WORKING TO SLOW CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, ONE FIELD AT A TIME
• Tilling the soil less, or avoiding tilling altogether • Planting cover crops or growing a diverse array of crops
• Managed-grazing practices
• Targeted (or minimal) use of fertilizers
The Regenerative Organic Alliance is at the forefront of establishing a certification program and standard - izing regenerative farming practices, says Sophie Egan, director of strategy for Food for Climate League. “We do need a unified way of defining this to avoid consumer confusion, avoid gre- enwashing and help buyers identify and understand supply chain practic- es,” she says, “but the flip side is that certification can be cost prohibitive for a lot of farmers, and many of them are, in fact, farming in ways … that tru - ly align with the scientific consensus of what counts as regenerative. That’s where direct relationships really mat- ter.” Certification aside, Six Dutchess Farm is living proof that improving soil health on one small farm can have at least some impact in addressing the climate crisis. To begin, Kouvant applied for a USDA grant to convert one outdoor horse-riding arena into a growing area, but it was a no-go. “They told me it was too sandy and worn down to grow anything,” she says. Her solution: She blended mushroom compost with new topsoil and built high beds cov- ered with a 96-foot-long, heat-tolerant high tunnel. “There is no one soil recipe for ev - ery farm, but this performs really well for us,” says Kouvant. She germinat - ed tiny plants called plugs in the soil, eventually turning to flowers after dis - covering that vegetables and berries weren’t a good fit. “Once we could see all the parts coming together, we introduced flow - ers to the mix, both wildflowers for the pollinators to enjoy, and seasonal cut flowers, for our community,” she says. Six Dutchess Farm has built a successful wholesale business selling flowers to restaurants and event plan - ners and direct to customers at farm- er’s markets.
and Krüs Kitchen where “the regener - ative portion of both menus is about 80%,” he says. “In South Florida, we work with small farmers who employ those practices. At Tiny Farm, we even have our own set of vegetable rows.” “From a farmer’s perspective, work - ing with Chef Sebastian, Josh and Pili at Krüs and Los Felix is a pleasure and a rarity," said Roberto Grossman of Tiny Farm. "Sebastian has visited our farm more than any other chef, he loves seeing the process and getting involved in our crop planning so he knows what to expect from us. Their love for local, fresh and artisan prod- ucts is special.” Both restaurants have received a Michelin Green Star for sus- tainability. GIVING BACK TO THE EARTH Just like sustainability, there is not yet a standard definition for regenerative agriculture. But there are some gener - al, agreed-upon guidelines:
BUT IS REGENERATIVE FARMING A MAGIC BULLET IN THE FLIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE? Some say regenerative agriculture is the most important way to mitigate climate change. But others believe big ag and food manufacturers are co-opting the term and watering it down. And, for restaurant operators, the topic can be an especially confus- ing one because there is no national certification program for suppliers fol - lowing regenerative practices. Advocates like foodservice distrib- utor Baldor Specialty Foods believe “restorative agriculture” is the more- accurate term for smaller farmers and true practitioners. Josh Hackler, CEO of Grassfed Cul- ture Hospitality in Miami, focuses on ethos rather than semantics. He op - erates restaurants including Los Felix
SUSTAINABILITY OUTLOOK 2025 16
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY: PAT DODSON
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