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rodale institute
New White Paper Shows Shift to Regenerative Ag Could Sequester 100 Percent of Annual Carbon Emissions
Compiling the latest research on soil carbon sequestration potential, Rodale Institute makes the case for regenerative agriculture as a tool to combat the climate crisis.
Sep 25, 2020
As extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and global health crises continue to threaten our world, the repercussions of a changing climate are being felt more acutely than ever. As the global community looks for solutions, we must critically examine the way we grow our food, and the potential of the soil under our feet to remove carbon, a powerful greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere and lock it underground.
A new white paper released Friday by Rodale Institute, the global leader in regenerative organic agriculture, has analyzed the explosive amount of new data on soil carbon sequestration potential in the past decade to conclude that a global switch to regenerative crop and pasture systems could drawdown more than 100 percent of annual CO2 emissions.
The white paper, titled "Regenerative Agriculture and the Soil Carbon Solution," builds upon claims first made by Rodale Institute in the widely read 2014 white paper, "Regenerative Organic Agriculture and Climate Change: A Down-to-Earth Solution to Global Warming," integrating the newest research data while providing actionable steps for consumers, policymakers, farmers, and more. The full paper, as well as a fact sheet and action toolkit, can be downloaded at RodaleInstitute.org/Climate2020. The action toolkit includes a guide to buying regenerative products, tools to support regenerative farming policy, and social media graphics.
The new publication shows that a global switch to a regenerative food system could not only feed the world while reducing chemical exposure and improving biodiversity and soil health but could also be the key to mitigating the climate crisis. The paper was compiled through extensive peer-reviewed research data and interviews with leaders in the fields of soil microbiology, ranchland ecology, agronomy, and more, as well as research conducted in Rodale Institute's world-renowned long-term comparison trials, including the 40-year-old Farming Systems Trial.
"Rodale Institute has been a leader in research about the impact and benefit of regenerative farming systems since Bob Rodale first started using the term in the 1980s," said Dr. Andrew Smith, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Scientist of Rodale Institute. "A vast amount of data on the carbon sequestration potential of agricultural soils has been published, including from Rodale Institute, and recent findings are starting to reinforce the benefits of regenerative agricultural practices in the fight against the climate crisis."
Key findings:
- Shifting both crop and pasture management globally to regenerative systems is a powerful combination that could drawdown more than 100% of annual CO2 emissions, pulling carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in the soil.
- With appropriate grazing management, livestock can increase carbon sequestered in the soil that more than offsets their greenhouse gas emissions.
- Crop yields in regenerative systems have been shown to outcompete conventional yields for almost all food crops, proving that regenerative can feed the world while stabilizing the climate, regenerating ecosystems, restoring biodiversity and enhancing rural communities.
- Eaters, farmers, and policymakers can make a difference in the climate crisis fight by:
- Supporting and implementing regenerative practices
- Encouraging adoption of regenerative systems by peers and governments
- Divesting from systems that destroy soil health
Rodale Institute launched the paper today at The Crop Trust's Food Forever Experience, held in partnership with Pocono Organics. The Food Forever Experience is held on the UN Global Day of Action, which encourages people to support the Sustainable Development Goals, including climate action.
Regenerative practices and building soil health have come into focus over the past few years, driven in part by the startling loss of topsoil globally, and the need for resilient agriculture to withstand extreme weather from the climate crisis. The carbon-storing potential of regenerative agriculture and its associated practices is well-documented--however, we need rapid transition to these practices globally to implement this climate change solution.
"Humans broke the planet with grave agricultural malpractice," said Tom Newmark, Chairman of The Carbon Underground, a contributor to the paper. "With this white paper, Rodale Institute shows us how regenerative agriculture has the potential to repair that damage and actually reverse some of the threatening impacts of our climate crisis. This is a compelling call to action!"
"Regenerative Agriculture and the Soil Carbon Solution" hopes to increase implementation of regenerative practices by tackling common debates about agriculture and the climate crisis, such as the role of livestock in contributing to global climate change. Alongside research into cropland, the paper investigates regenerative ranching's potential to build soil carbon and help sequester emissions in the soil.
Through the publication of this white paper, Rodale Institute hopes to invite those in the food, farming, and health spaces to rethink the future they want to see for both people and the planet, and what steps they can take every day to achieve it.
Resources:
- Download the full "Regenerative Agriculture and the Soil Carbon Solution" paper, Fact Sheet, and Action Toolkit at RodaleInstitute.org/Climate2020
About Rodale Institute: Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing the organic movement through rigorous research, farmer training, and consumer education. Widely considered the global leader in regenerative organic agriculture, Rodale Institute has been researching the best practices of organic agriculture and sharing findings with farmers, scientists, and consumers throughout the world since 1947. Learn more at RodaleInstitute.org.
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Rodale Institute Announces Organic Farmers Association
New national organization for organic farmers will provide advocacy, latest research and education, and information-sharing among farmers
Sep 21, 2016
Rodale Institute, the world's leading organic agriculture research organization, has launched a new membership organization for organic farmers. The new Organic Farmers Association will exist to provide a voice for organic farmers on policy issues, help organic farmers network and share information, and serve as a resource center for organic farmers to succeed.
Advocacy efforts will be led by Elizabeth Kucinich, Board Policy Chair for Rodale Institute. Kucinich has extensive policy experience in Washington, D.C., including serving as the former director of policy at the Center for Food Safety and former director of government affairs at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Elizabeth is an advisory council member of DC EFF, the world's largest environmental film festival, and is a producer of GMO OMG and Organic Rising.
"We have a tremendous opportunity to bring organic farmers' voices and their experience with agriculture to policymakers in Washington, D.C.," said Kucinich. "Policymakers have not yet grasped the significance of organic agriculture for resilient, reliable, non-toxic food production, and its ability to mitigate climate change while restoring our nation's soil health. We have an opportunity to benefit organic farmers, while positively impacting our nation's health and mitigating our climate crisis."
In addition to better representation for organic farmers on legislative issues, the Organic Farmers Association will provide resources for farmers such as webinars, online tools, discounts, and a subscription to Rodale Institute's New Farm magazine, providing the latest research and news for organic farmers.
"A lot of people say they speak for farmers," said Jeff Moyer, Executive Director, Rodale Institute. "But there are no national organizations that exist specifically for organic farmers, by organic farmers. A lot of organic farmers are still isolated in their communities. We'd like to unite the nearly 20,000 organic farms around the country to provide that voice, provide a network, and provide the resources that farmers need to be successful."
To sign up for a membership, visit OrganicFarmersAssociation.org. There are two membership options. A "Farmer Membership," which represents organic farmers and includes a vote on policy issues, and a "Supporter Membership" for individuals interested in supporting organic farmers. Both memberships are $100/year. For farm members, the voting structure is simple. Each farm receives one vote on policy issues, so that large and small operations have an equal voice at the table
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Why Chipotle's Pork Problem is Good for Farmers
Jan 15, 2015
News that Chipotle pulled pork from many of its menus, due to an issue with one of their supplier's animal welfare practices, has been blowing up all over the news and social media. The Washington Post and others believe that the company's high standards for animal welfare are laudable, but at this point a real problem.
In my mind, this is a good problem.
I applaud Chipotle for holding their farmers to high standards. Chipotle seeks out farmers who raise hogs according to strict animal welfare practices. And I thank them for not compromising their principles, and for pushing production to be more humane.
So this "pork problem" is not a problem at all.
It's an opportunity for farmers to get ahead of the curve and work with restaurateurs and grocers who demand healthy, humanely raised organic products for their customers.
There are not enough organic farmers in the United States. At Rodale Institute, we're working to change that. On our 333 acre organic farm in Kutztown, Pennsylvania we have a robust organic pork operation that is setting the standard for best practices in raising hogs.
In developing our hog operation, we learned a few things...
1. Organic hogs, including breeding stock, are difficult to source.
2. Demand for humanely raised organic pork exceeds current supply.
3. Farmers can profitably raise organic pork on underutilized, marginal land.
Just this week, we began construction on a new facility for our hogs that will revolutionize the way we raise pastured pork in the United States. The beauty of this facility is that it can be scaled up for farmers who wish to have a large-scale operation, but also scaled down for farmers who wish to have just a few animals.
How do we do this? Our hogs are raised on pasture in a facility that offers them shelter, but also open access to the outdoors. We focus on heritage breed animals that thrive on pasture. We plant crops for them to forage, cutting down on feed costs, while also managing our land effectively.
Our goal is to help farmers transition to organic or begin farming organically. Restaurants like Chipotle, which hold as their mission to serve "food with integrity," are experiencing explosive growth.
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USDA Office is Final Stop for 'Walk for an Organic Planet' Tomorrow
Rodale Institute Director to hand deliver study proving Climate Change Reversible through Global Organic Agriculture to USDA Researchers & Senator Jeff Merkley Ending 16 Day Walk from PA to Washington, D.C.
Oct 15, 2014
On October 16, 2014, Rodale Institute Executive Director, 'Coach' Mark Smallwood will complete a 160 mile walk from the Institute's farm in Kutztown, PA, to Washington, D.C.
Media are welcome for photographs and video on Thursday October 16 at 9:30AM in Washington, D.C. as Smallwood walks from Columbia Heights Metro Station to the Hart Senate Office Building.
Smallwood will be available for interviews in after the USDA meeting ends at approximately 4:00 PM. Contact Aaron Kinsman for interviews at aaron.kinsman@rodaleinstitute.org or 215-589-2490.
Smallwood is set to arrive in Washington, D.C., on October 16th after walking an average of 10 miles per day for 16 days. On arrival in the capitol he will hand deliver a recent study from the Institute which identifies regenerative organic agriculture as a solution for reversing climate change.
Rodale Institute's study,"Regenerative Organic Agriculture & Climate Change: A Down-to-Earth Solution to Global Warming," states that reversing climate change is possible through simple photosynthesis and healthy soil biology. If all agricultural land on Earth were transitioned to reflect regenerative organic principles, crop lands would capture 40% of annual emissions, and graze lands would capture 71%. Together, they would represent 111% of annual emissions, capturing all current greenhouse gases that we emit annually and beginning to draw down excess carbon from the atmosphere. Reversal of climate change has not been a topic of discussions between global leaders who have settled for goals to simply reduce the amount of carbon added to the atmosphere every year.
"It's simple. It's fourth grade science, with no downside. The global transition to an organic planet is already underway, it's happening now. The organic movement is stronger than ever with growth that far exceeds conventional agriculture," said Smallwood.
Since its founding in 1947 by J.I. Rodale, the Rodale Institute has been committed to groundbreaking research in organic agriculture, advocating for policies that support farmers, and educating people about how organic is the safest, healthiest option for people and the planet. The Institute is home to the Farming Systems Trial (FST), America's longest-running side-by-side comparison of chemical and organic agriculture. Consistent results from the study have shown that organic yields match or surpass those of conventional farming. In years of drought, organic corn yields are about 30 percent higher. New areas of study at the Rodale Institute include rates of carbon sequestration in chemical versus organic plots, new techniques for weed suppression and organic livestock.
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