Study Finds Regenerative Agriculture Benefits Farmer Quality of Life

Researchers at Dartmouth University published a study in the journal Agriculture and Human Values in which they found that farmers’ motivations for adopting regenerative agriculture were not entirely monetary. The researchers noted that farmer enrollment in carbon credit programs lags behind adoption of regenerative practices. Farmer surveys in Kansas and Nebraska suggested that carbon market prices are too low compared to the documentation the programs require. However, the study revealed that many farmers view improving soil health as a way to improve their quality of life by reducing their dependence on outside inputs. “Farmers are really looking to get off that treadmill of high-input, high-yield commodity agriculture,” says co-lead author Susanne Freidberg. The study also highlighted the importance of peer relationships with other regenerative farmers for information sharing. In addition, some farmers indicated that using regenerative practices made their work more enjoyable and interesting.
Related ATTRA podcast: Managing Land, Cattle, and Quality of Life: Dr. Tina Cone, DVM