Regenerative 21st Century Farming: A Solution to Global Warming & The Organic Green Revolution By Timothy J. LaSalle, PhD CEO, Rodale Institute

The Farming System Trial ®

Energy Used in Different Corn Production Systems 231.7 77.5 121.6 199.2 Conventional Organic

CO 2 Over Past 420,000 Years CO 2 Concentration (ppm) Years before 2005 from the Vostok Ice Core Data

Global Effect 3.5 billion tillable acres 40% Mitigation Agriculture

No-Till Roller Crimper No-Till using Biology not Chemistry

Natural N Production Hairy Vetch Biomass Measurement 150 - 200 pounds per acre

Carbon Impact by Field Treatment Carbon Sequestration ( kg C / ha /year)

Soil Organic Matters 1% 5% 5 % 1%

Rodale Institute Soil Depth (cm) Soil Carbon (%)

2025: 2 Billion People Without Water Austin Brown II, 65, on his ranch in Beeville, TX. Much of the state has not had a significant rainfall since August. The worst drought in nearly 100 years is racking three-quarters of Texas Photo byMichael Stravato for The New York Times

C - N cycle C - H2O Soil Carbon Matter Matters Soil Carbon Matter(s)

Rodale Institute

Organic Corn - 1995 Drought Organic Conventional Better infiltration, retention, and delivery to plants helps avoid drought damage

Creating New Soil A photo from a Canadian research station showing the root growth of bunchgrass plants that were kept clipped at certain levels. Research efforts in the soil science arena have concentrated on reducing the rate of soil loss. The concept of building new topsoil is rarely considered. From Dr. Christine Jones, Carbon For Life, Inc.

A photo from a Canadian research station showing the root growth of bunchgrass plants that were kept clipped at certain levels.

Research efforts in the soil science arena have concentrated on reducing the rate of soil loss. The concept of building new topsoil is rarely considered.

Proven, Affordable, Immediate Mob Grazing Keyline Plow

These basic processes determine whether landscapes end up like this: … or like this. (Two rivers in the same area, with the same soils and rainfall, on the same day.) © ManagingWholes.com Restoring Water

Higher corn and soybean yields in drought years Increased soil C and N Higher water infiltration Higher water holding cap. Higher microbial activity Soil in Organic Systems

Higher corn and soybean yields in drought years

Increased soil C and N

Higher water infiltration

Higher water holding cap.

Higher microbial activity

Organic Matter Increases Infiltration Conventional Organic Using Compost

Buildings floated in the cedar river in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, following a devastating flood last year. Flooding in Agricultural Zones

Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone

40% Mitigation Cuba – Two rice plants the same age and same variety Systems Rice Intensification By: Dr. Norman Uphoff, Cornell University

Systems Rice Intensification 40% Mitigation After typhoon, FFS farmer in Dông Trù village, Hanoi Province, Viet Nam By: Dr. Norman Uphoff, Cornell University

Extends plant root systems Produces erosion-resistant, carbon enriched soil Provides mechanisms for soil biological carbon fixation Slows decay of organic matter Mycorrhizal Fungi

Extends plant root systems

Produces erosion-resistant, carbon enriched soil

Provides mechanisms for soil biological carbon fixation

Slows decay of organic matter

Soil Aggregation: A Biological Process

a relic of sampling methodology? Depth (feet) Corn plant root system Sampling depths of 140 studies comparing tillage impacts on soil carbon (shaded area denotes sampling depth) (Figure from Baker et al. 2007) Soil Carbon Sequestration in Conventional No-till Agriculture

Global Effect 3.5 billion tillable acres 40% Mitigation Agriculture

Single biggest solution 11 billion acres 100+ % Mitigation

A sizable % of human population now depends on [artificial] N fertilizer. T.E. Crews & M.B. Peoples 2002 Agricultural Calamity

Frogs Not Ready for Roundup Roundup still killed up to 71 percent of tadpoles in outdoor tanks. Rick Relyea, University of Pittsburgh

Human Sperm Count Decline

Representative drawings of a person by 4 & 5 year-old Yaqui children from the FOOTHILLS of Sonora, Mexico Representative drawings of a person by 4 & 5-year-old Yaqui children from the VALLEY of Sonora, Mexico. An Anthropological Approach to the Evaluation of Preschool Children Exposed to Pesticides in Mexico © Elizabeth A. Guillette, María Mercedes Meza, Maria Guadalupe Aquilar, Alma Delia Soto and Idalia Enedina Garcia 4 Years Old 5 Years Old Female Female Male Female Male Female Male Male 4 Years Old 5 Years Old

In spite of current realities of soil loss, global water shortages, high cost of fossil fuels ecologically and financially, increased aquatic dead zones, and soil fertility depletion there exists an agriculture that is restorative, regenerative and profitable. Agricultural Hope

Build Soil Clean Waterways Improve Water Retention Increase Drought & Flood Resistance Improve Yields Increase Adaptability to Climate Change Ecological Restoration Too

Build Soil

Clean Waterways

Improve Water Retention

Increase Drought & Flood Resistance

Improve Yields

Increase Adaptability to Climate Change

Biological farming and ranching works to build the biology. “ Bio-logical” Chemical conventional agriculture degrades the biology. “ Bio-logical”

New Markets

Rodale Institute Reaches for Consumers

Rodale Institute Paradise Lost 1970

Organic Farm Conservancy Rodale Institute