Column: Regenerative agriculture soon to change how Hawaii farms operate

A recent editorial highlighted government grants in support of farmers, endorsing these efforts to increase food production in Hawaii (“Programs can help local farms grow,” Our View, Star-Advertiser, June 30). Farming is a tough industry and a critical industry that I believe needs even more support, especially to prepare for the changes that are coming in the near future. There are two trends that will converge in a few years which will change the way farms operate.

The first trend is captured by what General Mills says: The future of farming is regenerative agriculture. While most food companies are moving toward sustainable practices, the company says that our soils have been so degraded and eroded that “sustainable” is not enough, we must regenerate our soils — put carbon back in the soil, increasing its fertility, water- holding capacity and resilience.

It will increase farmer’s profitability, improve biodiversity and combat climate change. This is a win-win-win for the farmer, consumer and the environment.

General Mills is now in the process of converting its suppliers to regenerative practices, and has committed to convert 1 million acres by 2030. Another large company, McDonald’s, has several pilot regenerative programs, one covering 1 million acres in the Northern Great Plains involving about 15% of McDonald’s cow-calf supply. For this pilot, it is partnering with Cargill, the Walmart Foundation and World Wildlife Fund.

Gabe Brown was a regenerative farmer for 25 years and is now a consultant helping companies like General Mills make the transition. He said that many large food companies worldwide have contacted him; he and his partners at Understanding Ag are helping to convert more than 22 million acres to regenerative practices.

The second trend is that consumers are becoming more health conscious and demanding healthier foods. However, making the right food selections can be confusing. Consumers don’t really know how healthy any food item really is. Looks can be deceiving. What we need is the ability to scan any food with a phone and get an accurate nutrient density reading. That capability is coming.

The Bionutrient Food Association has been working on a bionutrient meter for many years. It is now testing a second-generation meter, but still has a lot of work to do before a consumer version is ready for distribution. The association is expanding the foods that it tests, comparing meter readings to laboratory analysis of the foods.

Some of Gabe Brown’s work involved comparing foods from conventional farms and regenerative farms. The difference in nutrient density is huge. Regenerative farms have healthier soils that are alive with microbes and fungi and earthworms. They make nutrients and water available to the plants and the animals that eat those plants, resulting in much more nutritious food than conventional farms.

In five years, regenerative farming will have become better established and more widely understood, and the bionutrient meter may be available to consumers. Just as organic food has become more common in mainstream markets in the last five years, the regenerative label will become more common and desirable in the next five years. The bionutrient meter will drive food choices to those produced on regenerative farms — and consumers will also be able to taste the difference.

The sooner farmers transition to regenerative practices, the more they will be able to take advantage of these converging trends. It takes time to convert. Farmers need workshops on regenerative principles and one-on-one coaching to efficiently convert their farms. Those who don’t convert to regenerative practices will have difficulty surviving. The future of farming truly is regenerative agriculture. Will Hawaii’s farmers be ready?

Burt Furuta, of Pauoa Valley, is a member of three food-related organizations, including the Bionutrient Food Association.