Regenerative Texas
Regenerative Texas is an Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts Initiative that aims to transform the state’s agricultural landscape by promoting sustainable farming practices that restore soil health, enhance biodiversity, and improve water efficiency.
Key principles of regenerative agriculture
Regenerative agriculture principles focus on enhancing soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem function to create sustainable and resilient agricultural systems. Key principles include minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining living roots, keeping soil covered, integrating livestock, and promoting biodiversity.
Minimize soil disturbance
This involves reducing or eliminating tillage (plowing, disking, etc.) to protect the soil structure and the beneficial microbes and fungi that live within it.
Keep the soil covered
Protecting the soil surface with cover crops, mulch, or crop residues helps prevent erosion, reduces water loss through evaporation, and suppresses weed growth.
Maintain living roots
Keeping plants with living roots in the soil throughout the year, even between cash crops, helps to cycle nutrients, improve soil structure, and reduce erosion.
Integrate livestock
Grazing animals can play a vital role in soil health by providing natural fertilization, promoting plant diversity, and improving soil structure through hoof action.
Maximize biodiversity
Diverse crop rotations, cover cropping, and integrating livestock can lead to a more resilient and productive ecosystem, reducing reliance on external inputs like pesticides and fertilizers.
Recognizing that each farm is unique, regenerative agriculture encourages farmers to adapt these principles to their specific context, considering their climate, soil type, and other local conditions.
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Producers across the state are implementing regenerative agriculture practices. They share their ideas, experiences, and visions for the future.
