"From ‘organic’ to ‘regenerative,’ certain terms can have a halo effect so bright it’s blinding. But are you really eating as virtuously as you think you are? Use this guide to separate spin from substance."
"Matt Byrne's family has been grazing cattle on the same Northern California pasture land for six generations. About a decade ago, Mr. Byrne joined forces with another California cowboy, Chris Donati, to form a network of like-minded ranchers across the American West. “We named our business SunFed Ranch, because every blade of grass is a solar panel,” Mr. Byrne said. SunFed Ranch’s cattle are sustained by grasslands, which they fertilize as they graze.
Though all SunFed Ranch’s animals are 100% grass fed and free of hormones, steroids and antibiotics, less than half carry a USDA organic seal. Many ranchers, wary of having their management decisions dictated from afar, have been resistant to the certification. Recently, though, SunFed Ranch has begun pursuing a different label: regenerative.
Natural, sustainable, organic: yesterday’s news. When it comes to virtuous eating, “regenerative” is the buzzword du jour. But what, exactly, does it mean? The term lacks a single legal or regulatory definition, which makes for a complicated answer. Broadly speaking, “regenerative agriculture” describes a holistic approach to farming focused on continuously improving the health of the soil, increasing biodiversity and drawing greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere and into the ground."
Elizabeth G. Dunn reports for the Wall St. Journal April 1, 2022.
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