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In the latest issue of Country Wide Magazine, our Chair, Becks Smith, shared some personal musings about regenerative agriculture in New Zealand, exploring various camps on whether we identify with it, embrace it and how we define it. She invites us to embrace the uncertainty. Below is a brief excerpt: “There are two curious conversations underfoot as I currently see it:
1. Should we embrace regenerative agriculture as an identity?
2. Should we embrace regenerative agricultural practices? Regenerative … What’s in a word? Are we really so sure of our position as to die on our own moral sword? And if we do, will anyone attend our funeral? Export dependent agricultural economies worldwide are embracing the Regenerative Agriculture movement to secure their seat at the table. No one is going to miss us if we don’t show up. We have to stop kidding ourselves that we “feed the world”, we feed a small percentage of the privileged few. If products associated with regenerative agriculture are being sought after by some of our large brand customers to meet their sustainability commitments, we need to rise to the challenge. Perhaps the term “regenerative” threatens us as it implies if we embrace this new identity, that our past selves, neighbours or ancestors were “degenerative” and that’s confronting. So perhaps for now we change the narrative and instead of being “regenerative farmers” we are “farmers who are undertaking regenerative practices.” How you feel about the word ‘regenerative’? We’re curious to know. Link to the full article below (you’ll need a subscription though).
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