Jacob Gilley on the role of regenerative farming in Rappahannock's future
Recently we talked with Jacob Gilley, a Madison-based livestock producer, about the role of regenerative agriculture in Virginia’s rural future. Gilley is the Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Grazing Manager with the American Farmland Trust (farmland.org), a national organization dedicated to protecting farmland, promoting sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land.
What in fact is regenerative agriculture? In a nutshell, it means adopting farming practices that improve soil and water quality, enhance wildlife habitat and biodiversity, and make it easier to adapt to changing environmental conditions. All this while actually improving farm profitability by, for example, enabling nearly year-round grazing, thus reducing dependence on fertilizers and commercially-purchased hay.
NewRuralVA: Tell us a bit about the Sustainable Grazing Project, the goals, who is involved, and what successes you are achieving.
Jacob: The Sustainable Grazing Project originated almost three years ago as a holistic project to help landowners and producers adopt regenerative practices to improve conservation and profitability in their operations. The project has focused its efforts on pilot operations located in the counties of Rappahannock, Culpeper, Madison, Fauquier and Orange. Since the project’s establishment, we have demonstrated improved livestock production practices through numerous in-person and virtual workshops at the local, state, regional and national levels, along with various producer networking events where ideas can be freely shared. The Sustainable Grazing Project has partnered with many other organizations to make this project a success.
NewRuralVA: If there is one thing that everyone in Rappahannock County agrees on, it is that we all want farming to remain a central part of our economy. Unfortunately, the trend is in the wrong direction. The number of farmers is declining, as is the acreage actively used for agriculture. Tell us what you think are the strengths -- and then the weaknesses -- of the agricultural sector here.
Jacob: I would say another thing that everyone in Rappahannock County would agree on is just how beautiful the working lands are at the base of the Blue Ridge mountains. The county’s rolling hills are not only beautiful, they are very conducive for grazing livestock which can efficiently utilize the forages which grow on them. In our part of the country, we are blessed most years with adequate and predictable rainfall, which provides clean drinking water and nutritious food for livestock. Most years, our fescue pastures, if managed correctly, can feed livestock almost year-round without the need for hay. It is true that agriculture is challenging and labor intensive. It is also true that the profit margins are often slim and that the capital required to get started is daunting. However, through our project, we are working to assist producers with aligning their operations with the seasons and nature, so that livestock can thrive and input costs can be reduced. In many cases, a paradigm shift is necessary and better understanding and communication between producers and landowners is needed to ensure land remains available for agriculture production. With the county’s proximity to large populations of consumers on the east coast, producers are well positioned to tap into supplying the local food system to capture additional revenue and profit.
NewRuralVA: Profitability is obviously key to maintaining healthy farms, but small farms (which are mostly the case here) struggle to compete with much larger farms elsewhere. American Farmland Trust believes that regenerative agricultural practices can help small farms be profitable. Why?
Jacob: American Farmland Trust works to assist agricultural operations of all sizes. As production cost continue to rise, profit margins are getting much harder to obtain using conventional methods. Through our project, we are promoting agricultural practices which reduce the dependance on purchased inputs and improve the resilience of operations through drastic fluctuations in weather and market volatility. Many producers in Rappahannock have additional income from off-farm employment. In this scenario, operations can be profitable if overhead cost are kept to a minimum. Though the profit from these operations may not be enough to completely live from, these small businesses can show a profit. For operations which rely on the profit from farms as their sole source of income, a certain level of profitability is required and therefore additional revenue from direct marketing to the consumer, carbon markets, agri-tourism and farm stays can help. At the end of the day, producers need to take a step back from their farms and align their businesses with their overall goals and the available resources of their operations.
NewRuralVA: Is the best hope for local agriculture in this region to be able to sell their products directly to consumers in farmers markets? Or is there a better way?
Jacob: As a direct marketing producer myself, I do feel that supplying the local food system provides many opportunities for certain producers in the region. However, with the added revenue from direct marketing also comes added work. Also, the skill set required to sell direct to consumers is different than the skill set needed to sell conventionally. Producers need to be professional in their interactions and be effective at differentiating not only their products, but themselves, by effectively conveying their own family / farm story. Due to input cost and low profit margins, commodity markets require large volumes of product in order to capture any amount of margin. Small to medium size operations are poised to adopt regenerative practices which not only help the environment, but also provide consumers with local products that they’re asking for. Direct marketing does allow for higher returns to the farmer but the process is much like a roller coaster ride and producers need to start with a solid plan, adapt to changes and be patient.
NewRuralVA: State and Federal agricultural agencies devote a lot of resources to agriculture. From a small farmer's perspective, what do they do well -- and not so well? What more could they be doing?
Jacob: For producers and landowners who are interested in getting started in agriculture or modifying their existing practices to increase production and conservation, there are many financial and technical assistance resources available. At the federal level, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff will visit properties to provide an overview of resource concerns and cost share programs to assist with adoption. The local Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District also has programs to assist with adoption of conservation on farms which can directly improve production and profitability. The adoption of these practices improves soil health, wildlife habitat and water quality. The process for signing up for these programs can sometimes be confusing for those just getting started, so those interested should ask lots of questions and be patient. Landowners and producers should also put a lot of thought into the practices which they’re looking to cost-share in order to ensure they align with their long term goals.
NewRuralVA: More attention is being paid now to increasing bio-diversity in our countryside. The heavy use of pesticides, however, has contributed to a reduction in bio-diversity. Is there a way to have sustainable agriculture that protects bio-diversity and is still profitable for the farmer?
Jacob: Diversity is key with most things in life. For our grazing livestock and wildlife, they benefit from having multiple types of forages to graze. This is in comparison to the vast majority of pastures which are comprised of monocultures, which have just one type of grass. Pollinators like bees and butterflies also benefit from the flowers of various type of plants which grow throughout our landscapes. Through sustainable production practices, we promote less reliance on pesticides and help producers work with nature instead of against it. However, this isn’t an easy paradigm shift for many landowners and producers, as we’ve been trained to see many of these “other” plants as ugly weeds. It’s important to note there needs to be a healthy balance in place to ensure inedible plants aren’t the majority within a pasture to ensure livestock operations can be productive and profitable. However, we need to focus our management on what we want instead of what we don’t want. Utilizing the animals at higher densities in the pasture to trample undesirable plants to improve the overall health of pastures is just one example of implementing this through regenerative livestock production.
NewRuralVA: Where do you see investment in sustainable farming coming from in the next 20 years that could benefit farmers in this area?
Jacob: For as long as I’ve been involved in production agriculture, we have had access to both state and federal funds to implement sustainable production practices for improved conservation in Virginia. I believe landowners and producers will continue to have access to these cost share programs in the immediate future. However, if various conservation practices ever become mandated, I could see them being slowly reduced. However, on a more positive note, we are continuing to see lots of positive investment by consumers to purchase local food that was produced using regenerative practices. I believe this trend will continue but it is important that producers which use direct marketing utilize tools such as certifications to validate their regenerative practices. These certifications help improve consumer confidence by alleviating concerns over “green washing” (environmental “marketing” without the practices to back it up).
I also believe we will see continued investments in carbon markets where producers can be paid for adopting regenerative practices which sequester atmospheric carbon back into the soils.
NewRuralVA: What do you think the agriculture sector in Rappahannock will look like in 20 years?
Jacob: Due to Rappahannock’s landscape, I see a continued emphasis on regenerative livestock production within the county over the next 20 years. In my opinion, the biggest challenge to regenerative agriculture will be those landowners who decide to eliminate production from their properties altogether and just let their fields turn into forest. Some landowners believe this is the best decision for the environment and the county. However, it is important to mention that a lot of wildlife, such as grassland birds, depend on pastures to successfully nest and feed themselves. These working landscapes also provide jobs and revenue to the county through the purchase of inputs and sale of products. With the county’s beauty and proximity to large populations, an agriculture that focuses on the local food system and agri-tourism will be vital for the success of Rappahannock County.
NewRuralVA: what else do you want our readers to be thinking about?
Jacob: Agriculture is for certain, more than a job. It’s a lifestyle. However, just because it’s a lifestyle doesn’t mean it must be unprofitable or just a hobby. As agricultural producers, we need to adopt the best practices possible and focus our attention on changing not only our own paradigms, but the paradigms of those around us. This shift needs to occur at the consumer level to ensure that the products we pour our souls into are valued with the dollar and not just a simple, half-hearted thanks. It’s important for agriculture to tell its story, but only if it’s a good story to tell and this is where regenerative agriculture can shine!
Readers who would like more information about American Farmland Trust's work can find it here: Home - American Farmland Trust