Principles of Regenerative Agriculture
Minimise soil disturbance
Deep inversion ploughing damages the soil structure and introduces huge amounts of oxygen which burns through the soil’s organic matter, emitting CO2 and depleting the food source for the soil microorganisms. It also makes the soil vulnerable to erosion as areas of topsoil are exposed to extreme wind and rain events which can potentially pollute nearby watercourses. Low/No till practices ensure there is only a small amount of disturbance as the seed is slotted into the soil without ploughing deeply.
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Disturbance by spreading chemicals onto the land in the form of synthetic fertilisers, herbicides or insecticides severely alters the balance of soil microbial life. Without a healthy soil microbiology, nutrient cycling cannot take place efficiently and therefore plants become dependent on artificial fertilisers as the soil cannot provide them with readily available nitrates and other important nutrients.
Keep the soil covered
Exposed soil is vulnerable to erosion, which removes vital nutrients from the land, reducing its fertility. Planting cover crops after the cash crop has been harvested or leaving crop stubble in place can keep the surface protected in harsh weather conditions. Additionally, underplanting crops with wide spacing (such as corn) with a low growing plant is another effective protective measure.
Managed grazing where livestock are frequently moved to new pasture can help to prevent overgrazing and poaching of the ground and reduce the risk of erosion.
Keep living roots in the ground
The plants of living roots release carbon filled exudates into the soil which feed the soil microorganisms. Roots also support a healthy soil structure, making space for water to infiltrate deep into the soil, rather than running off the surface. Carefully selected cover crops can be used to provide cover for the soil surface, feed the soil microorganisms and add nitrogen if using legumes.
Overgrazing by livestock can cause plant roots to weaken and die. Ensuring the pasture has sufficient recovery time between grazing periods means sward density and plant health can be maintained.
Encourage diversity
In pasture, a variety of plant types means different rooting depths and nutrient requirements, adding resilience to the system in periods of drought or other extreme weather. Diversity of livestock grazing is also important as they all graze in different ways. Sheep are very selective and will graze close to the ground whereas cattle are less so and will take larger clumps of forage. Chickens or pigs seek out insects, slugs and parasites, eliminating the need for pesticides and reducing the disease burden on the other livestock.
Crop diversity also supports more wildlife and soil microorganisms, as well as being more resilient during extreme weather events.
Integrate livestock
Integrating livestock can have many benefits for nutrient cycling. For arable land in rotation they can be used to graze the ley phases, add fertility, keep weeds in check and produce a profitable output. Managed in the right way they can increase the diversity of the sward, soil microbes and insect life.
In a permanent grassland context resting the grassland between grazing pulses enables it to recover quickly and photosynthesize more, adding more carbon into its roots system, grow taller to provide more habitats for insects and other animals, as well as giving different plant species time to grow. High densities of livestock in an area for a short period of time trample plants which they do not eat, such as thistles, to create opportunities for other plants to grow.