Annie's mac.

General Mills Has a Plan to Regenerate 1 Million Acres of Farmland

In 2014, the United Nations issued a warning to farmers: If they don’t change their agricultural practices, most of the soil they rely on to sustain their livelihoods will disappear within 60 years. Industrial-scale agricultural practices lean on polluting machinery and chemicals, which contaminate farmland.

March 4, 2019 | Source: Fast Company | by Eillie Anzilotti

One of the largest food companies in the U.S. is calling for farming practices that keep carbon trapped in the earth and create healthy, rich soil.

In 2014, the United Nations issued a warning to farmers: If they don’t change their agricultural practices, most of the soil they rely on to sustain their livelihoods will disappear within 60 years. Industrial-scale agricultural practices lean on polluting machinery and chemicals, which contaminate farmland. Insistence on monoculture–growing a single crop on the same patch of land–saps the soil of nutrients that more diverse crops deliver. And aggressive tilling breaks down soil structure and makes it harder for healthy land to regenerate.

As the global population continues to grow, healthy farmland is critical. But in order to meet demands for food without damaging the environment, the whole industry needs to take a different approach.

That could look something like regenerative agriculture: a method of farming that’s slowly gaining popularity as a way for farmers to replenish their land and maintain their businesses.