Regenerative Agriculture for Human Health

Rodale Institute was founded in 1947 with the conviction that healthy people need healthy food, and healthy food grows in healthy soil. Our founders knew that organic agriculture was the essential piece in this equation. J.I. Rodale’s pioneering research developed practical, scalable solutions that allowed farmers to eliminate harmful contaminants and produce food that is healthier for people and the planet. Rodale Institute’s world-leading research defined the standards for organic agriculture, and our innovative research, education, and outreach continues to reveal its full promise.

In this lecture, Jeff Tkach, Chief Impact Officer at the Rodale Institute will guide us through the benefits of regenerative organic practices, which not only maintains resources and inputs, but strengthens them. “If you focus on the soil and focus all your resources and energies on building the soil, resting it, watering it, recovering it, the outcome—it produces healthy food, but it’s more than that: it’s healthy people, says Tkach. “Our job as farmers is not to produce healthy food: it’s to produce healthy people.”

During this lecture, Tkach will provide us with key insights into new Rodale Institute research initiatives, (including key findings from our 40-year Farming Systems Trial) which are proving that organic agriculture produces competitive crop yields, can reduce damage in drought years, improve water quality, and, of course, enhance soil health and human health. In addition, Jeff will share scientific insights into the connection between soil health and human health, including a glimpse into Rodale’s recently-launched Regenerative Health Institute. Equipped with this knowledge, doctors and medical professionals can create measurable change in their patients by embracing food as medicine.