Show-Me State Times

For centuries, American farmers have strived to produce more crops. In recent years, challenges such as an unpredictable climate and shifts in consumer demands and agricultural policy have ramped up the pressure for farmers to grow even more. Rob Myers, the director of the University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture, has solutions — for Missouri and the rest of the country.

Since opening in 2021, the center has already attracted support programs implementing cover crops, silvopasture, regenerative grazing, and more with the goal of setting Missouri farmers up for a stable and productive future.

Here are five ways Mizzou’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture is stewarding sustainable farming in Missouri and beyond:

1. Conservation for a brighter future.

Raised on a Midwestern farm in a time when farming involved a lot of tillage and dust storms were prolific, Myers knows that protecting soil from erosion is vital. One strategy to alleviate erosion is introducing climate-smart practices, such as cover crops — plants designed to protect and improve soil during a time when other crops are not being grown.

In an effort to implement these protections across Missouri, the center’s work is supported by several large grants, including two new grants totaling $1.5 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). The funding will allow the center to help farmers participate in programs that implement sustainable practices on their land. One of the new grants will be coordinated by Myers on virtual fencing for cover crop grazing. The second will be led by Kelly Wilson, the Center’s associate director, and will help guide women landowners and operators in developing management plans and implementing best practices for conservation through the NFWF Conservation Partners Program.

2. Resilience for cattle and crops.

Making sustainable changes on a farm is a lengthy and expensive process. A five-year initiative of $25 million from the United States Department of Agriculture (the largest federal grant ever received at University of Missouri) is poised to support the transition for many of Missouri’s producers. The program already has enrolled more than 700 farmers who collectively use climate-smart practices on over 120,000 acres of farmland across the state, and Myers expects that number to double in the next few years.

Funding from the project combined with expertise from Myers and his team supports farmers as they adopt climate-smart practices such as cover crops, sustainable grazing, and pollinator habitat — proven regenerative techniques that make their businesses more resilient, ecologically sound, and profitable.

“Farmers we visited recently at a farm near St. Louis were enrolled in the CRCL project and said the Center’s expertise in helping them adopt sustainable practices transformed their cropping systems and improved yields,” Myers said. “Their crops were healthier, and farmers were better equipped to deal with weather challenges due to cover crops and regenerative grazing practices.”

3. $10 million in seed money.

Good seed is pivotal in increasing the acreage of cover crops on farmland," Myers said." Supporting this initiative involves interdisciplinary collaboration among 14 Mizzou faculty members and 24 additional scientists from across the country." Myers"and"the interdisciplinary research team will develop new varieties of cover crops"and educate farmers on which varieties are best suited for different regions of"the country,"depending on geography,"weather conditions"and soil type."Myers believes that cover crops are"a pivotal step toward safeguarding"a farm from extreme weather"and building resilience."

4."Growing"the economy."

Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious"of sustainability,"leading major food"and agriculture companies to consider regenerative practices such as using cover crops"and implementing better grazing methods."Myers pointed to"the company Wrangler,"which has committed to improving cotton farming practices globally,"as an example"of"a company that is meeting"a new market demand for"a sustainable product."One"of "the center’s goals,"Myers said,"is to keep track "of market opportunities related to regenerative agriculture "and help producers adjust so that their products remain competitive."

“Many consumers"in today’s marketplace are willing to pay"a little extra "to have food or clothing products that are grown sustainably,” Myers said.” Companies are interested"in farmland practices "the center"is addressing,”including promoting conservation buffers "and pollinator habitat that have benefits "for biodiversity "and water quality.” Farming practices like cover crops”and silvopasture that sequester carbon"in "the soil are "of particular interest”to companies seeking”to lower their carbon footprint.”

5.”Addressing carbon”on”a large scale.”

Companies are trying”to balance their carbon output by transitioning”to sustainable,”regenerative practices that sequester carbon"in "the soil”and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”For Myers”and “the center,”that means helping farmers implement “a diverse set “of conservation plantings “and approaches that can build soil carbon “and help make soils more resilient “to prolonged droughts or intense rainstorms.”

Along with other climate-smart practices,”introducing perennial conservation plantings such as pollinator habitat “and buffer strips helps reduce carbon emissions as these plants store carbon underground,”keeping it out “of "the atmosphere.”This natural habitat also increases “the biodiversity “of plants on key sections “of farmland,”which also helps prevent pesticides “and fertilizers from been washed off fields during rainstorms.”