Types of Regenerative Agriculture 

Modern agricultural practices are turning fertile soil into desert dust. In recent years, there’s been a growing movement to return to the methods of our great-great grandparents when it comes to gardening and food preservation. Regenerative agriculture seeks to reverse this damage, replenishing soil with the nutrients and microbes it needs to grow food in a way that sustains future generations. 

What Is Regenerative Agriculture?  

Regenerative agriculture is a farming philosophy focused on rebuilding soil health, increasing biodiversity, and restoring ecosystems harmed by conventional farming practices. It goes beyond sustainability—it actively improves the land rather than just maintaining it. 

While the term “regenerative” has been used in conjunction with farming since the 1970s, the Rodale Institute is credited for the term’s widespread use from the 1980s to today. [1] 

Robert Rodale, a pioneer of organic farming, defined regenerative agriculture as farming that increases productivity while enhancing soil health, minimizes environmental impact beyond farm boundaries, and produces food free from synthetic pesticides and herbicides.  

While many people think large-scale agriculture requires chemical inputs and heavy tilling, regenerative agriculture has been shown to grow 10 to 30% more food per acre than conventional methods. [2] 

What Are the Different Types of Regenerative Agriculture? 

Unlike organic agriculture, which follows strict certification standards, regenerative agriculture is a broad philosophy that encompasses a variety of farming methods. Below are some of the most common types of regenerative agriculture used today.  

Agroecology 

Agroecology is both a field of scientific research and a holistic approach to farming. It promotes biodiversity to strengthen ecosystems, traditional seed use, resource sustainability, and natural pest control, all of which make farms more resilient to environmental stressors. Beyond farming, agroecology also emphasizes sustainability and the importance of political activism in creating a movement. [3,4] 

Agroforestry  

Agroforestry integrates trees, shrubs, and forages into agricultural areas to improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and pull carbon from the atmosphere. Agroforestry includes silvopasture and alley cropping. Silvopasture combines trees, pastures, and livestock grazing to create an ideal ecosystem. Alley cropping is the practice of planting crops between rows of trees for complementary income sources and efficiency. [5]  

No-Till and Conservation Tillage Farming 

Traditional plowing disrupts soil structure, leading to erosion and loss of nutrients. No-till or conservation tillage avoids or minimizes soil disturbance by plowing or tilling. The goal is to improve soil structure, retain moisture, and promote carbon sequestration. It also helps to reduce erosion while increasing the activity of microbes and enhancing soil fertility. [6]  

Farmers who adopt conservation tilling practices over conventional tilling can save thousands of dollars on diesel fuel, labor, and water costs. [7] 

Cover Cropping 

Growing plants like clover, radishes, or legumes between plantings of the main crops can help to protect and nourish the soil while pulling in energy from the sun. Cover cropping can also help prevent erosion, keep the nitrogen in the soil, and suppress weeds. This can reduce the need for herbicides and fertilizers as well. [8] 

Crop Rotation and Polycultures  

Instead of growing the same crop on the same land repeatedly (monocropping), one type of regenerative agriculture is to use crop rotation and polycultures.  

Crop rotation refers to alternating crops each season to break pest cycles and improve soil fertility. A study done in Nebraska and published in 2021 found that a 2-year rotation increased corn yield by 29% compared to continuous farming. [9] 

Polyculture farming means growing multiple species of crops together (rather than an entire field of corn or soybeans) to mimic natural ecosystems. It also boosts soil resilience and helps to prevent disease outbreaks. [10] 

Regenerative Ranching (Managed Grazing) 

Managed grazing is a livestock management approach that mimics natural herd movements. Farmers may move animals to fresh pastures regularly or have them densely graze a small area for a short time. This encourages plants to grow additional roots that reach deeper into the soil, improving biomass and stimulating soil regeneration. [11] 

Biodynamic Farming  

Biodynamic farming treats a farm as a self-sustaining organism. It includes composting to nourish the soil, lunar planting cycles to align with natural rhythms, and natural soil enrichment for long-term sustainability. [12] 

Regenerative Practices Improve the Soil  

Conventional agriculture prioritizes short-term yields at the expense of long-term ecosystem health. Regenerative organic farming, on the other hand, builds up the soil, ensuring lasting fertility and resilience.  

Zach West, Farm Operations Manager at Gaia Herbs, explains their regenerative approach:  

“By utilizing regenerative techniques like compost tea applications to bolster microbial communities, nutrients are slowly cycled and retained for plants to absorb whenever needed. Soil particles become aggregates from secretions that fungus produce to create more air passageways, which enable more water to be stored in the soil, and beneficial organisms outcompete antagonistic disease-causing organisms.”

Healthy soil teems with microbes, including bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa, as well as larger soil organisms like beetles and earthworms. This creates a natural system that regenerates itself without synthetic fertilizers.  

Regenerative Agriculture Closely Aligns with Paleo Principles 

Regenerative farming practices closely align with Paleo principles, such as focusing on nutrient-dense, naturally grown foods free from harmful chemicals. According to Ashley Walgren, Sustainability and Impact Manager at Gaia Herbs, “Regenerative agriculture revitalizes soil, making nutrients more available to plants, which, in turn, improve the nutrient profiles of the food we eat.” 

A 2022 study comparing several types of regenerative agriculture and conventional farming found significantly higher levels of minerals (magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc) and vitamins (B₁, B₁₂, C, E, and K) in the regenerative crops. Regenerative farming also produced greater anti-inflammatory phytochemicals compared to conventional methods. [13] 

Regeneratively raised animals have similar results. Turkeys raised on a regenerative farm had a better omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, plus higher levels of phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and even protein concentrations in the turkey breast. [14] 

Our ancestors were hunters and gatherers who deeply respected the land and its resources. They saw themselves as stewards, nurturing the soil, animals, and plants rather than exploiting them. Regenerative agriculture follows this same philosophy, protecting not only crops and livestock but also the vital ecosystems that support them.  

How to Join the Regenerative Movement 

Both The Paleo Diet® and the many types of regenerative agriculture prioritize natural, sustainable food systems that nourish the body and the earth. And you can join the movement! Spread awareness by sharing the Kiss the Ground and Common Ground documentaries or Gabe Brown’s TED Talk with friends and family. Start composting and growing your own food. When shopping, opt for regenerative bone broth, meats, eggs, and produce by looking for certifications like Regenerative Organic Certified, Regenified, or Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) to ensure your food comes from verified regenerative systems. Vote with your dollar: The more we buy regenerative products, the more farmers and ranchers will grow and raise them. 

References 

1. Giller KE, Hijbeek R, Andersson JA, Sumberg J. Regenerative Agriculture: An agronomic perspective. Outlook on Agriculture [Internet]. 2021 Mar;50(1):13–25. Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0030727021998063  
2. Stockdale O, Pradeep Prabhala, Brennan T. Revitalizing fields and balance sheets through regenerative farming [Internet]. McKinsey & Company. 2024. Available from: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/agriculture/our-insights/revitalizing-fields-and-balance-sheets-through-regenerative-farming  
3. Tittonell P, El Mujtar V, Felix G, Kebede Y, Laborda L, Luján Soto R, et al. Regenerative agriculture—agroecology without politics? Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 2022 Aug 2;6. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2022.844261/full  
4. Wezel A, Bellon S, Doré T, Francis C, Vallod D, David C. Agroecology as a science, a movement and a practice. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development [Internet]. 2009 Dec;29(4):503–15. Available from: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1927&context=agronomyfacpub  
5. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agroforestry [Internet]. Usda.gov. 2024. Available from: https://www.usda.gov/forestry/agroforestry.  
6. SARE Outreach. Benefits of Conservation Tillage Systems [Internet]. SARE. 2020. Available from: https://www.sare.org/publications/conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast/chapter-2-conservation-tillage-systems-history-the-future-and-benefits/benefits-of-conservation-tillage-systems/  
7. Saving Money, Time and Soil: The Economics of No-Till Farming [Internet]. Usda.gov. 2025. Available from: https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/blog/saving-money-time-and-soil-economics-no-till-farming 
8. Benefits of Cover Crops [Internet]. SARE. Available from: https://www.sare.org/publications/managing-cover-crops-profitably/benefits-of-cover-crops/  
9. More Diverse Crop Rotations Improve Yield, Yield Stability and Soil Health | CropWatch | Nebraska [Internet]. Unl.edu. 2021. Available from: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2021/more-diverse-crop-rotations-improve-yield-yield-stability-and-soil-health/  
10. Adamczewska-Sowińska K, Sowiński J. Polyculture Management: A Crucial System for Sustainable Agriculture Development. Soil Health Restoration and Management. 2019 Aug 24;279–319. Available from: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-8570-4_8  
11. Rodale Institute. Rotational Grazing [Internet]. Rodale Institute. Available from: https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-farming-practices/rotational-grazing/  
12. Biodynamic Association. Biodynamic Principles and Practices | Biodynamic Association [Internet]. Biodynamics.com. 2012. Available from: https://www.biodynamics.com/biodynamic-principles-and-practices  
13. Montgomery DR, Biklé A, Archuleta R, Brown P, Jordan J. Soil health and nutrient density: preliminary comparison of regenerative and conventional farming. PeerJ. 2022 Jan 27;10:e12848. Available from: https://peerj.com/articles/12848/  
14. Study Shows Higher Nutrient Profiles in Regeneratively Raised Turkeys [Internet]. Sustainable Brands. Sustainable Brands Staff; 2024 [cited 2025 Feb 28]. Available from: https://sustainablebrands.com/read/improved-nutrition-regeneratively-raised-turkeys