NOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker’s personal interpretation of and business approach to regenerative agriculture. Statements in this talk have been challenged by scientists working in this field. We've flagged this talk because it falls outside the content guidelines TED gives TEDx organizers. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/t...
More life in the soil, means more life above the soil. Period.
Hear how regenerative agricultural principles are restoring and enhancing soil health by creating more diverse soil microbiological communities. Increasing the microscopic biodiversity under the ground leads to benefits magnified across the system.
Healthy soil holds more water, reducing flooding risk and irrigation needs. Healthy soil supports more diverse vegetation and restores ecosystems where incredible blooms in life can take hold. Healthy soil attracts pollinators and creates havens for native bird populations. Healthy soil increases the nutrient density of the food it produces, at far less cost than conventional farming practices.
Modern conventional agricultural techniques that rely on expensive and often dangerous synthetic fertilizers and pesticides that harm the soil and reduce nutrition. It's hard to argue with the benefits and the data, so why aren't all farms regenerative? Education and initial transition costs-two hurdles Allen Williams is on a mission to tackle.
Allen Williams is a 6th generation family farmer and founding partner of Grass Fed Insights, LLC, Understanding Ag, LLC and the Soil Health Academy. He has consulted with more than 4000 farmers and ranchers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, and other countries, on operations ranging from a few acres to over 1 million acres.
Allen and his colleagues specialize in whole farm & ranch planning based on the concept of regenerative agriculture. Allen pioneered many of the early regenerative grazing protocols and forage finishing techniques and now teaches those practices and principles to farmers globally. He is a “recovering academic”, having served 15 years on the faculty at Louisiana Tech University and Mississippi State University. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Animal Science from Clemson University and a Ph.D. in Livestock Genetics from LSU and has authored more than 400 scientific and popular press articles. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx