REGENERATIVE AG CAN REPAIR THE SOIL AND SEQUESTER CO2
The Regenerative Agriculture Group focuses on informing our community about and fostering the adoption of new techniques for soil regeneration using innovative approaches to compost.Regenerative Agriculture Action Group
Climate action has primarily focused on efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Agricultural activities generate a sizable share of these emissions and have been a target of reduction efforts. There are two sides of the coin in agriculture, both damaging emissions from current practices and the promise of great reductions in atmospheric CO2 by using regenerative practices that return healthy levels of carbon to agricultural soils.
We formed the Regenerative Agriculture Group as part of the Soil Not Oil Coalition to inform ourselves and educate our community about both sides of the agricultural emissions story. We work with local farmers, ranchers. and vintners who are using regenerative practices to inform and educate our larger agricultural community in Sonoma County about the win/win benefits of regenerative agriculture: improved quality of product and profit, increased water holding capacity of soils, and, crucially, increased sequestration of atmospheric carbon back into the soil where it belongs.
We are meeting with local officials and representatives to urge development of initiatives to support regenerative practices through education and incentives. We are also lobbying to end federal and state subsides for industrial agriculture, which will provide adequate funding for the transition.
We are collaborating with local groups such as the Sonoma Compost Coalition to establish state of the art composting facilities in Sonoma County and with Zero Waste, to recycle and reuse all waste rather than putting our commercial and personal garbage in landfills.
The founders are Anna Jaccopetti, a retired teacher and author, and Terry Harrison, retired farmer and Ag-Climate Chair in the North Coast Chapter of California Association of Family Farmers (CAFF). Our members are devoted to researching best practices and spreading the word by writing articles, educating legislators, and organizing events and demonstrations. For more information contact us via our Facebook Page or by emailing 350SonomaCounty@gmail.com.
Recology eyes big boost in composting in Sonoma County
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The BEAM Team is a group that has formed to support and further test the research of Dr. David Johnson, a New Mexico State University molecular biologist who has been investigating the microbial life in the soil. Dr. Johnson has developed, applied and tested the results of a high fungal compost called BEAM – Biologically Enhanced Agricultural Management–with the goal of enhancing soil microbial community populations, structures and functionality to regenerate natural processes in soils of agro-ecosystems. His test plots have had very positive results in terms of the amount of carbon returned to the soil, soil nutrient availability, plant vitality and growth, and water retention. This research offers a different perspective than traditional soil science which has been focused on soil chemistry rather than soil life systems. The BEAM Team includes farmers, orchardists, grape growers and gardeners as well as climate activists. Current members are located in Sonoma, Marin, and Yolo Counties.
Interested in getting involved in this exciting project? Contact Anna.