In a rolling farmland in Goldsboro, North Carolina, where generations have coaxed life from the earth, Cheryl Alston walks through her fields with a knowing smile. She runs her hands through the dark, nutrient-rich soil and plucks a bright, firm tomato from the vine.
“Can you imagine eating a tomato so sweet you might call it a piece of candy?” Alston says. “It all comes straight from the field, from the best soil in the world. It’s just wonderful.”
For farmers like “Mama Cheryl” Alston, regenerative agriculture isn’t a trend—it’s tradition. Across the
country, Black women have long practiced sustainable farming methods, nurturing their soil with techniques passed down through generations. In the face of industrial farming’s extractive practices, they have persisted in growing food in a way that prioritizes soil health, biodiversity, and community resilience.
The Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach that focuses on restoring and enhancing ecosystems, particularly soil health. Unlike conventional farming, which often relies on synthetic inputs and intensive monoculture, regenerative practices emphasize balance—cover cropping, crop rotation, composting, reduced tillage, and agroforestry—to build resilience from the ground up.
“It’s better-quality products that are better for our bodies,” Cee Stanley, CEO of Green Heffa Farms says. “Healing our Earth and our bodies at the same time.”
One of the key components of regenerative agriculture is increasing organic matter in the soil. Cover
cropping, for example, involves planting specific crops during the off-season to protect and enrich the soil, prevent erosion, and suppress weeds. Crop rotation improves soil nutrients and disrupts pest cycles, reducing the need for chemical inputs. Meanwhile, agroforestry—integrating trees and shrubs into farmland—enhances water retention and supports wildlife habitats.
These methods not only produce healthier crops but also sequester carbon, making regenerative agriculture a powerful tool in the fight against climate change.
“We’ve Always Done It This Way”
For many farmers, regenerative agriculture is not a new direction but a steadfast tradition. Farming practices rooted in ancestral Indigenous knowledge and African traditions have always emphasized working in harmony with nature.
“I’ve been doing those kinds of things all along, but hadn’t put a name to it. I had no idea folks were calling it ‘regenerative farming,’” Alston says. “Now I’m reaching another level, replenishing this incredible soil and growing this healthy food.”
Yet, these farmers often find themselves left out of mainstream agricultural conversations, despite their deep understanding of soil stewardship.
“Black women occupy a really unique and kind of sacred space in farming that’s not often respected,” Taylor Herren, farm program specialist with Green America’s Soil & Climate Initiative says. “These ladies are growing real food and owning Black businesses that are really good for both people and the planet.”
While regenerative agriculture is gaining traction in sustainability discussions, the financial and structural barriers to transitioning away from extractive farming practices remain high. Many Black farmers operate on smaller-scales and face difficulties accessing loans, land, and market opportunities from long-standing racist inequities in banking, commerce, and real estate practices. Programs like Green America’s Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI) aim to bridge this gap.
Soil & Climate Initiative: Making Regenerative Farming More Accessible
SCI helps farmers access resources, funding access, and knowledge-sharing platforms that can empower them to adopt regenerative methods. SCI’s program aids small and medium-sized farms transition to regenerative practices by connecting growers with grants covering the costs of cover crops, composting, and soil analysis, while also offering technical training and data tracking tools.
“There are a lot of barriers built into the system, both traditional farming and regenerative, that keep all kinds of people out of it,” Stanley says. “We need new, diverse groups of people getting involved to make change.”
One of the biggest challenges farmers can face is the time it takes to see financial returns on regenerative investments. SCI’s data-driven approach helps farmers track improvements in soil health, water retention, and yield increases, allowing them to demonstrate progress and secure better market opportunities.
Marginalized farmers are at a further disadvantage. Historically, Black women have had less access to support that could aid in this transition, such as personal savings or generational wealth. This lack of assets is often used to penalize these women when applying for loans.
“These family farms are good folk who are working hard are getting crushed by corporate interest,” Herren says. “Usually, if you’re doing what’s best for the environment, it’s harmful to business. Getting this change to happen on the ground is difficult, but it’s really beautiful.”
Collective Power: Farmers Helping Farmers
Beyond SCI’s direct support, Black women in regenerative agriculture are creating their own networks, sharing resources and knowledge to uplift their communities. Cooperative farming models and land-sharing initiatives are gaining momentum, allowing farmers to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and contribute to the stability and development of rural communities. This ensures that sustainability is not just about the land but also about strengthening the people who steward it.
“I want everybody to do better and live better,” Stanley says. “Everybody can do it. We just have to help and support each other.”
In addition to hands-on farming, education plays a vital role in expanding the reach of regenerative agriculture. Alston, a passionate advocate for sustainable practices, has dedicated her efforts to teaching the next generation of farmers and environmental stewards.
As a garden curriculum coordinator, she works with K-6 students to plan and implement school gardens. Alston helps certify students as junior master gardeners who can bring what they’ve learned back home.
“Hopefully [the trend of regenerative farming] will extend and move as far as it can go,” she says. “You are what you eat, you know.”
The Future of Farming
As public demands for agricultural industries to use more sustainable practices increase, regenerative agriculture is becoming more than a movement—it’s an economic and environmental necessity. By working with SCI to cultivate partnerships with brands and food companies, farmers increase their chances of securing long-term viability and connect with more markets that value sustainability. With over 100 farmers across 23 states participating in SCI’s programs, these farmers are proving that regenerative farming can be both profitable and practical.
“We want more farmers to practice regenerative agriculture, so we help in the ways that we can, on the farm side and on the business side,” Herren says. “It’s a journey but it’s a good one.”
For Black women in agriculture like Alston, regenerative practices are more than soil deep or merely a means to create profit. They represent a reclamation of ancestral knowledge, a commitment to community, and a promise to the Earth. As Alston stands in her field, surveying the crops she has nurtured, she sees not just the harvest before her but the legacy she will leave behind.
“It’s the best. This good taste on the food coming straight from the field,” Alston says. “It’s just wonderful.”
