Guide to Regenerative Grazing Leases: Opportunities for Resilience

CHAPTER 1. Introduction (Continued)
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
TomKat Ranch defines regenerative agriculture as “the science, art, or occupation
concerned with providing ample, nutritious food; improving local economies equitably;
building soil fertility; restoring biodiversity, water cycling, and water quality; and using
natural processes to achieve climate stability by restoring carbon and other nutrients
to the soil.”
Soil health is the foundation of regenerative agriculture. The four principles of soil
health management—1) minimize soil disturbance, 2) maximize biodiversity, 3) keep
the soil covered, 4) maintain living roots—thus form the foundation of the principlesbased
approach of regenerative agriculture.
Principles of Regnerative Agriculture
Each principle of regenerative agriculture is scientifically informed, with many
potential tools and management practices to be implemented (and continually
adapted) based upon one's context:
1. Understand your context.
Develop a sensitive and on-going relationship with the environmental, economic,
and social context of the land to identify which agricultural practices produce the
most total value relative to their full range of costs. Keep in mind that context is
in a state of constant change and can vary significantly across time and space.
Traditional and indigenous land management practices can be an excellent
reference point as they were developed and tested over generations by people
with a strong desire and necessity to maintain and enhance the health of the
ecosystem while supporting thriving human communities.
2. Minimize soil disturbance.
Preserve the integrity and structure of soil and limit the amount of mechanical
disturbance that can damage roots, harm the health and diversity of
microbiological communities, and create soil compaction.
3. Maximize diversity.
Support biodiversity above and below ground and limit the use of practices
or chemicals that can damage it. Biodiversity in rangelands is critical to their
productivity and resilience. Encouraging a variety of plant species and supporting
macro- and micro-biological diversity can extend growing seasons, increase
resilience to extreme weather, reduce livestock predation and health concerns,
support wildlife habitat, and enhance ecosystem function.
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