Regenerative farming is gaining traction in the general public. More consumers are hearing about it, but many still don’t fully understand what it means or how it connects to the food they buy.
A recent consumer research report helps put some context where consumers are today. It shows where awareness of regenerative agriculture is growing, where confusion still exists, and where opportunities are opening up for farmers who sell directly to consumers.
This article covers those findings and what they mean for how we talk about our farms and market our meat to customers, especially those with an interest in regenerative agriculture.
Table of contents
- What is regenerative agriculture
- Consumer research on regenerative agriculture
- How to market your farm’s regenerative agriculture practices
- 1. Don’t rely on the term “regenerative agriculture” alone
- 2. Create consistency across communications channels
- 3. Show, don’t just tell
- 4. Build simple educational touchpoints
- 5. Use direct conversations as a marketing tool
- 6. Reinforce value when discussing pricing
- 7. Demonstrate how regenerative farming impacts food quality
- References
What is regenerative agriculture
First, let’s cover what regenerative agriculture is. The term is not standardized across the industry. Two farms can both use the term and operate very differently. It’s also starting to show up in marketing and in popular press, which contributes to consumer confusion.
Regenerative agriculture is defined by both the practices used on the farm and the outcomes those practices are working toward.
A review of more than 200 scientific articles found that regenerative agriculture includes both the process of farming and the results it produces, such as improved soil health, increased biodiversity, and carbon cycling (Neweton, P., et al., 2020)
In the simplest definition, regenerative agriculture is farming practices that improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and support carbon cycling.
There are numerous farming practices that fall under this area and not all of them may need to be used by a farm. A few examples include:
- Managed grazing with livestock
- Maintaining perennial pastures
- Reducing or eliminating tillage
- Using diverse plant species or cover crops
Soil is at the center of regenerative agriculture. It’s not just a growing medium. It is a living organism made up of air, water, organic matter, and microorganisms that support plant and animal life (NRCS).
The six principles of soil health include:
- Know your context (of your farm).
- Do not disturb (the soil).
- Cover and build surface armor (no exposed soil).
- Mix it up (diversity of species, livestock, insects, wildlife, etc.)
- Keep living roots in the soil as long as possible.
- Grow healthy soils and livestock together.
You can learn more about soil health in this article.
There is also a growing body of research demonstrating nutritional benefits of food grown with these principles in mind.
Consumer research on regenerative agriculture
The regenerative agriculture consumer research, conducted in late 2024 and publicized in 2025, surveyed 850 U.S. consumers. The private-sector study was conducted by Regenified, an emerging regenerative agriculture certification organization.
The goal of the study was to measure awareness, understanding, and purchasing behavior related to regenerative agriculture. Based on study results, the participants were grouped into two categories: general consumers and values-based shoppers. The values-based shoppers are descriptive as those “seeking trusted information about what regenerative agriculture really means and how it impacts their food choices” (Regenified, 2024).
Over the last five years awareness of regenerative agriculture has tremendously increased among this values-based shopper group, from a 6% awareness about 5 years ago to 47% awareness in the past year (at the time of the survey). This group also recognizes benefits with this food choice because of improved soil health benefits as well as increased essential nutrients and nutrient density in food (Regenified, 2024).
Key findings of the research include:
Awareness is growing, but understanding is limited
About 68 percent of values-based consumers have heard of the concept of regenerative farming or agriculture, but only 37 percent say they understand it.
They recognize the term, but often do not know what it actually means. It is frequently grouped together with organic or sustainability without a clear distinction. This isn’t just a marketing issue, but a communications and education gap.
Interest is strong
Once consumers are given a clear explanation of regenerative agriculture, their interest increases quickly. About 65 percent of values-based shoppers report being highly interested after learning more about these farming practices and the impact on the environment.
Willingness to pay more is real, but not automatic
More than half of values-based shoppers say they are willing to pay more for regenerative products, and that number increases significantly among the most engaged consumers.
Consumers are still weighing price against value. They are looking for a clear reason why the product is different.
That comes back to how clearly we communicate, as farmers, what we are doing and why it matters.
Trust matters
Between 72 percent and 92 percent of consumers say certification is important when it comes to regenerative products. This makes sense because consumers recognize organic certification as a measure of a certain standard of farming practices.
At the same time, many consumers still do not know how to verify regenerative claims.
While certification can be an avenue, it is still unclear which options, if any, are or will become an “industry standard” and recognizable to consumers.
The best route for farmers is likely to build trust directly through transparency and communication with consumers. This may be even more fitting for farmers who sell their meat and other farm products directly to consumers, or even for farmers who have a strong presence with the public, whether that’s locally in their communities or region, or more broadly online.
Availability is a major barrier
About 40 percent of consumers say they cannot find regenerative products where they shop, while very engaged consumers are vested and will go out of their way to seek out this type of food.
Health and nutrient density fuels decisions
Consumers strongly associate regenerative agriculture with nutrient-dense food. Around 80 percent of values-based shoppers identify this as a key benefit
They are making the connection between soil health and food quality, even if they do not fully understand how that connection works biologically.
This is where there is a clear opportunity in how we as farmers communicate.
Consumers want education
Consumers want more clear information about regeneratively raised food when they are shopping. This includes promotional information at the point of purchase and clear labeling.
You can learn more about this study in this Working Cows podcast episode.
How to market your farm’s regenerative agriculture practices
While this segment of consumers is small, but growing, this data gives us as farmers some useful insights as we think about how we talk about regenerative farming practices and communicate with not only our customer, but also our broader community, locally in real life and online.
Here are some ways to put these findings into use with your farm:
1. Don’t rely on the term “regenerative agriculture” alone
The Regenified study showed that values-based shoppers want to support efforts that protect our water (81%), improve long-term soil health (79%), reduce chemical use (78%), and improve the environment (79%).
Regenerative agriculture does not carry meaning on its own for many consumers. It needs to be paired with what you are doing on your farm, and why it matters for the environment.
Keep explanations simplified, but still connect them to the outcomes. For example, on our farm, Cylon Rolling Acres, I might say:
“We use regenerative agriculture practices, such as rotational grazing with our goats and sheep by moving them to new sections of pasture every few days. This keeps our soil ecology healthy and allows for our pastures to recover for future feed for our livestock and habitat for our local ecosystem.”
2. Create consistency across communications channels
Use the same core message across your website, email, social media, and in-person conversations:
Regenerative agriculture + what you do + why it matters
Start with a core statement, then build out a bigger description of how it’s working on your farm. Use this as the foundational statement with your message. While the wording doesn’t always have to be the same, the concepts should be along the same lines.
Most consumers need to hear it more than once before it becomes clear. In our day and age of 24-7 news and information on social media, repetition and consistency is very important. It not only helps others better understand our message, but it also helps us stand out in a noisy world.
3. Show, don’t just tell
Use visuals to demonstrate regenerative agriculture in action on your farm, such as:
- Before and after pasture photos
- Videos of moving livestock
- Side-by-side comparisons of grazed and rested pasture
- Photos showing plant diversity and pasture recovery
Include commentary or captions that talk about your day-in-the-life activities with a bit of the what and why tied into the messaging without being overly technical. Use soil health principles as part of the why where it makes sense.
4. Build simple educational touchpoints
Use consistent, simple explanations across your marketing channels to communicate how you’re using regenerative farming practices. Here are some places you can incorporate this:
- Website
- About your farm page
- “How we raise our animals” section
- Product descriptions
- A dedicated page focusing on regenerative agriculture practices on your farm, as well as a definition of what regenerative farming is
- Email newsletters
- Rotate in short educational sections over time
- Include a short description of your regenerative agriculture practices in the footer of your email template
- Social media
- Rotate in examples of your practices
- Pair visuals with short explanations
- Build this into your regular content schedule
- Create a YouTube video to embed on your website that covers your practices and shows visually what you’re doing and why. Or do a short series of videos covering this practice.
- Marketing materials
- Farmers market signage with photos and examples
- QR code or a dedicated landing page on your website for people to learn more about your practices
- Inserts or brochures focusing on regenerative agriculture in customer bags or boxes
- Create a regenerative agriculture annual report for your farm
5. Use direct conversations as a marketing tool
Farmers markets, on-farm pickup, and direct communication channels are where this information becomes clear. Use those conversations to explain your practices, answer questions, and connect your system to the food you sell.
Direct conversations are one of the most effective ways to build understanding and trust with consumers.
6. Reinforce value when discussing pricing
Regenerative agriculture is a management approach focused on improving soil and the environment over time. This can be especially important to communicate when discussing pricing.
Regenerative agriculture often requires:
- More active management, such as frequent livestock movement
- More time to see measurable improvements in soil and pasture
- Ongoing investment in land, infrastructure, and grazing systems
Many regenerative practices are also less standardized across the industry. That means as farmers we are more likely to be testing and adjusting systems, making management decisions based on observation and experience, and investing time into practices that may not have immediate returns.
When discussing pricing, it helps to connect the product back to that system:
- The work involved in managing land differently
- The long-term focus on soil health and resilience
- The investment required to build and maintain that system
This gives context to the value behind the product, not just the price itself.
7. Demonstrate how regenerative farming impacts food quality
80% of values-based shoppers want to support efforts that increase both food nutrient density and improve human health (Regenify).
In your messaging and communication look for opportunities to connect how regenerative farming practices impact the nutritional quality of the food you’re producing. This may be most relevant when discussing the meat side of your farm business, such as website product pages, farmers market materials, or inserts included with customer orders.
This connection between soil health and food quality does not always need to be explained alongside production practices. Sometimes it is more effective to focus on it in the context of foot itself.
Farmers often see everything as connected, but consumers may be more comfortable with a bit of separation between farming practices and their food. This can still be true even for those who are highly interested in how their food is raised.
Here are some newer research studies that you can review to see how you can incorporate facts into your own messaging about the connection of regenerative agriculture with food quality.
- Ahsin, M., et al. (2025). Soil and pasture health underlie improved beef nutrient density determined by untargeted metabolomics in Southern U.S. grass finished beef systems. Science of Food.
- van Vliet, S. et al. (2021). Health-promoting phytonutrients are higher in grass-fed meat and milk. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems.
If you want to go one step further, you can even get your own meat tested for their unique nutritional values. Here are a few options:
This helps reinforce that regenerative agriculture is not just about the land and environment, it is connected to the food they are buying and eating.
References
- NRCS. Unlock the Secrets in the Soil: Basics & benefits.
- Regenified. (2024). 2024 consumer research report on regenerative agriculture.
- Soil Health Academy. Six Principles of Soil Health.
- Newton, P. et al (2020). What is regenerative agriculture? A review of scholar and practitioner definitions based on processes and outcomes. Environmental Studies Program. University of Colorado Boulder.
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