Our health and the health of our soil are deeply intertwined. Modern agriculture has become heavily dependent on synthetic inputs and industrial practices that strip the land of vitality, and the farmers of agency. Many farmers no longer eat what they grow, suffer from poor health, and experience alarming rates of depression and suicide. But there’s a path forward: regenerative farming not only restores soil health and increases nutrient density in food, it also revitalizes rural communities and offers economic resilience. By reconnecting with natural systems and rebuilding diversity in our soil, food, and microbiomes, we reclaim both ecological balance and human well-being.

In this episode, I discuss, along with Allen Williams, Dr. Daphne Miller, and Ian Somerhalder the many facets of modern-day farming, including what we need to pay attention to and why we need to reclaim our soil.

Allen Williams is a founding partner of Understanding Ag, LLC and the Soil Health Academy, and is a partner in Joyce Farms, Inc. He has consulted with more than 4,000 farmers and ranchers in the US and other countries, on operations ranging from a few acres to over 1 million acres. Allen and his partners pioneered many of the early regenerative agriculture principles and practices and now teach those to farmers globally. He is a “recovering academic,” having served 15 years on the faculty at Louisiana Tech University and Mississippi State University teaching genetics and physiology. Allen has been featured in the Carbon Nation film series, Soil Carbon Cowboys, on the Dr. Oz show, ABC Food Forecast News, and in Kiss The Ground, A Regenerative Secret, The Farmer’s Footprint film series, and the Sacred Cow film series. 

Dr. Daphne Miller is a practicing family physician, Clinical Professor at the University of California San Francisco, and Founder of the Health from the Soil Up Initiative. She is the author of two books: The Jungle Effect: Healthiest Diets from Around the World and Farmacology: Total Health from the Soil Up. A pioneer in the “Healthy Parks, Healthy People” initiative, Miller helped build linkages between our medical system and our park system and writes her patients “park prescriptions” to get outdoors. She also developed a soil learning lab for health professionals at Paicines Ranch in Hollister California.

Ian Somerhalder is an American actor, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. Best known for his iconic roles on "Lost" and "The Vampire Diaries," he is co-founder of The Absorption Company (a revolutionary supplement company formulated for increased absorption) and co-owner of Brother's Bond Bourbon. His recent work includes executive producing the documentary "Common Ground" (2023), which highlights regenerative agriculture's innovative solutions to combat climate change.

This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers.

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