Ryan Slabaugh: Building Resilient Food Systems Through Regenerative Agriculture

In this episode of The Regenerative by Design Podcast, Joni hosts Ryan Slabaugh from Think Regeneration to discuss the importance of systemic thinking in building resilient and healthy food systems. The conversation begins with Ryan sharing his background in regenerative agriculture and the challenges that come with promoting regenerative practices in a world where industrialized and globalized food systems dominate.

Ryan emphasizes the importance of community-based decision-making in establishing regenerative systems, highlighting that real change occurs when local communities prioritize supporting farmers and sustainable practices. He shares anecdotes from his experience, such as working with AcresUSA (www.acresusa.com) and witnessing the backlash farmers faced when the public began blaming them for environmental issues. This experience underscored the need for systemic approaches rather than finger-pointing.

Joni and Ryan delve into the challenges posed by large-scale industrial agriculture and the loss of human connection in food systems. They discuss how the dehumanization of farmers and the consolidation of food production have distanced consumers from the sources of their food. The conversation also touches on the broader implications of this dehumanization, drawing parallels with other societal issues like law enforcement.

Ryan shares examples of innovative community-driven projects, such as the work being done in Tucson by an organization called Flowers and Bullets (www.flowersandbullets.com), which revitalized a vacant school for urban farming. This project not only improved the local food supply but also addressed social issues like rising rents in the area. The discussion highlights the importance of maintaining local ownership of farmland to ensure that communities retain their resilience and volunteerism.

The conversation wraps up with a discussion on the challenges of engaging large corporations in the regenerative movement. While Ryan and Joni acknowledge the efforts being made by some companies, they stress the importance of grassroots leadership and the need for these companies to genuinely commit to improving human health outcomes through regenerative practices.

Overall, the episode emphasizes the importance of systemic thinking, community involvement, and the need for a more human-centered approach to food systems to create a truly regenerative future.

Think Regeneration (thinkregeneration.com): This is the website for Ryan Slabaugh's organization, which focuses on accelerating changes in the food supply through community-driven regenerative agriculture practices. The site provides information on their programs, events, and how to get involved.

Regenerative by design is hosted by Snacktivist.

Snacktivist Is an innovation company that helps bring regenerative and organic supply chains to life through product development, ingredients sales and market building. Visit snacktivistfoods.com to learn more.