacteria 0:25:00 - What can a farmer today do to start measuring these factors? Labs exist that can put together soil assessments Some states have incentives for farmers to do this 0:27:00 - What are the long-term impacts of soil quality/health by compounds such as glyphosate or AMPA?  Robert has noticed glyphosate tends to suppress beneficial groups of bacteria Manganese can become "tied up" because the plant cannot access micronutrients  0:31:00 - What are the long-term implications of manganese immobility in soil profiles? Shift in microbial diversity. Including cover crops or different crops in rotation can help free up manganese    0:33:30 - What crops are really effective at having a reducing effect and shifting the availability of manganese in the soil profile? When you have a diversity of cover crops, some will be able to mobilize micronutrients Common example: Buckwheat Sorghum    0:35:20 - How to GMOs impact soil microbial community Some early GMO soybeans roots seemed to release higher levels of amino acids and soluble carbon, which can attract potential pathogens In some GMO corn varieties, side effect of having more lignin   0:39:10 - What does Robert believe to be true about modern agriculture that many others don't believe to be true? Depletion of soil organic matter. Robert has seen a drop from 3% organic matter down to around 1%   0:41:00 - How can we regenerate the soluble carbon component in the soil profile? Having a diversity of plants, and having living roots in the soil as long as possible Follow corn or soybean with wheat   0:43:20 - What is a book or resource Robert would recommend to growers? Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis Mycorrhizal Planet by Michael Phillips    0:45:10 - What is the question Robert wishes John had asked? Robert is often asked about biological products   0:46:00 - What ideas or technologies is Robert really excited about? Lots of classifications of biological productions: Biological stimulants, probiotics, prebiotic Robert has been impressed with what some prebiotics can do Although, some show promising signs but end up not improving total yield    0:51:30 - Do we have the conditions to give an inoculant or probiotic the opportunity for success?   0:53:40 - What is the one action Robert would recommend that growers should take? Need to keep soil covered, even better to keep living plants on the soil Integrate livestock with crops is a great, but mostly forgotten practice   0:55:00 - What are the economic implications of managing grazing very closely and carefully? Not only benefit for crops, but for the quality of meat as well. We've gotten away from what an agricultural ecosystem should be     Feedback & Booking Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.   Sign Up For Special Updates To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.   Credits   Hosted by John Kempf. Co-created & Directed by Geoffrey Shively. Produced by Anna Kempf, Jenna Sodano, and Nathan Harman, and Cody Nesbit.