23rd Annual Vermont Grazing & Livestock Conference

Throughout history societies that degraded their soil did not last.  Today, widespread soil degradation presents the least know global environmental crisis that humanity faces.  Montgomery lays out the historical roots of soil degradation and relates his experiences visiting farmers around the world who reversed this ancient pattern.  They have restored fertility to their land and increased soil organic matter through adopting conservation agriculture practices.  By cultivating beneficial soil life through ditching the plow, growing cover crops, and adopting complex rotations farmers in both the developed and developing worlds were able to maintain or increase their yields while using far less diesel and agrochemicals, resulting in a better bottom line.