Simpson Centre Policy Trends: Scaling Regenerative Agriculture in Alberta

Regenerative Agriculture (RA) is gaining traction in Alberta, offering solutions to climate challenges, enhancing soil health, and promoting sustainable farming. This brief explores successes, barriers, opportunities, and policy recommendations to support RA in Alberta.

RA has shown significant successes in Alberta, including improved biodiversity and soil health through multispecies planting and no-till approaches. The growing interest in RA is fueled by its alignment with sustainability, land stewardship values, and pressures from climate change.

Despite successes, several barriers hinder RA expansion. There is a disconnect between RA practices and national ecosystem service payment programs, limiting economic incentives for farmers transitioning to RA. Additionally, the limited availability and high certification costs for programs such as Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) and insufficient financial support exacerbate the financial burdens faced by producers. Supply chain gaps present another challenge, as existing infrastructure remains tailored to conventional commodity markets, making it difficult for RA producers to market their products. Moreover, impatience among stakeholders seeking immediate results undermines the long-term commitment required to realize the cumulative benefits of RA practices.