One Saskatchewan producer says integrating cattle into his grain operation has been a game changer.
Tag Archives regenerative agriculture
Grain farmer sees benefits of integrating cattle
Leveraging the land’s unique assets pays off for one producer’s mixed grain and beef operation
Soil health focus can avoid salinity
Glacier FarmMedia – An alternative approach to soil testing could help farmers combat high soil salinity. “Soil is alive,” said Blaine Hjertaas, one of the speakers during a late 2024 soil health workshop hosted by the Assiniboine West Watershed District, with support from the ALUS Growing Roots program. Hjertaas was joined by Michael Thiele, a […] Read more
Sask. farm first in line for Regenified certification
The Axten family’s operation was first in the country to join a program that recognizes regenerative agriculture practices
Derek and Tannis Axten of Axten Family Farms in Saskatchewan became trailblazers in 2023. They were the first in Canada to take a gamble on Regenified, a new program meant to assess and verify farms for their regenerative management practices. But while the farm now has an official acknowledgement of their regenerative production, its a […] Read more
Certification’s winding road
Champions of regenerative agriculture have well-established talking points on cost-management and ecological goods and services when they pitch the management philosophy. They might note reduced input costs, healthier and therefore more productive soil, less erosion or more beef raised per acre without strain on the land. They might mention gains in biodiversity, soil microbiology and […] Read more
Potential pesticide struggle in the U.S. worth watching
A power struggle is potentially looming in the United States within president-elect Donald Trump’s administration that could have implications for Canadian farmers. In one corner of the ring is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee for health secretary. Kennedy is best known in many circles for his less-than-orthodox views on issues such as vaccines, fluoridation […] Read more
Producer receives regenerative agriculture certification
The program hopes to capture value for producers and remove questions about what counts as ‘regenerative’ farming
UPDATED – January 10, 2025 – 1720 CST – A Manitoba farmer has become the first in the province to get certified under a new regenerative agriculture assessment program. Andreas Boersch, president of Abtshof Farms Ltd., received his “Regenified” verification status on Oct. 2. Boersch’s farm near the central Manitoba community of Elie, west of […] Read more
Peer groups may be farmers’ pathway to soil health
A variety of organizations have developed programs that allow producers to learn more about taking care of their soil
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Jay Watson understands that farmers listen to other farmers. So, if food companies and agri-food corporations want producers to try new practices and shift toward regenerative agriculture, it will require peer to peer education. “Without that, we’re going to have a hard time reaching scale,” said Watson, while on stage at the […] Read more
Light shed on sustainable agriculture
Readers who have made it this far into this week’s issue of the Western Producer will have already noticed that many stories are linked to the theme of sustainability and regenerative agriculture. It’s a thorny issue for many farmers these days, as seen in the recent decision by six major agricultural commodity groups to stop […] Read more
Myths, misinformation abound around regenerative ag
WINNIPEG — Regenerative agriculture, like many other topics, gets caught up in the exaggerations, myths and untruths that dominate social media and the worldwide web. It’s easy find examples of questionable claims on the internet, like this one: “Regenerative agriculture can improve the profitability of farms by more than 50 per cent.” (Source: sustainablebiz.ca) If […] Read more
Vague definitions may weaken brand
BRANDON – On his farm in North Dakota, Paul Overby plants cover crops, minimizes tillage and has eight different crops in his rotation. He is fully committed to improving his soil health and the long-term sustainability of his business. Other producers follow their own path, but Overby worries that thousands are casually using the word […] Read more
