Ep. 049: Regenerative Agriculture Changing How We Grow Food

Tom and Chloe sit down with Clare from Planton farm to explore what regenerative agriculture really means. Drawing on Claire’s journey from the conventional food industry into regenerative farming, the conversation explores why our current food system is under strain and how working with nature offers a viable, hopeful alternative.Together they explore soil health, livestock grazing, culture change in farming, and the realities farmers face when trying to shift away from extractive systems. From cattle as “ecosystem engineers” to the surprising role chickens can play in regeneration, this episode is a grounded, honest look at food, farming and the mindset shifts required to restore landscapes while keeping farms viable.Key topics &amp; chapter markers[00:00] – Introduction and contextClare joins the podcast after visiting the Grange Project, sharing her background and passion for grazing livestock and regenerative farming.[03:56] – What regenerative agriculture actually meansA clear explanation of regeneration as the opposite of degradation – restoring soil, water, biodiversity and people – and why there is no single “recipe” for doing it well.[05:24] – Regenerative vs organic farmingHow organic and regenerative systems overlap, where they differ, and why organic certification doesn’t automatically guarantee soil regeneration.[07:05] – The challenge of definition and greenwashingWhy regenerative agriculture lacks certification, how the term can be misused, and the importance of asking one key question as a consumer: what is this regenerating?[08:48] – Why the current food system is strugglingA look back to post-war agriculture, the drive for volume, the rise of chemical inputs and the unintended consequences for soil health, nutrition, biodiversity and resilience.[13:16] – Economics of regenerative farmingWhy high-input, high-output farming is hitting a ceiling, how rising input costs are eroding margins, and why some farmers turn to regenerative approaches for financial survival as much as environmental reasons.[15:02] – Culture change and farmer mindsetFarming as identity, pride and tradition – and why regenerative farming challenges deeply held ideas about tidiness, productivity and what “good farming” looks like.[20:28] – Roots to RegenerationClare explains the two-year Roots to Regeneration programme, designed to support farmers and food-system professionals through deep, supported transition rather than surface-level change.[24:23] – Cattle, climate and eating less but better meatWhy grazing animals can be central to regeneration, how grasslands co-evolved with ruminants, and why cattle can act as ecosystem engineers when managed well.[29:38] – Chickens in a regenerative systemExploring pasture poultry, nutrient imbalance, river pollution and why the current chicken industry is structurally broken.[36:07] – Interconnected roles on the farmHow chickens and cattle support each other through manure management, pest control, fertilisation and orchard grazing.[38:47] – The future of farmingRegenerative agriculture as a potential fifth agricultural revolution, the rise of eco-literacy and a vision of farming that is more resilient, humane and joyful.About the guestClare is a regenerative farmer and food-system specialist based in Shropshire. She runs Planton Fam, an 80-acre regenerative holding integrating cattle, chickens, trees and perennial crops. With a background spanning the National Farmers Union, major retailers and sustainability consultancy, Claire brings a rare systems-level perspective to farming, food and land use.She is also co-founder of Roots to Regeneration, a two-year transition programme supporting farmers and food-industry professionals to redesign agricultural systems that work for people, planet and profit.Resources &amp; linksPlant &amp; Farm – regenerative meat and produce with UK mainland delivery https://www.plantandfarm.co.ukRoots to Regeneration – applications open for the next cohort: <a href="https://rootsofnature.co.uk/roots-to-regeneration/" rel="noop