Date of Award

Spring 2021

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Historical & Political Studies; College of Arts & Sciences

First Advisor

Dr. Jennifer Riggan

Abstract

The industrialization of agriculture in the mid-twentieth century has revolutionized global food systems, with enough food produced annually to sustain 10 billion people on a planet of only 7.8 billion people. Such a high-yielding agricultural system comes at a great cost to the Earth’s ecosystem, as industrialized farming has taken on factory-like production methods. Particularly harmful is the livestock sector, with ruminating animals such as cattle contributing to rising global temperatures and environmental degradation. The environmental destruction caused by industrialized animal agriculture can be halted and ultimately reversed through regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is a restorative farming practice that promotes naturally occurring symbiotic relationships within agroecosystems, resulting in healthy farmlands and an increase in carbon sequestration and water retention. Through regenerative agriculture, environmental restoration through agriculture promotes the long term sustainability of agricultural practices for future generations. While regenerative agriculture has the capacity to meet global nutritional needs, the demand for meat and dairy far exceed what can be produced sustainably. The global implementation of regenerative farming practices in conjunction with a meaningful reduction in the production of resource-intensive livestock has the potential to reverse the environmental destruction of the agriculture industry while promoting the longevity of agriculture as a practice.

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Restoration Through Regeneration: An Analysis of Agriculture in the United States

The industrialization of agriculture in the mid-twentieth century has revolutionized global food systems, with enough food produced annually to sustain 10 billion people on a planet of only 7.8 billion people. Such a high-yielding agricultural system comes at a great cost to the Earth’s ecosystem, as industrialized farming has taken on factory-like production methods. Particularly harmful is the livestock sector, with ruminating animals such as cattle contributing to rising global temperatures and environmental degradation. The environmental destruction caused by industrialized animal agriculture can be halted and ultimately reversed through regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is a restorative farming practice that promotes naturally occurring symbiotic relationships within agroecosystems, resulting in healthy farmlands and an increase in carbon sequestration and water retention. Through regenerative agriculture, environmental restoration through agriculture promotes the long term sustainability of agricultural practices for future generations. While regenerative agriculture has the capacity to meet global nutritional needs, the demand for meat and dairy far exceed what can be produced sustainably. The global implementation of regenerative farming practices in conjunction with a meaningful reduction in the production of resource-intensive livestock has the potential to reverse the environmental destruction of the agriculture industry while promoting the longevity of agriculture as a practice.