Justification
Over the past century, America’s agricultural landscape has become economically and biologically impoverished as policy makers have championed a single goal over all others: yield. Today, with 100s of millions of acres of America’s heartland dominated by subsidized high yield monocultures, these lands are among the poorest of the nation. Rooted in centuries of economic and ecological research and practice, the new book Growing In (link) outlines the bond between diverse agricultural landscapes and a resilient economy (i.e., sustainable, self-regulating, self-reliant). Not only are more diverse agricultural landscapes more profitable for farmers, but they harness more energy, enhance economic stability, improve employment and wages, and grant ecological and societal values that go far beyond mere yield.
What is Agricultural Restoration?
AloTerra defines Agricultural Restoration as “Methods that increase the diversity, productive capacity, and profitability of farmlands.” The methods we pursue are similar to regenerative agriculture, with the exception that Agricultural Restoration must result in increased profitability for the farmer. For it is profitability that attracts investment, and from such investment agricultural restoration methods may be implemented on a scale that leads to meaningful change. The goals of our Agricultural Restoration projects include:
- Vastly increased biological and agricultural diversity
- Increased carbon storage in restored soils
- Greater and more stable profitability, employment, and economic health of America’s rural regions
- Restored watershed health, so as to improve water quality for downstream communities
The Economic, Social, and Ecological Justifications for Agricultural Restoration
AloTerra’s agricultural restoration mission was born out of 25 years of ecological and economic research and practice, which culminated in the book Ecosystems as Models for Restoring our Economies. One of the many findings of this work is that the restoration of America’s economy begins with the restoration of its agriculture industry.
Contact Information and More Information
For more information about AloTerra’s Agricultural Restoration services, visit us here call 970-420-7346, or email John at info@aloterraservices.com.
