Quality Agriculture - by John Kempf (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An increasing number of farmers and scientists believe the foundational ideas of mainstream agronomy are incomplete and unsound. Conventional crop production ignores biology in favor of chemical interventions, leading farmers to buy inputs they don't need. Fertilizer recommendations keep going up, pest pressure becomes more intense, pesticide applications are needed more often, and soil health continues to degrade.

However, innovative growers and researchers are beginning to think differently about production agriculture systems. They have developed practices that regenerate soil and plant health and that deliver much better results than mainstream methods. Using these principles, growers are able to decrease fertilizer applications, reduce disease and insect pressure, hold more water in the soil, improve soil health, and grow crops that are more resilient to climatic extremes, increasing farm profitability immediately.

As a leading agronomist and teacher, John Kempf has implemented regenerative agricultural systems on millions of acres across many different crop types and growing regions with his team at Advancing Eco Agriculture. In Quality Agriculture, John interviews a group of growers, consultants, and scientists who describe how to think and farm differently in order to produce exceptional results in the field. Their remarkable insights will challenge you, encourage you, and inspire gratitude and joy for the rewards of working with natural systems.

Review Quotes

Agriculture is at a crossroads, and we are beginning to realize that the current system is not providing the stability in our production system needed to overcome the variations due to soil degradation and weather during the growing season. This book offers valuable insight into a path forward to enhance our soils for generations to come and to provide the quantity and quality of food we need for food security. This book will require you to think about changes needed in our agricultural systems.

- Jerry Hatfield

No matter what form of production agriculture you are involved with, Quality Agriculture is a must read. John uses his expertise to delve deep into ago-ecology with many of the industry's pioneers.

- Gabe Brown

Knowledge about regenerative farming systems comes in many forms from many farmers, researchers, ag educators, and consultants. The challenge is sorting through all the information, learning what is possible, and putting together a working system for the land that matters. These interviews certainly expand and clarify the knowledge base of professionals who have spent their careers studying regenerative agriculture. A great read―you won't be disappointed

- Gary Zimmer