Regenerative Agriculture Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 159: Preserving Family Farms Through Effective Communication with Vance Crowe Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

Vance Crowe believes that the key to preserving multi-generational farms is for farmers to communicate better, especially within their own families. As founder of Legacy Interviews, podcast host, and keynote speaker, Vance knows a thing or two about communication.

Vance developed strong communication skills early on, shaped by a competitive family environment on an Illinois farm. Vance has worked as a deckhand, in the Peace Corps in Africa, and for five years as Monsanto's Director of Millennial Engagement. He now runs Legacy Interviews, which preserves family histories, and is recognized for his articulate communication style.

In this episode, Vance and John discuss:

Vance's path from Illinois to Monsanto and Legacy Interviews
Farmers' need to communicate family values and knowledge
Society's disconnect from agriculture and farmers' marketing potential
AI's role in enhancing human contributions in agriculture
Preserving generational wisdom through storytelling
The value of direct communication and constructive disagreement

Additional Resources To learn more about the Vance and his work, please visit: https://www.vancecrowe.com/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.

Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.

AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.

Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Episode 158: Reducing Weeds and Pests with Regenerative Mulching Systems with Erwin Westers Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

Erwin Westers runs a biodynamic seed farm in the northern Netherlands, producing high-quality seeds for potatoes, radish, and wildflowers. His operation uses innovative mulching and cover cropping to enhance soil health.

Westers pioneers regenerative agriculture with techniques like Flechenratte surface decomposition, reducing pests and weeds and improving soil structure. He leads the Dutch Regenerative Alliance to share scalable practices with farmers.

In this episode, Erwin and John discuss:

Using Flächenrotte to incorporate cover crops shallowly, boosting microbial activity and soil structure to 10 inches
Applying rye and vetch mulch to cut potato beetle larvae hatching by 50% and delay late blight
Choosing diverse cover crops like grasses and clovers to sustain soil health
Controlling Canadian thistle and quackgrass with better soil structure and compost tea sprays
Improving seed vigor and germination with microbially rich soils.
Leading the Dutch Regenerative Alliance to offer e-learning and community support for regenerative farming

Additional Resources To learn more about the Flächenrotte, please watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZqCiL2RiuI About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Podcast Extra: Farm to Table Talk - Fresh Eyes to Fix Farms with John Kempf Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

In this Podcast Extra, John Kempf joins Farm to Table Talk, hosted by Rodger Wasson.

Rodger is a seasoned food and agriculture expert from a Central Illinois farming family. He brings together chefs, farmers, policymakers, and researchers to discuss how food is grown, prepared, and shared. The podcast explores stories and ideas shaping the modern food system for anyone curious about their food's journey.

In this episode of Farm to Table Talk, Rodger and John discuss:

How John's Amish roots shaped his approach to revitalizing degraded lands
Why Soil microbiome and minimal tillage sustain healthy, productive soils
Nutrition and microbiome management to make crops resistant to pests
How Plant sap analysis can help predict crop health more accurately than tissue analysis
How AI tools provide non-linear agronomic recommendations using comprehensive data.
How a generalist approach integrates diverse fields for practical farming solutions

Additional Resources To listen to more episodes of Farm to Table Talk with Roger Wasson, please visit: https://farmtotabletalk.com/

About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Podcast Extra: The Market Gardener Podcast - Why Nutrient Density Is the Future of Farming with JM Fortier and Kish Johnson Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

In this Podcast Extra, AEA's Director of Partnerships and Expansion, Kish Johnson, joins JM Fortier, founder of the Market Gardener Institute, for a compelling conversation on the Market Gardener Podcast.

In this episode, they discuss how data-driven tools like SAP analysis and foliar sprays are transforming regenerative farming. Kish shares how farms are eliminating pests and diseases through optimized plant nutrition and improved photosynthesis.

The conversation dives into the connection between soil biology, profitability, and nutrient density. Kish also addresses skepticism around ag "products" and offers a humble, science-based approach to farm improvement. The episode wraps with news of a research partnership between AEA and the Market Gardener Institute to adapt these tools for small-scale growers. Additional Resources To learn more about JM Fortier and The Market Gardener Institute, please visit: https://themarketgardener.com/ To listen to more episodes of the Market Gardener Podcasts, please visit: https://themarketgardener.com/podcast/

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Podcast Extra: Field Talks with John Kempf and Cole Neese Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

Join AEA founder John Kempf for Field Talks, a series of in-the-field conversations. This episode features Cole Neese, a corn and soybean grower in Indiana. Together, they explore real-time agronomic insights, crop progress, challenges, and success stories from the growing season.

In this episode, John and Cole Neese, a farmer from West Central Indiana, discuss:

Excessive Rainfall Challenges: Cole faced persistent wet conditions, saturating soils and delaying corn and soybean emergence.
Success with Accelerate on Soybeans: Applying Accelerate at R2 increased soybean pod counts by 50-80%, though drought later limited yields.
BioCoat Gold in Stressed Conditions: BioCoat Gold significantly improved corn performance in a late-planted, highly stressed field with low yields, likely due to enhanced mycorrhizae activity.
Improved Soybean Pod Integrity: Regenerative soybeans showed stronger pods, resisting shattering during harvest, likely due to enhanced cobalt and copper levels.

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Episode 157: Farmers of Life, for Life with Grant Breitkreutz Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

Grant Breitkreutz is a farmer from Minnesota who transitioned from conventional practices to a soil health–focused approach. Alongside his wife Dawn, he transformed their farm through no-till, diverse cover crops, adaptive grazing, and continual learning. He's known for asking "why," experimenting boldly, and sharing openly what's worked and what hasn't.

Grant is a key voice in agriculture because he proves what's possible when farmers take ownership of their decisions and data. His operation is profitable, resilient, and community-driven. He mentors others, helps lead the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, and focuses on farming for life, not just for yield or labels.

In this episode, John and Grant discuss:

The pivotal role of questioning assumptions
Developing a seven-grain blend for chicken feed that improves bird health, which created a profitable niche market
The power of adaptive grazing and how walking cows across a field can accelerate soil health regeneration
The importance of local adaptation in regenerative farming
How nitrogen management impacts not just yields but weed pressure and overall profitability
The growing importance of farmer-led communities like the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition

Additional Resources To learn more about Grant's work at the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, please visit: https://www.mnsoilhealth.org/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Episode 156: Data-Driven Regeneration with Jonathan Lundgren Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

Jonathan Lundgren is an agroecologist, farmer, rancher, and beekeeper, and founder and director of the Ecdysis Foundation and Blue Dasher Farm. Ecdysis Foundation is leading the Thousand Farms Initiative, providing data to validate regenerative agriculture's impact on soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. His work challenges conventional farming by fostering farmer-scientist collaboration and advocating for sustainable practices that address global ecological issues.

In this episode, John and Jonathan discuss:

How fully regenerative farms can store carbon equivalent to seven years of U.S. emissions, acting as carbon sinks.
How biodiversity, including fungi, insects, and birds, rapidly returns to regenerative farms, enhancing water cycles and soil fertility
Prioritizing connections with nature, family, and community
How row crop farmers face increased depression, Parkinson's, and cancer
How resistance to innovations impacts organic and regenerative growers

Additional Resources To learn more about the Ecdysis Foundation and the Thousand Farms Initiative, please visit: https://www.ecdysis.bio/featured-project About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Episode 155: Rethinking Agriculture, Health, and the Science That Connects Them with Robert Verkerk, Ph.D. May 29, 2025

Show notes

Robert Verkerk, Ph.D., is an environmental scientist and the founder of the Alliance for Natural Health, with over 40 years of experience studying the interplay between human health, agriculture, and ecosystems. His work focuses on promoting regenerative agricultural practices and natural health solutions, emphasizing the need to reconnect food production with ecological and human well-being through science-based advocacy and policy reform.

His contributions to regenerative agriculture are vital because they bridge the gap between soil health, food quality, and human health, challenging conventional chemical-dependent farming models.

In this episode, John and Robert discuss:

The interconnectedness of human health, soil health, and ecosystem stability
The limitations of single-factor scientific analysis in understanding complex biological systems
The impact of corporate funding on scientific research and its bias toward chemical-based solutions
The role of epigenetics in plant and human health, highlighting the importance of environmental context
The inadequacy of assessing chronic pesticide exposure risks
The need for a new economic model that values natural resources like soil, air, and water

Additional Resources To learn more about Robert and his work at the Alliance for Natural Health, please visit: https://anh-usa.org/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Episode 154: Soil, Sheep, and Superior Grapes with Ivo Jeramaz May 22, 2025

Show notes

Ivo Jeramaz, a mechanical engineer turned vintner, immigrated from former Yugoslavia (now Croatia) to Napa Valley, where he rediscovered his ancestral connection to farming. Initially resentful of agriculture due to its demands in his youth, Ivo's perspective shifted dramatically within weeks of arriving in Napa, where he embraced grape growing and winemaking as a fulfilling life's work, now leading Grgich Hills Winery with a commitment to regenerative practices.

Raised in a family that produced much of their own food and clothing, Ivo brings a deep-rooted appreciation for self-sufficiency and nature to his work at Grgich Hills. With six children and a passion for biodiversity, he is dedicated to promoting regenerative farming, aiming to convert Napa Valley's vineyards to sustainable practices while producing high-quality wines that reflect the health of the land.

In this episode, John and Ivo discuss:

Ivo's quick adoption of regenerative practices and how it impacted soil organic matter
How diverse cover crops and sheep grazing enhance vineyard resilience
The impact of regenerative farming on grape quality, including thicker cuticles
Challenges of red blotch virus and how regenerative practices help vines coexist with it
Ivo's vision for a regenerative future in Napa Valley

Additional Resources To learn more about Ivo, and Grgich Hills Winery, please visit: https://www.grgich.com/our-story/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

Podcast Extra: Our Food Systems Should Heal the Earth with Alana Mooi, Zach Bush, MD and John Kempf May 15, 2025

Show notes

In this Podcast Extra episode, John Kempf joined an Earth Day conversation hosted by Farmer's Footprint, alongside Managing Director Alana Mooi and Founder Zach Bush, MD. Together, they explore the urgent need to regenerate our soil and food systems, emphasizing the deep connection between agriculture, human health, and the health of the planet.

The discussion highlights how food systems must be understood as a web of relationships with the Earth, and how healing the land is inseparable from healing ourselves. They offer insights into why working with nature, rather than against it, is essential for the future of our ecosystems, communities, and collective well-being.

Additional ResourcesTo learn more about Farmer's Footprint, please visit: https://farmersfootprint.us/

To learn more about the work of Zach Bush, MD, please visit: https://zachbushmd.com/

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

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