On Friday, October 18, Maryland policymakers, environmental partners, and farmers visited two Frederick County farms that are improving soil health, water quality, climate resilience, and biodiversity through regenerative agriculture.
The event, coordinated by Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and Mobilize Frederick, demonstrated regenerative agriculture in action and highlighted its benefits for both local farmers and the environment. Regenerative agriculture practices such as crop diversification and rotation, and rotational livestock grazing, can improve soil health and mitigate a farm's carbon footprint.
“Maryland farmers are on the forefront of regenerative farming innovation. And its benefits are clear,” said Rob Schnabel, CBF Restoration Scientist. “Agriculture can continue to be a problem for the Chesapeake Bay, or can be the solution. The farms spotlighted at this event are a prime example of regenerative agriculture being a solution for water quality and quantity, as well as climate resilience and biodiversity.”
Event attendees toured two Frederick County farms that are implementing regenerative agriculture practices, including Holterholm Farm, a grazing dairy farm, and Open Book Farm, a diversified grazing and vegetable farm.
“The key to regenerative agriculture is that it’s a systems approach,” said Ron Holter, fifth-generation farmer of Holterholm Farm. “It’s healthier for our farm, it’s healthier for the environment, and it’s healthier for our community.”
During the event, presenters showed the immediate water quality benefits of these practices through rain simulators, slake soil tests, and greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration calculators. Presenters included representatives of CBF, University of Maryland Extension, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Services, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and other partners.
“Climate change is affecting the weather patterns in Frederick County, with more frequent droughts alternating with flooding rains,” said Karen Cannon, Mobilize Frederick Executive Director. “Regenerative agriculture is the key to mitigating the impacts of climate change and helping the county's farmers build a sustainable local food system.”
The top principles of regenerative agriculture include:
- Minimizing negative disturbances like tillage and pesticides that can impact soil biology;
- Always keeping soil covered with crops to prevent erosion;
- Diverse plant cover;
- Prolonging root life to maintain photosynthesis and sequester carbon, and;
- Adding livestock for grass grazing and manure probiotics that encourage deeper root growth.
Implementing these practices across the Chesapeake Bay watershed would be one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to meet the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint's clean water goals. States including Maryland must invest in the financial and technical assistance that farmers need to implement regenerative practices to meet these pollution reduction goals.
Learn more about regenerative agriculture and how it benefits the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
