Regenerative Communications Are Evolving: Part 1

by Jamie Lamonde

Are soils healthier than they were last year? 
Is biodiversity increasing? 
Are inputs decreasing while resiliency strengthens? 
Are farm businesses becoming more economically stable over time? 
And importantly, are farmers themselves seeing the benefits?

Answers to these questions are what should shape the next phase of regenerative communication.

I spend a lot of time looking at how regenerative agriculture is being communicated. Across frameworks, certification programs, measurement initiatives and farmer-led efforts, stakeholder expectations for definition, rigor and transparency continue to grow. What’s striking to me is how regenerative communications – the way we talk about regenerative practices, outcomes and benefits – needs to evolve into its next phase. Farms, soils and communities actively regenerating should be more visible in how regeneration is being communicated. 

Over the past decade, “regenerative” has moved from the margins to the central conversation in food and agriculture. In this stage, much of the focus has been on definition: what “regenerative” means, the specific practices it entails and which certifications matter. That work and accompanying messaging was essential as the foundation was built and language quickly made its way onto packaging and into the marketplace, and it remains vital to retailer and consumer trust.

But the more pressing question today is not whether a farm or an organization is regenerative. It is whether it is actively regenerating. Regeneration is about progress over time. If regeneration is real, it has to show up in measurable, on-farm outcomes, not just in a certification standard or a marketing deck.

That means investment in measurement, reporting and verification. It also means outcomes need to be communicated in ways that uphold accountability, make progress understandable and meaningful to stakeholders and enable a feedback loop. This is truly regenerative communication.

Examples of regenerative farming outcomes are already plentiful, which opens the door to a hopeful and grounded narrative, one that places the positive stories of regeneration at the center. Farms are seeing soils measurably improve, biodiversity return and input costs decline as resilience strengthens. Farm businesses are stabilizing, and rural communities are benefiting from land that is being restored rather than depleted. 

Along the way, strategy, operations, measurement and communication must stay aligned. What is happening on the farm, what is being measured and what is being communicated cannot be separate conversations. 

And that alignment is not only needed internally. If regeneration is truly a movement from degeneration toward restoration, all stakeholders should be brought along, from farmer to eater.

At its best, regenerative communications ensures that everyone understands not just the certification or label, but the purpose behind it and the measurable progress happening over time.

Otherwise, it's just a static claim instead of a continuous journey, which is at the heart of the regenerative movement.

When regenerative outcomes are demonstrated and communicated well, alignment strengthens across the supply chain. Farmers see their work recognized. Buyers understand the value. Consumers connect their purchasing decisions. Boards, investors and donors see that capital and resources are supporting measurable impact.

The businesses and organizations that will emerge as leaders in this next phase of regenerative are those investing in both rigorous measurement and thoughtful, outcomes-based communications that bring stakeholders along. They will understand that regenerative communication is not simply an afterthought, but part of the regenerative work itself.