Episode 99: Reshaping How Agriculture Sees Plant Nutrient Uptake With Dr. James White
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Release Date: 01/11/2024
Episode 134: How a Crisis Led to Change with Tim Parton
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Tim Parton has been the farm manager at Brewood Park Farm, a 300-hectare farm located in South Staffordshire, UK since 2003. Tim shifted towards regenerative agriculture after a serious farming accident and personal health struggles. These experiences deepened his respect for soil as a finite resource, motivating him to farm in harmony with nature. By reducing harmful inputs like herbicides and fertilizers, he has increased biodiversity and improved long-term sustainability on his farm. Tim is critical of chemical farming, believing it offers short-term fixes at the cost of soil health. He...
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Podcast Short #10: Breaking Away from Traditional Agronomy with Jeff Kleypas
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
In this episode, John Kempf interviews Jeff Kleypas, a consultant with Advancing Eco Agriculture. Jeff’s pivotal moment came when he was exposed to the harmful impacts of pesticides during his work as a field agronomy scout. This experience, combined with observations of improved outcomes using biological methods, fueled his shift towards a more sustainable approach. John and Jeff discuss the challenges of shifting from conventional to regenerative agriculture, highlighting the difficulties in reducing nitrogen applications despite clear data supporting the change, and the broader health...
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Episode 133: The Power of Companion Planting with Ian Gould
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Ian Gould is a leading figure in regenerative agriculture in the UK, whose focus is on incorporating plant diversity into conventional farming systems to improve both environmental health and productivity. His work includes researching how companion planting and varietal differences within the same species, such as wheat, can enhance crop resilience, improve nutrient uptake, and optimize biomass production. In this episode, John and Ian discuss: The role of multi-species cover crops in improving soil health and productivity Innovations in companion cropping and intercropping for increased...
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Podcast Short #9: The Hope of Regenerative Agriculture with Kerry Hoffschneider
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Kerry Hoffschneider is an advocate for regenerating relationships in agriculture, who focuses on storytelling and hope within agriculture, emphasizing the human element and the need for deeper connections between farmers, the land, and their communities. Kerry’s work blends her deep-rooted personal connection to farming with her experiences as a writer and communicator. Growing up on a small Nebraska farm, she witnessed the struggles of family farming, particularly during the 1980s farm crisis. Kerry’s career has ranged from reporting on agriculture to working in the corporate sector...
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Episode 132: Diverse Cover Crop Systems with Keith Berns
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Keith Berns, co-founder of Green Cover Seed, is a key figure in the regenerative agriculture movement. Raised on a farm in South Central Nebraska, Keith was a teacher for 10 years before returning to the family farm in 1998, where he and his brother Brian adopted no-till techniques. In 2006, they got introduced to multi-species cover crops, which transformed their farming approach. Inspired by the positive effects of diverse cover crops on soil moisture retention, plant health, and livestock, Keith and Brian co-founded Green Cover Seed in 2009. The company has since grown significantly,...
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Episode 131: Controlling Your Own Supply Chain with Dave Fischer
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Over the past two decades, Dave Fischer has successfully developed a sustainable cattle farm and a direct-to-consumer meat business, Fischer Farms. Dave’s background in industrial engineering and supply chain management has significantly influenced his approach to farming. He’s built an efficient distribution system that caters to local universities, restaurants, and other institutions. Dave's commitment to quality, sustainability, and local sourcing has positioned Fischer Farms as a leading provider of high-quality beef and pork in his region of Southern Indiana. In this episode, John and...
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Episode 130: A New Direction in Florida Citrus with Benny McLean
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Benny McLean has decades of experience in citrus. As the Director of Grove Operations at Uncle Matt’s Organic, Benny has played a pivotal role in transforming the company’s approach to farming. Growing up in a farming family, Benny has always had a close connection to the land, which has informed his deep understanding of the challenges and rewards of agriculture. Over the years, he witnessed the adverse effects of conventional farming practices, including soil degradation and diminishing returns. This led him to explore regenerative approaches to farming. Benny’s commitment to...
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Episode 129: A Multi-Generational Journey in Regenerative Agriculture with Jay and Chris Brandt
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
The Brandt Family Farm is a diverse grain farm supporting three generations. Founder Dave Brandt was a leading force in regenerative agriculture for five decades, pioneering no-till farming and cover cropping in the 1970s. Dave's innovative practices focused on improving soil health, and his advocacy made a significant impact on farming across the U.S, until his death in 2023. Over the years, the Ohio-based farm has become a model for sustainable agriculture, influencing national practices and inspiring countless farmers. Jay and Chris Brandt, Dave's son and grandson, continue this legacy,...
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Episode 128: Scaling A Regenerative Dairy Farm with Blake and Stephanie Alexandre
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
In this episode, John explores the inspiring story of Blake and Stephanie Alexandre, fourth-generation dairy farmers from Crescent City, California. Their dairy farming journey began in 1992, and they've since expanded their operation from 500 to over 9,000 acres across three counties. Driven by their deep-rooted passion for farming, and influenced by their immigrant parents and family traditions, the Alexandres transitioned to organic farming in the late 1990s. By 2001, they achieved certification as one of California's earliest organic dairies, reviving practices that date back over a...
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Episode 127: Food as Medicine with Erin Martin
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
On this podcast, John and Erin talk a lot about the idea of Food as Medicine. Erin Martin works firsthand with food prescribed as medicine and has seen incredible health outcomes in her patients, including: Complete reversal of chronic diabetes within 6 months Maximum weight loss of 117 pounds An average decrease in healthcare cost of $10-20,000 per patient As the Director of FreshRX in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Erin provides local regenerative produce to patients whose doctors have prescribed food to cure their health problems. In this episode, Erin and John discuss: How food as...
info_outlineDr. James White is a professor of Plant Pathology at Rutgers University. Dr. White obtained an M.S. in Mycology and Plant Pathology from Auburn University and a Ph.D. in Mycology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1987.
Dr. White specializes in symbiosis research, particularly endophytic microbes. He is the author of more than 180 articles and author and editor of reference books on the biology, taxonomy, and phylogeny of fungal endophytes, including Biotechnology of Acremonium Endophytes of Grasses (1994), Microbial Endophytes (2000), The Clavicipitalean Fungi (2004), The Fungal Community: Its Organization and Role in the Ecosystem (2005), and Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis (2009).
The overall hypothesis of this research is that bacterial and fungal endophytes of the plant microbiome function to defend plants from stress and provide nutrients that enhance the growth and development of plants.
In this episode, James and John discuss:
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How plants get nutrients through the rhizophagy cycle
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Important microbes lost from commercial seed production
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Indigenous wisdom in seed production
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Bacteria changing the behavior of fungal populations through nutrients
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How endophytes benefit plants
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Reshaping agriculture to be based on how plants actually grow
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How plants cannot grow without microbes in their cells
Additional Resources
To take the course led by Dr. James White that teaches the Rhizophagy cycle, please visit: https://kindharvest.ag/courses/ra-ur-understanding-rhizophagy/
About John Kempf
John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.
Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.
AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA’s science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.
AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.
Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.
Learn more about AEA’s regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com/
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VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk