We hear from a certified regenerative organic farmer about how consumers can make better grocery choices for people and the planet this year.
From monoculture plantations replacing biodiversity, to over-reliance on pesticides leading to soil degradation and the presence of high toxin levels, the food we are sold every day is often detrimental to the world. And us.
This week, Environment Journal published a feature looking at the need to bring more nutritional science into healthcare policy. The simple message is: we can cut emissions, make land and water use more efficient, and make ourselves much healthier if we adopt a more climate-positive diet.
But while the article focused on what type of food we should be looking for, it’s also crucial to understand the production processes that we need to avoid. Who better for commentary than Patrick Martin, owner of premium olive farm and certified regenerative olive mill operation Frantoio Grove, in one of the most climate vulnerable and resource thirsty agricultural areas on the globe – California?
‘People want to make better choices, but the food system can feel overwhelming. Understanding which practices cause the most harm and what alternatives exist empowers consumers to vote with their dollars,’ says Martin. Keen to understand more, below he provides four of the highest impact approaches to agriculture, and some ecological alternatives.
The Practices Doing the Most Environmental Harm
Modern agriculture has achieved remarkable yields, but several widespread practices come at a steep environmental cost. Martin identifies the most damaging practices below.
- Monoculture Cropping
Drive through America’s heartland, and you’ll see endless fields of a single crop stretching to the horizon. This monoculture approach dominates industrial agriculture, but it depletes soil nutrients, eliminates biodiversity, and creates perfect conditions for pest outbreaks that require heavy chemical intervention.
‘When you grow the same crop on the same land year after year, you’re essentially mining the soil,’ Martin explains. ‘The land loses its natural resilience. You end up dependent on synthetic inputs just to maintain production, and the soil becomes less alive with each passing season.’
- Heavy Pesticide and Chemical Dependency
The reliance on synthetic pesticides and herbicides has created a cycle that’s difficult to break. These chemicals kill beneficial insects along with pests, contaminate waterways, and leave residues that persist in soil for years.
Martin points out the broader implications: ‘These chemicals don’t only affect the target pests, but instead cascade through entire ecosystems, affecting everything from soil microbes to birds. Once you start down that path, it becomes harder and harder to step back.’
- Over-Irrigation
Water-intensive farming practices are draining aquifers faster than they can recharge, particularly in drought-prone regions like California’s Central Valley. Over-irrigation not only wastes precious water resources but also causes soil salinisation, making land less productive over time.
‘We’re essentially borrowing water from future generations,’ says Martin. ‘Some of these aquifers took thousands of years to fill, and we’re emptying them in decades.’
- Industrial Livestock Systems
Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) confine thousands of animals in small spaces, producing massive amounts of waste that pollute the surrounding air and water. These systems require enormous quantities of grain feed and generate significant greenhouse gas emissions. The environmental cost extends beyond the facilities themselves, driving deforestation as land is cleared for feed crops.
What Sustainable Alternatives Look Like
The good news? Viable alternatives exist that can feed people while building rather than depleting natural resources. Martin shares examples of the practices making a real difference.
Regenerative Farming
Regenerative agriculture goes beyond “sustainable”, actively improving the land. These practices focus on building soil health, increasing biodiversity, and sequestering carbon. Farmers using regenerative methods integrate livestock with crops, minimise tillage, and keep soil covered with diverse plantings.
‘Regenerative farming treats the farm as an ecosystem, not a factory,’ Martin notes. ‘We’re seeing farms that have adopted these practices actually increase their productivity over time while reducing input costs. The soil becomes more fertile, holds water better, and supports healthier plants.’
At Frantoio Grove, regenerative practices have transformed the orchard into a thriving ecosystem where soil life flourishes, and olive trees produce premium fruit without synthetic chemicals.
Organic-Based Fertility
Instead of synthetic fertilisers, sustainable farms use compost, cover crops, and natural amendments to feed the soil. Cover crops like clover and vetch fix nitrogen from the air, providing fertility for subsequent crops without any manufactured inputs.
Martin describes the transformation: ‘When you build soil with organic matter, you create a living system. The soil holds water like a sponge, feeds plants steadily, and becomes more productive every year.’
Diversified Crop Rotations
Rotating different crops breaks pest and disease cycles naturally. When farmers alternate between plant families, pests that specialise in one crop can’t establish permanent populations.
‘Diversity is nature’s insurance policy,’ says Martin. ‘A farm with varied crops is more resilient to weather extremes, pest pressures, and market fluctuations. It’s better for the land and better for the farmer’s long-term stability.’
Pasture-Raised Livestock
Animals raised on pasture provide multiple benefits. They fertilise the soil naturally, their grazing stimulates plant growth, and they can be moved to rest different areas. This mimics the relationship between grazing animals and grasslands that existed for millennia, eliminating concentrated waste problems while actually improving the land over time.
What Consumers Can Do Right Now
Making sustainable food choices doesn’t require perfection, but informed decisions that align with your values. Martin offers practical guidance for getting started.
- Look for meaningful certifications – Regenerative Organic Certified, USDA Organic, Certified Humane, and Grassfed certifications indicate verified sustainable practices. These labels cost farmers money to obtain, signalling genuine commitment.
- Support small and regenerative farms – Buy directly from farmers markets, join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), or seek out retailers that partner with regenerative producers. Your dollars directly support farmers building better systems.
- Reduce food waste – Roughly 40% of food in America goes to waste. Planning meals, storing food properly, and using leftovers creatively means the environmental cost of production isn’t wasted along with the food.
- Buy seasonal, local produce – Food grown nearby and in season requires less energy for transportation and storage. It’s also typically fresher and more nutritious.
Image: Ljiljana Nedeljković / Unsplash
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