The launch of a regenerative agricultural charter at Groundswell this year is set to help growers and agronomists carry out regenerative practices on farm.

Developed by agronomy firm Hutchinsons, the Agroecology Charter provides clarity on the practical implementation of the core principles of regenerative farming and the risks involved.

It aims to help growers avoid the common pitfalls, and builds on years of experience across the industry to improve crop management in an agroecology context.

See also: Why regenerative farming needs to start with the soil

Route to success

The charter clearly defines the meaning of regenerative farming and provides a framework to help growers and agronomists identify a clear pathway to implement changes.

Hutchinson’s head of agroecology, Ed Brown, explains: “Agroecology is about maximising cultural methods to optimise soil and plant health, in conjunction with carefully targeted inputs.”

For agroecological crop management to be successful and its objectives achieved, farm businesses must consider a host of aspects, ranging from soils, machinery and labour to cropping, agronomy and nutrition.

“Soil is the most important resource on any farm, regardless of the production practices, and is a key focus of the core regenerative agriculture principles, so should be the starting point for anyone beginning the transition to regenerative farming,” says Ed.

Industry recognition

“To date, there has been no globally accepted definition of agroecology/regenerative agriculture, other than the widely recognised five key principles,” says the firm’s services director, Mike Young.

“There is no industry recognised definition of what these practices look like, how they should be implemented and how the associated risks should be mitigated,” he says.

As a result, regenerative agriculture is often not implemented successfully and, in many cases, the intended outcomes not delivered, resulting in agronomic and financial implications.

The charter also demonstrates to end-users, consumers and the supply chain how agroecology advice, services and crop management practices will support sustainability objectives.

The document is freely available and is not exclusive to Hutchinson’s customers.

Speak to your local Hutchinson contact to receive a hard copy.