Regenerate Virginia: An Action Plan for Regenerative Agriculture charts a comprehensive, collaborative, and productive path forward for the Commonwealth’s farms and farmers.
The vision, goals, and strategies outlined in Regenerate Virginia are built upon extensive experience and proven models as well as diverse quantitative and qualitative research, including:
- Dozens of in-depth partner interviews
- Thorough literature reviews
- Statistical analyses of farmer-focused data
- Geospatial evaluations
- Farmer survey that collected more than 100 responses
- Multiple listening sessions and one-on-one interviews with farmers from across the state.
Prioritizing collaboration and cooperation, Regenerate Virginia outlines an action plan to tackle the issues of farmland loss and land access head-on. Proposing a suite of initiatives that would protect hundreds of thousands of irreplaceable agricultural acres over the next two decades, the plan aims to secure the foundation of farming—land—in the Commonwealth. The report also recommends strategic actions to facilitate land access for a new generation of diverse farmers—and help them thrive.
Other action items outlined in the report are aimed at supporting farms of all sizes and types adopt ecologically restorative production systems to improve wildlife habitat and water quality, advance soil health, and help farmers adapt to and mitigate climate change. The report also recognizes that it’s critical to ensure regenerative production truly works for a farm’s business. With the right planning and support, regenerative systems can amplify farm viability, leading to increased profitability over time.
Embracing an approach that simultaneously advances regenerative practices, protects farmland, and supports the people and communities who feed and fuel the Commonwealth, Regenerate Virginia highlights the potential for a more equitable, sustainable, and productive future for Virginia agriculture.
