What Is Regenerative Agriculture? (And Why Your Bank Account Is Part of the Answer)

By GreenFi Editorial Team

You’ve probably seen the word “regenerative” on packaging at the grocery store, in a Netflix documentary, or in a headline about farming. It’s one of the fastest-growing movements in food and agriculture right now. The global regenerative agriculture market is expected to grow at roughly 15% per year through 2033.^¹

But what does it actually mean? And what does it have to do with your bank account?

More than you might think.

Regenerative agriculture, explained simply

Regenerative agriculture is a way of farming that focuses on rebuilding the health of the soil, rather than just using it up. Traditional industrial farming tends to degrade soil over time through heavy tilling, synthetic fertilizers, and monocropping (growing the same thing in the same place year after year). That approach produces food in the short term but strips the soil of the organic matter, microorganisms, and structure it needs to stay productive.

Regenerative farming flips that script. Practices like cover cropping, reduced tillage, crop rotation, composting, and integrating livestock work together to restore soil health from the ground up.^²

Think of it this way: conventional agriculture takes from the soil. Regenerative agriculture gives back.

Why soil matters (a lot more than you’d expect)

Soil isn’t just dirt. It’s one of the most important ecosystems on the planet. Healthy soil stores carbon, filters water, supports biodiversity, and grows more nutritious food. And right now, it’s in trouble.

Research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that the U.S. Midwest has lost an estimated 57.6 billion metric tons of soil since farming began there roughly 160 years ago.^³ The rate of erosion, about 2 millimeters per year, is nearly double what the USDA considers sustainable.^³

Agriculture accounts for about 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions and uses 70% of the world’s freshwater.^⁴ But the same land that’s contributing to those problems could become part of the solution. According to the IPCC, improving soil carbon sequestration through regenerative agriculture could capture up to 23 gigatons of CO² by 2050.^⁴

What regenerative farming actually looks like

Regenerative agriculture isn’t one single practice. It’s a set of principles that farmers adapt to their land, climate, and crops. The most common include:

No-till or reduced-till farming. Tilling breaks up soil structure and releases stored carbon into the atmosphere. Reducing tillage keeps carbon in the ground and protects soil life.

Cover cropping. Instead of leaving fields bare between harvests, farmers plant cover crops that protect the soil, prevent erosion, fix nitrogen, and feed the microorganisms that keep soil healthy.

Crop rotation and diversification. Growing different crops in rotation breaks pest cycles, improves soil nutrients, and reduces the need for chemical inputs.

Integrating livestock. Managed grazing mimics natural ecosystems. Animals fertilize the soil, control weeds, and stimulate plant regrowth, all without synthetic chemicals.

Composting and natural inputs. Returning organic matter to the soil feeds the biological activity that drives long-term fertility.

The result? Healthier soil that holds more water, stores more carbon, supports more biodiversity, and grows more nutritious food.^²,⁵

The problem: transitioning is expensive

If regenerative farming is so effective, why isn’t every farmer doing it? Because switching from conventional to regenerative practices takes time, money, and risk. Farmers need new equipment (like no-till drills), new knowledge (cover cropping isn’t something you learn overnight), and the financial runway to absorb lower yields during the transition period.

For small and mid-sized farms, which produce about half of the world’s food, the upfront cost of transitioning can be a real barrier. That’s where organizations like Kiss the Ground come in.

Kiss the Ground: putting grants directly in farmers’ hands

Kiss the Ground is a nonprofit that’s been at the forefront of the regenerative movement since 2013. You might know them from their award-winning documentary (over 10 million views and used by 59,000 schools and educators).^⁶ But behind the storytelling, they’re doing something equally important: directly funding the farmers making the transition.

In 2025, Kiss the Ground awarded $500,000 in grants to 215 small farms across the U.S.^⁷ Those grants covered critical needs like no-till drills, mobile chicken coops, fencing, and hands-on training. The result: 73,000 acres now transitioning to regenerative practices.^⁷

They’ve also built an education platform with on-demand courses in English and Spanish, awarded 320 scholarships in 2024 (with a focus on reaching marginalized communities), and partnered with organizations like Soul Fire Farm to offer 50 training grants exclusively to BIPOC farmers.^⁶,⁸

In 2026, they launched a Farmer Relations Board to ensure farmer programs are built with diversity in mind, and a Regenerative Farm Map connecting 200 farms directly with local consumers, with plans to feature 1,000 farms by year-end.^⁹,¹⁰

Here’s what makes it tangible: for every $100 donated to Kiss the Ground, they inspire and catalyze the transition of 10 acres into regenerative agriculture.^⁶

Where your bank account fits in

GreenFi^† members who contribute through the Pay What Is Fair¹¹ program are directly supporting organizations like Kiss the Ground. 10% of PWIF contributions go to environmental nonprofit partners, which means your optional monthly contribution is helping fund farmer grants, education, and reforestation work.

You’re not writing a check and hoping for the best. You’re helping a farmer in Iowa buy a no-till drill. You’re funding a scholarship for a beginning grower in Alabama. You’re supporting the transition of real acres of American farmland from conventional to regenerative.

That’s what “your money has power” looks like in practice. Learn more about our work with Kiss The Ground.

The bottom line

Regenerative agriculture is one of the most promising climate solutions we have. It rebuilds soil, sequesters carbon, improves water systems, and produces better food. But farmers need support to make the switch. GreenFi members who opt into Pay What Is Fair can directly fund that transition through the 10% nonprofit allocation.

Want to make your money part of the regenerative movement? Open a GreenFi† account and see how your contributions support farmers, healthy soil, and a better food system.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is regenerative agriculture?

Regenerative agriculture is a set of farming practices designed to rebuild soil health, sequester carbon, improve water retention, and increase biodiversity. Common practices include no-till farming, cover cropping, crop rotation, managed grazing, and composting.^²

How is regenerative agriculture different from organic farming?

Organic farming focuses on avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Regenerative agriculture goes further by actively restoring and improving the ecosystem. A farm can be organic without being regenerative, and vice versa, though many regenerative farms also meet organic standards.

Does regenerative agriculture really help with climate change?

Yes. The IPCC estimates that improving soil carbon sequestration through regenerative practices could capture up to 23 gigatons of CO2 by 2050.^⁴ Healthy soil also reduces the need for fossil-fuel-based fertilizers and improves water retention, which reduces vulnerability to drought and flooding.

What is Kiss the Ground?

Kiss the Ground is a nonprofit that promotes regenerative agriculture through storytelling, education, and direct farmer grants. In 2025, they awarded $500,000 in grants to 215 small U.S. farms, supporting the transition of 73,000 acres to regenerative practices.^⁷

How does my GreenFi account support regenerative agriculture?

GreenFi members who contribute through the Pay What Is Fair program help fund environmental nonprofit partners like Kiss the Ground. 10% of PWIF contributions go directly to these organizations, supporting farmer grants, education, and reforestation.

What does “for every $100, 10 acres” mean?

Kiss the Ground calculates that for every $100 donated, they inspire and catalyze the transition of 10 acres of farmland into regenerative agriculture, working directly with farmers, consultants, and partners.^⁶

Sources

¹ SkyQuest Technology. Regenerative Agriculture Market Size and Forecast to 2033. (2025). https://www.skyquestt.com/report/regenerative-agriculture-market

² World Economic Forum. How Regenerative Agriculture Builds Resilient Climate Solutions. (Nov 2024). https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/11/regenerative-agriculture-climate-solutions-resilient/

³ Thaler, E.A. et al. (2022). Rates of Historical Anthropogenic Soil Erosion in the Midwestern United States. Earth’s Future. University of Massachusetts Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/news/article/midwestern-us-has-lost-576-billion-metric-tons-soil-due-agricultural-practices

⁴ World Economic Forum. Agriculture accounts for 37% of global GHG emissions. Regenerative soil carbon sequestration could capture up to 23 Gt CO2 by 2050. (2024). https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/11/regenerative-agriculture-climate-solutions-resilient/

⁵ Rosier, C. et al. (2025). From Soil to Health: Advancing Regenerative Agriculture for Improved Food Quality and Nutrition Security. Frontiers in Nutrition / PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12576041/

⁶ Kiss the Ground. 2024 Annual Report. https://kisstheground.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/KTG-Annual-Report-2024-Final.pdf

⁷ Kiss the Ground. Farmer Grant Update: 215 Farms, 73,000 Acres. (Mar 2026). https://kisstheground.com/ktg-farmer-grant-update/

⁸ Kiss the Ground. Farmer Grants Page. https://kisstheground.com/farmer-grants/

⁹ Kiss the Ground. Announcing Kiss the Ground’s Farmer Relations Board. (Mar 2026). https://kisstheground.com/announcing-kiss-the-grounds-farmer-relations-board/

¹⁰ Kiss the Ground. Announcing Kiss the Ground’s Regenerative Farm Map. (Apr 2026). https://kisstheground.com/announcing-kiss-the-grounds-regenerative-farm-map/

Disclosures

† GreenFi is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC. The GreenFi Debit Mastercard® is issued by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license by Mastercard International Incorporated. FDIC insurance only covers the failure of an FDIC-insured bank. FDIC insurance is available through pass-through insurance at Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC, if certain conditions have been met.

¹¹ Mission Financial Partners, Inc. and its affiliates are committed to "All Extra Services Provided at Cost," meaning that we'll only charge you what it costs us to provide the extra service (such as a wire transfer), and not a penny more. Besides these at-cost service charges, customers may make an optional contribution via the Pay What Is Fair (PWIF) program. Proceeds from the PWIF program are recorded monthly in aggregate and donations are made to nonprofit partners selected by GreenFi within 12 months.