“Regenerative agriculture” is a buzzworthy phrase being thrown around by the food industry, similar to the way the word “sustainability” has been in years past. But what does “regenerative agriculture” mean? And why is the food industry using it? Well, that depends who you ask. Without outcomes attached to it, it becomes a marketing term.

It’s creating a lot of headlines and has a lot of strong and good intentions behind it. But so did the words “sustainability” and “natural” until they were co-opted. As Matthew Dillon of Clif Bar points out, we have to be careful to not just create buzzwords that are good for marketers. We have to also make sure they are good for farmers.

More than just a buzzword

But here’s the deal: regenerative agriculture is good for farmers because it can take such good care of the soil, which in turn provides a stable and fruitful business for farmers. And why does soil matter?