The Campaign to Regenerate America

The majority of U.S. soils are extremely degraded – topsoil loss is occurring at a rate of 4.6 tons per acre, per year on agricultural land, a major contributing factor to our climate, water, and health crisis. Now is the time to build massive political will to advance regenerative agriculture.

Regenerate America is an unprecedented coalition of farmers, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals from every corner of our country and all political stripes working together to ensure that the next Farm Bill shifts resources & support towards regenerative agriculture. Soil is our common ground, and our common good, so join the campaign today.

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News

Catch up on the latest stories and policy updates.

Advocacy Resources

Read our Farm Bill Platform and key policy proposals.

Why the Farm Bill?

Big shifts in practice require big shifts in policy.

What is the Farm Bill?

From farm to plate, it covers more than you think.

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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Our commitment to DEIJ

The Coalition

Regenerate America is a diverse, bipartisan coalition of farmers, businesses, nonprofits, and citizens working together to transform the 2023 Farm Bill. The coalition is propelled by its working groups, guided by a Farmer Leadership Council and Steering Committee, and stewarded by Kiss the Ground.

If your organization or business is interested in joining the coalition or business network, please email [email protected]

(Hover Mouse over Green States)

Gina Nagel
Co-founder
Public Good Provisions

 

Kelsey Ducheneaux-Scott
Director of Programs
Intertribal Ag Council

 

Mark Gutierrez
Executive Director
Minnesota Soil Health Coalition

 

Julie Davenson
Principal Owner
Regen Roots

 

Michael Kovach
President; Owner
Pennsylvania Farmers Union; Walnut Hill Farm

 

Peter Lehner
Managing Attorney and Director of the Sustainable Food and Farming Program
Earthjustice

 

Nicole Moses-Milner
Sr. Manager Diversity Equity and Inclusion
J.Crew

Arohi Sharma
Deputy Director of Regenerative Agriculture and the Nature Program
Natural Resources Defense Council

Regenerate America’s Business Network is comprised of companies that we believe are answering the call of future generations and actively raising awareness for soil health and/or actively transitioning supply to regenerative producers.

Participation in the Business Network is limited to ensure that each member is able to effectively work together to reform the 2023 Farm Bill and shift resources in support of regeneration. All participating companies have the opportunity to have a voice, learn, engage, and further the regenerative movement.

Click here to see our extensive list of partnerships

The Regenerate America Science Advisory is a non-partisan team of leading researchers of regenerative agriculture, soil health, agroecology, and sustainable food systems to provide strategic guidance as we anticipate providing final recommendations for the farm bill. The purpose of the advisory is to share the latest research findings, inform the campaign, and discuss research needs to advance regenerative agriculture and soil health. Science Advisors play an education role and do not do any direct advocacy work that could be in conflict with university policies.

Dr. Liz Carlisle
Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies Program
University of California Santa Barbara

Dr. Jason Rowntree
Professor, Animal Science
Michigan State University

Dr. Daniel Rath
Agriculture Soil Carbon Scientist
Natural Resources Defense Council

Dr. Jerry L. Hatfield
Former Director
USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment

Dr. Lawson Conner
Assistant Professor, Agriculture Economics and Agribusiness
University of Arkansas

Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson
Faculty and Assistance Specialist, School of Natural Resources and the Environment
University of Arizona

Dr. Andrea Basche
Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Dr. Juan P. Alvez
Research Associate Faculty
University of Vermont Extension, Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Dr. Allen Williams
Farmer, Founding Partner
Understanding Ag, Soil Health Academy, Regenified

Dr. Rachel E. Schattman
Assistant Professor, Sustainable Agriculture
University of Maine

Dr. Jordan Wade
Assistant Professor, Soil Health and Fertility
University of Missouri

Dr. Jessica Chiartas
Postdoc
University of California Davis

Dr. Jonathan Lundgren
Director, CEO
ECDYSIS Foundation, Blue Dasher Farm

“Soil health – this is what is so important today... That is the way we make sure we have food security.”
- Rep. David Scott (D-GA-13), Sept. 14 hearing
“This is urgent and it is critical that we have bipartisan action on the topic at hand [regenerative agriculture] today.”
- Rick Clark, Indiana Regenerative farmer, Sept. 14 hearing testimony
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Why the Farm Bill?

The Farm Bill impacts nearly every aspect of farmers’ lives and work, influencing what they produce, in what quantities, and the practices that they are able to implement on their lands. However, current federal agriculture policy does more to hinder the adoption of regenerative production than to support it. The Farm Bill sets the priorities of the U.S. agriculture system, often encouraging certain crops and production systems over others – for example, after Nutrition, the Crop Insurance and Commodities titles receive the next largest amounts of funding. Conservation programs that help rebuild soils through regeneration are currently not supported to the same extent that conventional agriculture is. In turn, the farmers and ranchers that are making the effort to build healthy soils are not supported in their work, and in fact can be discouraged from it. 

This must change. Healthy soil is the foundation of American resilience and prosperity. Of all the food that we eat, 95% is from the soil! Without healthy living soil, we have dust, desert, lack of fresh water, and life as we know it isn’t possible. It is the reason biodiversity flourishes, springs flow, and food has most of its essential nutrients. By combining Indigenous knowledge, holistic management, and cutting-edge science, regenerative agriculture makes farming and ranching more profitable, improves food quality and security, and repairs land function – providing countless benefits to our planet and our people. We need to rebuild healthy soil across the country, and to do this, we need a Farm Bill that supports regenerative agriculture. Learn more about regenerative agriculture here.

Regenerate America has a long-term target of building 3-6% organic matter for all agricultural soils, and ensuring that by 2030, 100,000 more farmers and ranchers have been able to transition 100 million more acres of U.S. farmland towards regeneration.

What is the Farm Bill?

The Farm Bill is an omnibus bill (meaning it covers many different areas of legislation) that governs much of the US food and agriculture system. With provisions for nutrition, crop insurance, conservation, rural investment, land access and more, the Farm Bill is one of the most important pieces of US legislation, and has considerable ramifications for farmer livelihoods, the environment, food access, and national food security.

The Farm Bill affects everything from how food is grown, to what types of food are available and who has access to it. For example, the current Farm Bill subsidized commodity crops like corn, soy, and wheat which are often used in heavily processed food. It also helps 42 million Americans put food on the table through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), providing essential nutrition to families in need. In fact, over 75% of all Farm Bill funding goes toward SNAP and other critical nutrition programs like WIC.

The Farm Bill is renewed every 5-7 years, so the next Farm Bill will last through at least 2028. Developed and written by the Senate and House Agriculture Committees, it is voted upon by both Chambers of Congress, which means all members of Congress vote to pass the Farm Bill and they all have the opportunity to influence the development of the Farm Bill. A key way this happens is by signaling their support for key issues through marker bills, or smaller “placeholder” bills that are introduced to gain support for inclusion in the larger bill. 

The Farm Bill covers 12 areas (12 “titles”), ranging from crop insurance to federal nutrition assistance programs. For the purpose of advancing regenerative agriculture, key titles that Regenerate America is focused on improving include:

  • Title II, Conservation: Encourages environmental stewardship of farmlands and improved management through land retirement and/or working lands programs.
  • Title V, Credit: Offers direct government loans to farmers/ranchers and guarantees on private lenders’ loans.
  • Title VI, Rural Development: Supports rural business and community development programs.
  • Title VII, Research, Extension, and Related Matters: Supports agricultural research and extension programs.
  • Title XI, Crop Insurance: Enhances risk management through the permanently authorized federal crop insurance program.

* Information from https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11126

Introducing Our Newest 10K Acre Partner!