September has been one of the busiest and most energizing months of our year. From farm dinners to music events, to carrying the work of Poultry-Centered Regenerative Agriculture (PCRA) all the way to New York, we are proud to keep showing up in spaces with our message rooted in real hope, real solutions, and real systems change.
At our PCRA research and demonstration farm, Salvatierra Farms, we continue to grow a living classroom for regenerative thinking. This season, we’ve observed how Pioneer chicken breeds perform within the Tree-Range® paddock model, while tracking soil health, ecological regeneration, and animal welfare. With field data collection complete, we’re now moving into nutrient testing. Each cycle of chickens deepens our knowledge and strengthens the regenerative outcomes we’re working toward. These on-the-ground lessons remind us of both the challenges and possibilities in building resilience—especially here in Minnesota, where climate extremes test every system choice.
CALL FOR ASPIRING PCRA FARMERS
The Regenerative Agriculture Alliance’s Fall Training Cohort is starting soon, October 10th. If you are a farmer local to Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Iowa and ready to start farming within a Poultry-Centered Regenerative Agroforestry Model, reach out to Louis Kemp at louis@regenagalliance.org
SCIENCE TEAM RESEARCH PUBLISHED!
We’re excited to share that PCRA science team member Dan Hernandez and his students recently published new research on chickens in hazelnut orchards. The study compared farms with and without chickens and found that poultry increased soil organic matter, carbon, nitrogen, and even boosted hazelnut tree growth. The results show that chickens can speed up the ecological benefits of planting trees and perennials on farms—helping build healthier soils and more resilient systems.
RFSI IS COMING TO TOWN
The Regenerative Food Systems Investment (RFSI) Forum is back in Minneapolis this year, October 7–8! After two days of learning and connecting in the city, participants are invited to get out on the land during The Regen Farm & Food Systems Tour, which will include a stop at Salvatierra Farms and a visit to Lorenz Meats, a local meat processor.
A VISIT TO MAKOCE AGRICULTURE
On September 17, Arnulfo (Farm Services Director) and Daniel (Research Intern) joined Makoce Agriculture Development in Porcupine, SD, for their 4th Annual Convergence.
Highlights included:
- Updates on Makoce’s new processing plant
- A hemp demonstration
- A farm tour
- A look at two production units (including one that raised 700 Pioneer broilers)
- A soil health showcase
The visit was full of learning, connection, and incredible food, and in Arnulfo’s words, “We left energized and grateful for the warmth, wisdom, and collaboration shared by the Makoce team and all participants. We also exchanged lessons from their first flock, identifying both successes and bottlenecks to learn from together.”
FARM DINNER WITH MOTHER NATURE!
On September 18, we hosted a sold-out dinner at Salvatierra Farms to kick off Farm Aid weekend. More than 25 influencers joined us to hear the story of the chickens, the trees, and the communities making this system come alive. The evening featured a delicious Tree-Range® Chicken dinner catered by the Organic Compound—giving guests a true taste of this work.
Mother Nature added her own flair to the night, delivering heavy rain. pouring wonderful buckets of water on the land. We stayed dry under the tent and reflected on how the current farming system impacts the land and how regenerative agriculture, especially when paired with chickens, offers a different path forward.
Big thanks to everyone who presented and participated alongside nature that evening. Despite the weather, it was the perfect start to Farm Aid weekend!
FARM AID 40: A WEEKEND OF SOLIDARITY AND CELEBRATION!
We couldn’t be happier that our first-ever Farm Aid took place right here in Minnesota!! Farm Aid’s presence was felt deeply, as they once again stood alongside family farmers, working people, and communities to build a more just and sustainable food system. In the days leading up to the festival, Farm Aid refused to cross a picket line in solidarity with University of Minnesota Teamsters employees on strike, their action underscoring the movement’s values.
Our team had a wonderful time speaking with festivalgoers and unveiling our newest interactive art piece at the Homegrown Village—an experience that invited participants to weave a regenerative food system journey. Attendees wove food system “persona” journeys over a deconstructed PCRA Governance Symbol (pictured below).
Participants tied yarn to a starting nail on the edge (symbolizing starting as an individual) and wove their way toward the center (where a regenerative governing council is represented), following the journey of a chosen persona (shopper, farmer, etc). Through this process, attendees could see how their role interacts with others in the food system, and by festival’s end, the tapestry reflected the individual journeys of many woven into a collective story.
PCRA farmers engaged with artists, appeared on local radio, were featured in other organizations’ booths, and joined live interviews throughout the festival. They also participated in the farmer forum the day before the music began, contributing to powerful conversations about the future of farming.
From meals to music, Farm Aid 40 celebrated connection. Farmers, friends, organizations, creators, musicians, policymakers, and the next generation of leaders all came together to share stories, learned from one another, and stood in solidarity with family farmers.
Why does Farm Aid matter more than ever?
Family farmers deserve a level playing field—policies that sustain them with fair subsidies, essential worker protections, and the ability to thrive. The festival may be over, but the fight for farmers continues.
Thank you to festival leaders Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Margo Price, and Dave Matthews for 40 years of standing with family farmers, and to everyone who joined this powerful weekend of joy, rejuvenation, and movement-building.
See more stories under the hashtag
#farmsoverfactories all over social media!
CLIMATE WEEK NYC!
Climate Week in New York City brought together global leaders, innovators, and communities to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, fairer future. The Regenerative Agriculture Alliance joined partners including Why Regenerative, Food Tank, Mad Agriculture, and the Mcknight Foundation to share food system solutions from our fields.
This year, Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin spoke at five high-profile events, including:
- Two screenings of The Jungle documentary, where our work is featured as a real-world solution. (Interested in an advance copy or hosting a private screening? Contact: thejungledocumentary@gmail.com)
- The Food Tank / McKnight Foundation performance event, where Regi collaborated on a storytime about agroforestry, climate, and community farming. Watch it here!
- The Fetzer & Mad Agriculture panel on Sacred Awakening
- The Roadmap for the Future opening panel (which was held in a sold-out room!)
- Regi also served as the Opening Speaker to report on the State of Regenerative Agriculture, highlighting the work of partners including Edacious, Savannah Institute, Iroquois Valley, Compeer Financial, Practical Farmers of Iowa, and of course, the PCRA ecosystem.
