Soil is the literal and metaphorical foundation of all we do at TomKat Ranch. Healthy and vibrant soil lies at the heart of regenerative agriculture and is the key
Summer of Soil
07/21/2022
By: Kevin Alexander Watt and Megan Shahan
Soil is the literal and metaphorical foundation of all we do at TomKat Ranch. Healthy and vibrant soil lies at the heart of regenerative agriculture and is the key to growing valuable ecological, social, and economic benefits on our natural and working lands. Put simply, soils are fundamental to life on earth. If you eat food, you depend on soil. If you drink water and breathe air, you depend on soil. If you wear clothes, you depend on soil. If you live in a shelter, you depend on soil. If you use medicine, you depend on soil. If you enjoy the outdoors, you depend on soil!
New to the wonders of life beneath our feet? Jessica Chiartas explains how life on earth—through soils—came to be in this fun, animated video, The Soil Awakens: The Story of Soil Life. Explore these links and other resources from Soil Life, a collaboration between University of California, Davis, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service to raise awareness about the value and importance of soil.
Looking to dig deeper into how we can steward our soils and life on this planet? The Funders of Regenerative Agriculture (FORA) is publishing a series of issue briefs that evaluate the benefits of regenerative agriculture across intersectional lenses. The first in this series, Regenerative Agriculture and Climate, makes the case for regenerative agriculture by demonstrating the challenges brought forth by our current industrial agriculture system—including the destruction of biology (i.e., life) in the soil—and rigorously exploring how regenerative agriculture offers us “shovel ready” and scalable solutions to increasingly serious interconnected crises in our world.
All told, these issue briefs will represent the most comprehensive collection of research and information available to date about the impacts and importance of regenerative agriculture.
Future briefs and additional resources on regenerative agriculture can be found here: Resources – Funders for Regenerative Agriculture.
Looking to get involved? Now is the time to build massive political will to advance regenerative agriculture in the 2023 Farm Bill and beyond. Regenerate America is an unprecedented coalition of farmers, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals from every corner of our country and all political stripes. Together, we are elevating the voices of farmers and ranchers demanding that the 2023 Farm Bill shift resources & support towards regenerative agriculture. Visit their website to learn more about the 2023 Farm Bill, the Regenerate America policy priorities, and how the widespread adoption of regenerative agriculture can bring prosperity to rural communities for this generation and generations to come, while improving food and water security and strengthening our climate resilience. Click here to join the campaign for healthy soil!
