Trewithen Regenerative Farming

Regenerative farming is an agricultural approach focused on improving and revitalising soil health, biodiversity, water cycles, and ecosystem resilience. It emphasises practices like cover cropping, reduced tillage, rotational grazing, and agroforestry to restore the natural functions of the land. The goal is to enhance the land’s ability to sequester carbon, improve soil structure, and increase crop yield over time, while also benefiting the surrounding environment and communities.

Regeneration in the dairy industry involves implementing farming practices that improve soil health, enhance biodiversity, and reduce the environmental footprint of dairy farming. This can include rotational grazing, which allows pastures time to recover and regenerate, improving soil fertility and carbon capture. Additionally, it focuses on sustainable water management, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and continuing with our high Trew Standards husbandry practices. 

Regenerative farming and organic farming have overlapping goals, but they are not identical. Organic farming focuses on eliminating synthetic pesticides and fertilisers, while regenerative farming prioritises restoring soil health and ecosystem functions. Some argue that regenerative practices can have a broader positive impact on the environment, including better soil structure and increased biodiversity. However, organic farming is strictly regulated, ensuring no synthetic inputs, whereas regenerative practices may vary. The best choice depends on specific goals—whether prioritising chemical-free production or broader ecological benefits.

In the context of food, “regenerative” refers to the production methods that aim to restore and enhance the health of the soil, environment, and communities where food is grown. It means that the food has been produced using farming practices that go beyond sustainability, actively working to regenerate and improve soil health, reduce carbon emissions, and increase biodiversity. Regenerative food production seeks to create a positive impact, making farming ecosystems more resilient and ensuring that the land is healthier for future generations.

Regen Milk is our new milk produced using regenerative farming techniques, which focus on working in harmony with nature. While the farming practices has different techniques, it’s still the same delicious milk you know and love, available across the South West.

By practicing regenerative farming, we help the land heal and thrive. This method of farming focuses on creating a balanced ecosystem where nature and farming support each other. It’s essential for the future because it aims to leave the land better for the next generation.

Regenerative farming creates a welcoming environment for wildlife by enhancing soil health and promoting a variety of plant and animal species. It’s all about fostering life and diversity on the farm, which benefits everything from bees to birds. Farms focus on hedgerow management, planting more species, and careful livestock integration.

Our farming practices are designed to capture more carbon in the soil and reduce emissions. By managing the land thoughtfully and using fewer artificial inputs, we help limit the farm’s carbon footprint, contributing to a healthier atmosphere. You may have heard the term carbon sequestration this is what regenerative farming encourages removing more carbon from the atmosphere and locking it in the soils.

Techniques include rotating crops, planting cover crops, and avoiding chemical pesticides. These practices improve the soil naturally, meaning cows are fed healthier food, and the milk remains fresh and nutritious. We also practice mob grazing, where you mimic natural grazing of herd animals moving them often into new fields, it’s great for the cows and great for the soil. It’s important because healthier land supports better food, now and in the future.

This extra support helps farmers cover essential costs like trials for new techniques, special seeds, and additional management efforts—all without relying on grants. It ensures they can continue these important practices and grow even more resilient farms. We are on journey and what we do today will continue to develop as we learn and develop new techniques. The regenerative farming community is growing and sharing best practices is encouraged.

We test several key aspects, such as:

– Soil health through organic mass and carbon levels.

– Farm-wide carbon emissions with the Farm Carbon Tool Kit.

– Diversity of plant species.

– Soil pH and nutrient levels.

Each test gives us a snapshot of the farm’s environmental health and sustainability.

We’ve developed our own regenerative farming standards, and each farm is audited yearly to ensure they meet these guidelines. It’s a hands-on way to verify that the farm is continually improving.

We review test results against set benchmarks and adjust based on farm size and practices. By sharing best practices and checking our standards, we make sure each farm keeps making progress.

Farm Carbon Tool Kit helps us analyse data, work with farmers to apply results, and run meetings focused on regenerative practices tailored to each farm.

Terra Farmers completes the soil testing and collects samples at different depths to understand soil health at every level.

We have 6 farms who are regenerative farming.

All our farmers apply to our Trew Standards that are higher standards than standard! All our farms family owned and take huge care of their cattle and farms. Regenerative farming is different approach and it’s not for all at this moment. That isn’t to say its wrong, each farm is different.