Regenerative agriculture -- a solution to climate change | Ben Dobson | TEDxHudson

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. What if we could reverse global warming with just one methodological shift? Can the way we farm radically impact not just our output but also overwhelming wide-ranging concerns for our environment, hunger, and poverty? Ben Dobson has a unique, personal perspective on how we can make universal changes.
Growing up on an organic farm in Hillsdale, NY, Dobson was raised in an environment that was conscious of the ground. Having established multiple organic agriculture businesses in the Northeast, dabbled in coffee importation from Haiti, and assisted in producing and exporting organic products from the Dominican Republic, Dobson has now returned to his roots. He is currently working to plan and transition Stone House Farm in Livingston, NY, into an organic and sustainable producer. Implementing the “no-till” method, the transition of Stone House Farm is based on holistic management of our land to retain and rebalance the earth and bring healthy grains and meats to local markets.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@pepper419]

Thank you Ben Dobson, you name will be remembered.

[@membender]

Fantastic. Hopefully this idea (and practice) will spread far and wide.

[@amazingworld7943]

Happy to hear..

[@SavoryInstitute]

Thank you for all the great work you do! We're proud to be working alongside folks like this to bring forth the regenerative agriculture revolution.

[@whiskfern]

Seriously? Allan Savory's insistence that allowing non-native grazers onto our prairies and grasslands will preserve those lands has been roundly countered.

[@jenspetersen5865]

@@whiskfern BS - buy whom? Who has looked at data - not from 50 years ago but withing the last 10 years. What Savory is doing is healthy and sound, and not based on some neoreligious cult. It is actually quite easy to test - if there is more carbon in the soil year to year it is sequesting carbon. We should stop talking about "organic or ecological" and start talking about carbon sequetation.

[@mnyimbiridavie-jf3ri]

keep up the good work of reviving the planet and ensuring the best for the future generation

[@lyndaschroeder8117]

Thank you so much! Our farming endeavor was amazing using cover crops. You are realllllly correct. Bless you!!!!!

[@killmoulis9112]

I give the like, let's go let's do this everywhere!! don't let big money ruin your plans, we want it to be done.

[@winnipegnick]

What a wonderful video. Hopefully, the more farmers that start practicing this method of farming and the cost of organic vegetables is cheaper than regular farmed vegetables. It's a win win situation when a farmer does not need to buy chemicals.

[@leedilley438]

Wonderful TED Talk. This farming practice will have benefits for all!

[@buerostuhl9509]

Even better. It also can be done by everyone. Collect your and your neighbours' kitchen waste on a compost and start a garden! :)

[@PaulZink1]

Ted should do a regenerative ag themed event with many talks like this.

[@wendyscott8425]

There are a ton of KZbin videos of various lengths that show what's being done with cover crops and how they are saving soil and producing excellent crops. Just search regenerative farming. It's an amazing thing they've come up with and a great antidote for all the bad news we've been getting lately.

[@grumpy3543]

What we should do is all write our congressman and Democratic presidential candidates and tell them we can save the earth with cows and cover crops. These idiots think that cows migrating over the grass need to all be killed when they are the solution.

[@OceanPancake]

We definitely need to start looking at our agricultural practises as they are one of the driving forces between climate change, deforestation, top soil loss etc!

[@johnshafer7214]

Also we need to pay farmers a living wage along with doing environmental benefits on their farms. I like rotational grazing. Let's mimic nature as much as possible. We also need an urban agricultural practices too.

[@wendyscott8425]

When regenerative farming produces 3 or 4 times the amount of crops as industrial farming, there's your living wage right there. :)

[@grumpy3543]

Wendy is right. Check out the North Dakota farmer ted talks. He has always had a good profit and never taken a dime of government money farming this way. It’s actually cheaper when you don’t have to buy all that poison

[@athenamorales7321]

Here here

[@frootytooty7797]

I love this video so much. It's inspired me through high school and my college career. I've used this talk for countless papers.

[@LITTLEMUSTANGFILLY]

I cant wait to do this on my future farm

[@davidsussberg9517]

Loved your TED Talk! Would you please share your sources on carbon sequestration in regards to regenerative agriculture?

[@htinaungshien6384]

I do appreciated your methodology.When do you start and please share me next time your experiences.

[@vivalaleta]

Regenerative ag is about the only thing that gives me hope during these dark times. It's a win for the farmer, the earth, other creatures and for us all - you'll taste the nutrition difference. If you liked this TED talk look up Gabe Brown's TED talk.

[@ilsacycle]

so interesting!

[@renielrocaberte7894]

Wonderful talk topic and I want to connect to you Sir Ben for I am planning for agriculture farming.

[@laurafmartinss]

Amazing!

[@jasonmorris7433]

We do this and more Thousand hills Farm ...love the earth she loves us back##!

[@pepper419]

Thank you for telling people finally how to work the soil and save the planet. You're right of course, there's far too much soy in the world. It's now in everything, even medicines.

[@MarcelLENORMAND]

Excellent. I love what you’re saying and modelling. Keep going! Just next time, stand still! ;)

[@grumpy3543]

He was a little nervous

[@MartinHatchuel]

"This world has a lot of problems, and a lot of potential solutions. But what if there was one solution to fix a lot of these problems?" Regenerative agriculture is the infinite game that'll get us out of the wrong-headed finite game of corporate monoculture. It's more about staying in the game, (which is the reason why we play the infinite game) and less about producing greater yields (which is a folly that the finite game can never actually, and sustainably, achieve).

[@wendyscott8425]

Well, when farmers using this method have 3 or 4 times the yield with no chemicals, seems to me that's huge. BTW, I looked around my front and backyards and realized I have a lot of bare dirt, lots of plants and some trees, too, but too much dirt. So I'm putting in ground cover like clover and some succulents to cover it all and hopefully put some carbon back into the ground.

[@grumpy3543]

Wendy Scott great point Wendy. Let’s all write our congressmen and tell them that this is the solution, not killing cows and banning hamburgers

[@reforest4fertility]

How many think T E D should be Technology Ecology & Design rather than the E standing for entertainment, which should be implicitly understood so doesn’t need stating. ?

[@MartinHatchuel]

Great suggestion

[@lyndaschroeder8117]

Great !!!!! !!!

[@pepper419]

And at last get the chemicals out of our food. We don't need to be sick.

[@athenamorales7321]

I have seen better Ted talks but I like honesty.

[@FarmerBenny]

Wooooooooyaaaaaaaaaaa

[@antediluvianatheist5262]

'Regenerative farming produces better crops, less pollution, and is cheaper.' 'Yeah, but the fertiliser lobby has a lot of money. so we are not doing it.'

[@eikohuang2625]

Professional grow tent manufacturer . OEM ODM

[@sheepblitzer]

What species is the cover crop?

[@freedomdove]

+sheepblitzer Cover crops can be many species. Cowpeas, clover, vetch, rye, millet, sorghum, and buckwheat are common.

[@MacManChomp]

this is important. you can use cover crops to feed livestock. since you can drag the livestock over it stomping down the cover crop and eating it, while fertilizing the land. Win win for the parties involved since you don't need a machine and the rancher gets free high quality feed.

[@ianrothermund1510]

That's good if you're using the land for rotational grazing, but you won't want livestock walking all over your land that you plan on growing plant crops on.

[@johngoudge5916]

Actually, with the right mix of cover crops and some common sense (don't put cattle into a field when sopping wet or with standing water) all is mellow. Compaction is hard to effect in a soil with good texture and lots of plant roots Take a look at natural grasslands. They can stand a real mob w no problems. In Australia, farmers have found that they can plant cool season small grains into dormant warm season grass pastures without a problem.

[@nancylucas8555]

Hi, Ray Archeleta has a series of videos on KZbin with others that talk about cover crops extensively--and how to choose them specifically to improve soil and correct imbalances. Explains cold weather and warm weather cover crops. Really informative.

[@bronya8108]

Is there not more issues with pests with that mulch?

[@vivalaleta]

Nope. Strengthen the soil and the soil protects itself. Also it allows beneficial insects that hunt pests to become abundant. There's many more predacious insects than others.

[@RuiChui]

04:26 .... knot in my throat in the next 10 seconds! :'(((

[@haydenmiskow1542]

are farmers practicing this today?

[@hanschristiantankred4927]

My god I wish he would stop pacing back and forth.

[@whiskfern]

Great for those who have small farms and the income to run them. Completely unworkable and unscalable at the "industrial" scale. And to feed the 7.5 billion people on our Planet, whether we like it or not, we must have big agricultural concerns.

[@plumtube01]

Why exactly is it unscalable? There are plenty of farms covering thousands of acres that have been using these practices to great effect.

[@antediluvianatheist5262]

nope. You just do what he did, only bigger. Scales just fine. He's not hand picking tomatoes here.

[@CATRYNA49]

Stop pacing! Permaculture is the only way to go.

[@momajugy1]

Poor baby. Somebody get him a jacket that fits.

[@maryalice5357]

Dude

[@maryalice5357]

Rude

[@grumpy3543]

At least just unbutton it. He’s a really good looking guy. But that buttoned jacket wasn’t working with the nice jeans and white button down shirt.

[@maryalice5357]

Just listen

[@grumpy3543]

Mary Alice Shhh. I’m listening.

[@kathywagnerful]

Stop growing soy for gods sake.

[@wendyscott8425]

Well, do you want him to starve? Of course, with the tariffs, our farmers aren't selling their soybeans anyway so your wish may have been granted. But what do you have against soy? The Chinese love it and used to buy a ton of it from us. Until the tariffs...

[@grumpy3543]

Wendy Scott Wendy, soy farmer’s haven’t been able to sell soy to China for a profit for ten years. It’s not just the tariffs. This has been going on a long time.

[@dalekmoon]

What global warming? Climate Change is simply the weather. You may have noticed it's never constant.

[@otooleniall]

Glyn you just showed everyone who reads your comment that you have no idea what you are talking about. Climate and weather are not the same. To put it simply for you, weather is day to day variations while climate is the variations over decades. The climate is changing, there is no dispute over that unless you are in the USA, watch Fox News or listen to Sen. Jim Inhofe who receives large contributions from fossil fuel companies and think-tanks. There is no debate, the science couldn't be any stronger, the only question is will humans act quickly enough. Speaking as an engineer, the answer to whether we will act quickly enough is no. But it will create more jobs for engineers as we try to adapt to the changes at least in the short term. Go look at the actual science or look at any IPCC summary report.

[@rafaella9700]

It is obvious that you sir, do not know anything of the atmpsphere functions, weather decribes the everyday characteristics of and area and climate describes the longe term charactheristics of a certain region (deserts etc)

[@ianrothermund1510]

By definition, climate is not weather.

[@jackeljefe3032]

hahaha

[@antediluvianatheist5262]

Weather is rain. climate is how often it rains. If it used to rain 50 days per year, and now it rains 3 days, the climate has changed.