This article originally appeared in Acres U.S.A.’s February 2025 issue. Reprinted with permission. 

 

Whatever it is that scares us most, you can always find the same cause at its core: change. How we adapt to change dictates our success and happiness.

So what does that mean in the world of production agriculture as we enter the 2025 growing season? Producers are already dealing with low commodity prices, high input prices, and now an uncertainty of what government regulations will mean for the agricultural chemical and fertilizer industries as we transition to a new administration in Washington D.C. The only thing certain in 2025 is change.

As I visit with all types of growers, the conversation almost always turns to their fears of having changes forced on their current management strategies. I love this part of the conversation because I get to ask about their current practices, how regenerative agriculture systems can overcome what they fear losing, and how to better position their farm moving forward.

As a conventionally trained agronomist and Certified Crop Advisor, I have already made the mental change to adopt regenerative agriculture and do not see any path that would lead me back to conventional agriculture. My career began as a vegetable crop scout and consultant where it was, and still is, “normal” to spray a pesticide at least once a week. I saw that these intensive pesticide applications were not needed once I began treating my own fields in a regenerative way, though. I also witnessed how quickly a regenerated system can crash with a single application of glyphosate.

This mental adaptation is not a quick transition for many growers, which is understandable considering the number of options in front of them. However, at the end of the day, there are proven regenerative methods that can be utilized by both large and small operations to produce higher quality crops than we have previously thought possible.

This past year I have listened to farmers discuss the impacts of low commodity prices and their need for government assistance and higher yields. What has been missing in the conversations is how our industry has become disconnected from the market demands of the people who buy our farm products. The 99 percent of people in the U.S. who do not live on farms are asking for less processed food, less pesticide application, and grass-fed and -finished animals. Better health for themselves and their families is a key driver of this demand. People want to enjoy a healthier lifestyle with fewer of the chronic illnesses that plague the U.S. population. I know I was personally amazed to learn how just changing a cow’s diet can have such a significant impact on omega-3 to omega-6 ratios.

How will all of our farmers and ranchers manage their operations moving forward if regenerative and eco agriculture is “forced” upon them by government policy? Should this change be feared? Evidence from millions of acres of regeneratively grown crops managed throughout my career with the help of other agronomists at Advancing Eco Agriculture and other regenerative based companies says no. Does a grower have to fully adopt regenerative agriculture in year one to see success? No. Not every operation will be able to adopt all of the basic pillars of regenerative agriculture out of the gate and that is perfectly fine. Logistics and local economies are not always ready to embrace all 5 pillars of regenerative agriculture, especially livestock adoption. So let’s take a look at some basic steps that a more conventional grower can take to make a successful change to regenerative agriculture.

Step 1: Carefully evaluate products on the market.

With regenerative agriculture becoming more popular for a variety of reasons, we are seeing many new products and companies coming to market. Too many of these products are sold as add-ons to a current system. A major part of regenerative agriculture is improving efficiencies of the soil and plant systems, so why should a management system simply add another product? This approach is usually a band-aid fix, just like pesticides, instead of a holistic look at the system and quest for true solutions.

Growers should also be very leery of anyone who promises to provide a specific number of nutrients as a replacement through biology or biostimulants. When these promises fail to deliver on a farm, it can negatively affect the grower’s bottom line and create a reluctance to embrace a true regenerative system.

Step 2: Look beyond what nutrients are soluble in the soil.

How are you determining how much bulk nutrient application you need? If you have plenty of that applied nutrient in the soil, is it available to your plants? What are the obstacles to nutrient availability? Is it a lack of biology or a tie-up from another nutrient?

Look beyond nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. We have found a properly timed application of boron can increase corn yields as much as 15 bushels.

Step 3: Learn how biology and proper nutrition management can eliminate the need for most, if not all, insecticides and fungicides.

This is a high-level discussion with which most conventional agronomists are not well versed. We are all a product of our experiences and what we were taught. As a result, this knowledge does not usually rest in the minds of conventional agriculture.

Growers need to find agronomists knowledgeable in regenerative growing who have studied outside the box and understand the nutrient relationships and requirements to build resilience in the soil and plant systems. Policy change that limits pesticide applications would make this knowledge even more important for all growers. For conventional growers, it would most likely be one of the biggest pain points.

Step 4: Create a plan for transitioning, and have patience with its implementation.

Soil must heal from decades of pesticide and synthetic fertilizer applications. I have seen fields where growers double their yields in the first year of a regenerative program, while also spending less on inputs per acre. At the same time, I have seen fields managed by the same grower that did not see much change in the first year.

The rule of thumb for converting out of conventional systems is to give the field three years to heal, then successful change starts to happen in year four. The most important aspect of this change is to maintain profitability. I always ask growers to be great communicators and not shy away from what they are experiencing in the first year. Sometimes the grower will take on more change than they are ready for and we have to revisit the plan at the end of the year. This usually happens when a grower does not have access to the proper equipment or makes too many changes such as adding in no-till and cover crops at the same time as adopting a more natural fertilizer approach. Every field and situation is different and cannot be managed the same.

How does a regenerative production plan look compared to a conventional production plan? The first step in adopting and building a regenerative production plan is to look at existing equipment and logistics to determine what regenerative practices and products can be easily adopted. Regardless of how many acres they farm, many growers will find that there are not many changes needed other than looking at filtration and mixing requirements. Once these potential barriers are addressed, the application and implementation is very similar, if not identical to conventional agriculture.

 

 

Fall Considerations

The fall is the perfect time to review fertilizer application timing, type, and rates. It is also the ideal time to look at biological inoculations and how living biology can do its job over the fall, winter, and early spring months. This period is where a lot of the success of regenerative agriculture begins to take place.

Build biological applications into your program to minimize the negative impact of synthetic fertilizers. Choose the product that both makes sense logistically and shows the least negative impact on biology. In most cases, moving away from a product like potassium chloride will allow the soil system to begin healing and fix some of the imbalances that were unintentionally created through years of application.

Residue management is an important consideration with biological applications and their timing. If residue is needed or required for erosion control, delay the biological application to spring. Strip till applications are also an opportunity to introduce biological and other regenerative inputs into the system.

Spring Considerations

Spring brings on a lot of action across the farm. Many growers will either be spraying or placing nutrients as a starter fertilizer or 2×2 at this time.

Once again, growers are looking at using the same equipment and strategy, but the type of fertilizer used in the starter blend is the major difference. A very soluble fertilizer will usually provide a more dramatic visual effect early in the season, but then peter out later in the season. Biological inoculants on the seed or in-furrow also play a very important role in season-long nutrient availability to the crop.

Applications at planting can really set you up for success, and normally without the need for special equipment – just proper equipment set up. Having the right nutrition for the seed to germinate and produce a healthy plant sets the plant up to grow without the need for many insecticides and fungicides.

In-Season Considerations

Once the season starts, the fun in regenerative agriculture begins. This is the time of year when we support the biology and make the adjustments needed to maximize plant growth, yield, and quality.

Conventional growers usually see a shift in the nutrients they are used to applying in addition to a change of thinking around fungicides and insecticides. Organic producers will have similar experiences when realizing that many organic practices mirror conventional agriculture, such as applying an organic pesticide to control insects and disease.

A well-versed and experienced regenerative agronomist will be able to look at plant sap tests to see what is out of balance. They will make nutrient recommendations that build healthy plants that are not susceptible to most, if not all, insects and diseases. This resilience does not always happen in the first season, so proper monitoring is still important. When transitioning, use pesticides as a treatment, not as a preventative.

As a crop consultant, I was amazed to see how plant nutrition can be the answer to reducing the majority of pesticide usage on farms. Even weed populations can be influenced through fertility management. My greatest fear as a grower-focused agronomist is that the industry giants will realize their lost profits in pesticide sales and pressure regulations around fertilizer use as a “pesticide”. I want to see farmers of all types and sizes succeed without undue price increases on the basic products needed for success.


 

As conventional farmers transition to regenerative agriculture management, they can use their existing equipment with minimal logistical changes. Understanding the needs of a living system does require some changes to how a grower thinks about application methods and timing. Yet the challenge is not as daunting as it may seem. The farm still uses tractors, conventional harvest equipment, sprayers, drones, on-planter application, side dressing equipment, etc.. Running proper pressures, proper water volumes, addressing water quality, understanding the challenges and needs associated with agitation and filtration, and accepting change are the primary drivers for success. Regenerative agriculture at scale is here and is proving successful for those allowing nature to rebuild a resilient system.

If a conventionally trained agronomist that grew up on a conventional cattle and cotton operation like me can fully adopt regenerative agriculture, anyone can. As agriculture professionals, we are all in this together and are simply a product of how we were trained and what is available to us locally. Do not be afraid to think outside the box and go against what all of mainstream agriculture has been taught for decades.

Change can be scary. Regenerative agriculture management need not be.


 

Jeffrey Kleypas is a consultant with AEA. 

Subscribe to our blog.

You'll get each post to your inbox (~1-2x/week).

You may unsubscribe at any time. We value your personal information. Here's our Privacy Policy.

"*" indicates required fields