Due to climate change, American farmers are facing increasingly severe weather that threatens the agricultural landscape and farmers’ livelihoods. Additionally, many agriculture practices contribute to climate change, accounting for 10% of global carbon emission.

Regenerative agriculture is a movement that aims to revive the health of the soil and by extension the landscape — and furthermore the small farm economy. The idea is that by changing how farms operate, the farm itself becomes resilient to climate change and can better weather economic storms.

In the last few years, this type of agriculture has gotten a lot of funding, research, and attention. The U.S. government has put $3 billion towards research and implementation of sustainable farming practices.

This series asks the question: If regenerative agriculture has the power to revive farmland, the environment, and the rural economy — what will it take to scale this model?

The Next Harvest explores what needs to change to sustain agriculture and examines whether the industry can adapt to the climate and economic challenges it faces.

We'll travel across the Midwest to hear perspectives from researchers, advocates, and of course, farmers.

Episodes of The Next Harvest will air Wednesdays this fall on KBIA.