On a recent visit to the US, the Irish Farmers Journal saw products with regenerative agriculture labels. There were also organic labelled products and some were labelled both regenerative and organic.

Alexandre Family Farm Butter was one product we saw which was labelled certified regenerative (see picture below).

In Ireland, the Department of Agriculture has stuck its teeth into organics. However, there are other opportunities which may appeal more to farmers and which many are already implementing on farm.

Although these practices may not be fully organic, farmers across the country are implementing regenerative agriculture practices.

Many farmers are afraid to move to organics, but want to reduce inputs without seeing a dramatic fall in production.

Surely produce can be sold as regenerative the same as it is sold as organic here in Ireland.

A regenerative agriculture label on a product.

This may bring in a premium for farmers and result in a reduction in artificial fertiliser and chemical input use on these farms, while maintaining a higher level of production than on organic farms.

There are opportunities across sectors from porridge and flour to butter and milk.

Some regenerative agriculture practices include:

  • Planting cover crops improves soil health, takes up excess nutrients and helps to store carbon.
  • Minimum tillage helps to build up soil carbon and organic matter, reduces fuel use and helps to improve soil health.
  • Focusing on plant nutrition helps to reduce the use of pesticides.
  • Choosing robust varieties or mixing varieties can reduce inputs.
  • Combi-cropping can reduce fertiliser use when using legumes.
  • Leaving arable margins helps to promote natural predators.
  • It should be noted that in the UK farmers are paid to implement many of these practices by the government.