“The question is not, can we afford to farm more focused on the ecosystem? It’s, can we afford to keep farming the way we’re farming now,” said Will Harris, a fourth-generation Georgia farmer and rancher.
That question framed an Oct. 15 panel discussion about the future of farming, following a screening of “Groundswell” at the University of Georgia (UGA). The documentary explores regenerative agriculture and the relationship between farming and the environment.
The panel brought together Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Georgia; his daughter, Jodi Benoit; Jamila Norman, founder of Patchwork City Farms in Atlanta and a UGA engineering graduate; and Laura Turner Seydel, the daughter of the late CNN founder and philanthropist Ted Turner and one of the film’s executive producers.
Regenerative agriculture refers to farming practices focused on improving soil health and working with natural ecosystems. Seydel said UGA was a fitting place to screen the film because of the university’s land-grant mission and focus on agriculture.
“Because it’s a land-grant university heavily focused on farming and agriculture, I think it’s important for the students here and the educators to have an opportunity to see this film,” Seydel said.
What is regenerative agriculture?
Seydel described regenerative agriculture as farming in a way that works with nature and adapts to local conditions.
“Every place is different,” she said, explaining that farmers need to understand their local environment and soil conditions because regenerative agriculture can look different from farm to farm. Practices can include keeping living roots in the ground, growing different plants together, reducing soil disturbance, and limiting the use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.
“Groundswell” is the third film in a series focused on soil health, following “Kiss the Ground” and “Common Ground.” Seydel, who also served as an executive producer on “Common Ground,” helped review edits of the film, provide feedback to its directors and promote its release.
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Harris described how White Oak Pastures shifted away from the industrial cattle operation he had learned from previous generations. His family’s earlier generations raised several types of livestock, but the operation eventually settled on cattle, before Harris began changing White Oak’s farming practices about 25 years ago.
Today, the farm raises cattle, hogs, goats, rabbits, sheep, and various species of poultry. Harris said White Oak Pastures has become one of the largest employers in Clay County, located in southwest Georgia.
While Harris discussed changing practices on a large, diversified ranch, Norman described how urban farming can help connect city residents with food production.
Norman, who is also the host of Magnolia Network’s “Homegrown,” came to farming after working in environmental protection. She said seeing the effects of industrial agriculture firsthand helped inspire her to grow her own food.
After moving to southwest Atlanta, Norman saw a need for better access to fresh food and started an urban farm. But she said the role of urban agriculture extends beyond how much food a farm can produce.
“It’s not necessarily a solution that’s going to feed the whole city,” Norman said. Instead, she described urban farming as a way to help people connect with agriculture and better understand where their food comes from.
Patchwork grows a variety of fruits and vegetables, which Norman said shows how farming can be a livelihood and bring people together.
Challenges of changing farming
While the panelists discussed the potential benefits of regenerative agriculture, they also raised questions about what it takes for farmers to adopt different practices.
Seydel said one misconception is that regenerative agriculture is too expensive or cannot produce enough food for a growing population. She pointed to farmers featured in “Groundswell” who have built businesses around regenerative practices, emphasizing the need for resources and training to help other farmers make the transition.
Farmers may try practices like planting cover crops but often return to familiar methods if they do not know how to manage them effectively. Seydel argued that training is an important part of helping farmers adopt regenerative agriculture practices.
Speaking with reporters after the screening, Seydel also touched on the financial pressures farmers face and the role agricultural policy can play in supporting different approaches to food production. She encouraged people to learn more about the federal farm bill, which helps determine how agriculture is supported in the United States.
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Supporting regenerative farming
The panelists offered several ways people can support regenerative agriculture, from building relationships with local farmers to learning more about food production and agricultural policy.
Harris challenged the audience to seek out a local farmer whose practices they support and buy food directly from them. Benoit suggested taking that relationship further by visiting farms to see how food is grown.
Norman urged people to grow their own food and be intentional about the relationships they build around it. Seydel suggested watching “Groundswell,” available on Prime Video, and organizing screenings of the documentary at churches and other community spaces to spark conversations about regenerative agriculture.
In Athens, the Saturday morning farmers market at Bishop Park offers residents a chance to meet local farmers, ask questions and buy locally produced fruits, vegetables, meat and other goods.
Seydel encouraged people to buy regenerative products when they’re available and affordable, even if that means starting with a small share of their grocery budget.
“Maybe you don’t do 100% regenerative food because you don’t have it in your [grocery] budget,” said Seydel. “So, we can do better. We have to do better. Because this is a solution for just about everything that is ailing us.”
