Regenerative Ag: Practical Tools from UC & OSU Experts
By Community Alliance with Family Farmers
TL;DR: Boost soil health and climate resilience in annual cropping systems with practical tools for regenerative agriculture, addressing equipment and information gaps.
- Implement cover crops effectively with diverse equipment choices.
- Optimize interseeding based on seed size and crop type.
- Manage cover crop termination and incorporation methods.
- Practice furrow management to reduce soil disturbance.
- Build resilient farms against climate extremes with enhanced soil structure.
Why it matters: Adopting regenerative agriculture practices leads to healthier soils, improved nutrient cycling, and better water retention, all critical for climate-resilient farming.
Do this next: Explore different cover crop establishment and termination equipment options to identify what suits your farm.
Recommended for: Farmers and agricultural practitioners interested in actionable strategies for implementing regenerative agriculture in annual cropping systems.
This workshop video led by Sarah Light, Agronomy Farm Advisor at University of California Cooperative Extension, and Nick Andrews, Organic Vegetable Specialist from Oregon State University Cooperative Extension, both Western Cover Crops Council members, delivers hands-on tools for regenerative agriculture to boost soil health and climate resilience in annual cropping systems like vegetables and field crops. It addresses barriers such as equipment access and information gaps for farmers experimenting with new practices. Comprehensive coverage includes equipment for cover crop establishment, interseeding with seed size considerations, termination and incorporation methods, furrow management, and strategies to reduce soil disturbance. Practical resources shared encompass managing cover crops in diverse systems, with specific techniques for minimizing tillage while maintaining productivity. The session provides actionable insights on equipment selection and handling to overcome adoption hurdles, enabling farmers to build resilient farms against climate extremes through enhanced soil structure, nutrient cycling, and water retention. Ideal for practitioners seeking field-tested tools from extension experts, it offers step-by-step guidance on implementation, making regenerative practices accessible and scalable for real-world farming operations.