Regenerative Agriculture Forum Brings Strengths and Needs into Focus

A community forum on regenerative agriculture was held Sunday, April 28, at Sacramento State University campus, hosted by 350Sac in partnership with Third Act Sacramento, the Environmenal Council of Sacramento (ECOS), the Sacramento Food Co-op, SMUD, The Sacramento Bee, and the California Alliance for Community Composting.

Experienced, larger-scale farmers, like Scott Park of Park Farming Organics, Shawn Harrison of Soil Born Farms (at the American River Ranch), Molly Taylor of PT Ranch, and Paul Muller of Full Belly Farm spoke about their use of cover crops, hedgerows, compost, crop rotation, conservation tillage (low or no-till), use of crop residues, reduction of inputs, and caring for their crews.

Many definitions of regenerative ag were discussed: a collection of agricultural practices that focus on the overall health of the ecological system, creating benefits for the soil, the environment, and people. Enterprising farmers were encouraged to learn from experienced farmers, like those present, and to start with local Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs). The Yolo County Resource Conservation District is currently leading the Yolo Carbon Farming Partnership, which encompasses much of this scope.

Reps from support organizations included Toney Tillman of the USDA NRCS Elk Grove Service Center, who laid out federal environmetal quality incentives program (EQIP) funding and resources; Tony Rolfes, state soil scientist with the USDA NRCS, who spoke about the federal soil health initiative, and Benjamin Lewis and Dr. Cynthia Daley with CSU Chico, who both gave overviews including Dr. Daley’s experience growing up in the corn fields of Illinois. Baani Behniwal of The Climate Center headquartered in Santa Rosa focused on emissions benefits.

Urban ag and composting heroes plus co-operatives were well represented by inspiring leaders like Alfred Melbourne of Three Sisters Gardens in Broderick (West Sac), with paid student leadership positions, Nelson Hawkins of Ujamaa Farmer Collective, empowering Black farmers and farmers of color, and David Baker of ReSoil, an effort to collect food scraps from local restaurants and redistribute them to composting sites across the community via peddle power. Other organizations with a presence were Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), the Center for Land Based Learning in Woodland, the UC Davis Student Farm, and Farm Fresh to You.

Visit the 350Sac website for more information.