Articles

Theresa Flach, Senior Conference Producer, spoke with Farmer and Former U.S. Ambassador, Kip Tom, about regenerative agriculture, finance, and the future of farming ahead of his speaking role at World Agri-Tech in San Francisco, March 17-18.

Regenerative Agriculture Must Be Adaptive, Not Prescriptive

Kip Tom emphasises that there is no single regenerative system that works everywhere. Farms operate in unique environments, with different management styles, capital constraints, risk levels, and markets. Practices must be tailored to each individual operation.

Regenerative agriculture must also remain dynamic. As innovations emerge in crop care, genetics, biologicals, data analytics and AI, farmers gain new tools to strengthen resilience and productivity. Agriculture has always evolved, and technology will continue to shape how regenerative practices are implemented on the ground.

Transformation Comes from Combining Technologies

There is no single tool that will fundamentally transform regenerative agriculture. The greatest impact comes from combining approaches, says Tom.

On his own farm, the Former U.S. Amabassador is constantly running trials – testing cover crops, seeding rates, fertility strategies, and sense-and-spray technologies – with the objective of reducing environmental impact while increasing productivity.

Adaptability is essential, he stresses. Weather conditions change year to year, and farming systems must respond accordingly. Structured decision-making systems, supported by AI and advanced data tools, allow farmers to measure, monitor, and adjust in real time.

Scaling Regenerative Agriculture Requires Shared Risk

For regenerative agriculture to scale, financial alignment across the supply chain is critical.

Consumer packaged goods companies and downstream players are increasingly engaged in regenerative programmes. However, farmers still carry the capital investment and operational risk. Any shared value model must genuinely share risk as well.

Regenerative agriculture must achieve three things at once: protect the environment, deliver nutritious food, and ensure farmers remain financially viable. Scaling requires collaboration grounded in practical understanding of how farms operate.

The Industry Must Stay Open-Minded

Tom’s closing message is simple: be open-minded.

Farmers around the world are testing new systems and approaches. There is value in learning from one another, investing in technologies that enable measurement and accountability, and giving new practices time to prove themselves.

The future of regenerative agriculture depends on adaptation, collaboration, and a willingness to try.