Regenerative Agriculture: Productivity, Profit and Food Quality

The 4th webinar in a series of 5 about regenerative agriculture in New Zealand, held on 17 November 2021. Speakers: Matt Harcombe (Silver Fern Farms), Professor Paul Dalziel (Lincoln University), Dr Robyn Dynes (AgResearch), Dr Carolyn Lister (Plant & Food Research)

This webinar discussed 3 reports that look at how to assess whether ‘regenerative’ approaches to farming will translate into benefits for farm businesses and New Zealand’s economy.

The impact of regenerative agriculture on farm profitability cannot be looked at in isolation from the wider agrifood system, including domestic and overseas demand for regeneratively farmed food. In this webinar, we provide an overview of market studies and data applicable to regenerative agriculture.

Presenters explore the multiple lenses through which farm business performance can be assessed. How should we measure the impact on farm businesses when they adopt regenerative agriculture principles? How can costs and benefits from environmental impacts be accounted for? And what about farm productivity? What are the relevant approaches and metrics to determine whether the adoption of regenerative agriculture can increase the quality or quantity of farm produce? Is the much-debated concept of ‘food nutrient density’ relevant?

These are some of the questions addressed in the reports released a few days prior to this webinar, and explored in a broad way by the presenters.

Read a summary of the 3 reports and find links to the reports here: https://ourlandandwater.nz/news/wider-adoption-of-regen-ag-could-change-how-we-assess-the-economics-of-farming/ Find all webinars in the series, plus short audiograms, here: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8962469