Exploring Regenerative Farming with FarmED

At Bluestone Planning, we are committed to understanding the evolving needs of our clients. Last week, our team visited FarmED, the Centre for Farming and Food Education, for an insightful day focused on regenerative agriculture and its role in shaping the future of land use.

As regenerative agriculture gains momentum, it is evident that this approach is more than a trend, it is a transformative movement. Regenerative farming goes beyond sustainability - it actively works to restore ecosystems, rebuild soil health and enhance biodiversity, all while supporting productive and profitable farms.

Key Benefits of Regenerative Farming: 

• Enhanced Soil Health: practices like cover cropping and reduced tillage improve soil structure, nutrient content and water retention, leading to more resilient farming systems.

• Increased Biodiversity: integrating wildlife-friendly practices, such as hedgerow planting and rotational grazing, fosters diverse ecosystems that support pollinators and other beneficial organisms.

• Carbon Sequestration: regenerative methods, including agroecological and holistic management, aim to capture carbon in soil and above-ground biomass, contributing to climate change mitigation.

• Improved Water Management: building better soils enhances water catchment and nutrient cycling, reducing runoff and improving drought resilience.

• Economic Resilience: by lowering input costs, regenerative farming can lead to more stable farm businesses.

• Community and Ecosystem Restoration: a true regenerative journey seeks to rebuild functional landscapes, foster thriving farming communities and cultivate local food systems that benefit all.

  
  

For us as planning consultants, understanding these benefits is essential. It enables us to better support clients who are diversifying land use, developing new farm-based enterprises or aligning their long-term planning with environmental goals.

Our time at FarmED reinforced how planning, ecology and agriculture can and should work together. We came away with a clearer sense of how planning policy and land management can support regenerative outcomes, not just for farms, but for entire communities and ecosystems.

A huge thank you to the FarmED team for sharing their expertise and demonstrating what is possible when farming with nature in mind. We are excited to bring this knowledge into our work and support the growing number of landowners looking to make positive, lasting change.