Mendocino County wine grape grower is 1st such farm to get this regenerative farming distinction

KATHRYN REED

FOR NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL

February 16, 2024

Regenerative farming

30% increase in yields during times of extreme weather, and match to conventional yields for cash crops during normal weather patterns.

1 billion tons of croplands worldwide have the potential to sequester up to 1.855 billion metric tons of carbon per year under regenerative farming methods.

63% less water runoff through increased water infiltration equals healthier soil that retains water more effectively, reducing the need for irrigation;

6.3% organic matter content in soil is comparted down to 3.5% content on the average conventional farm. That process promotes more nutrients and microbial activity for use in the soil, contributing to greater drought resistance.

Source: Regenified

Taking the extra steps to ensure soil is fertile is the only way a farmer is going to thrive year after year, decade after decade.

That is the mantra that has led Mendocino Wine Company to be the first wine grape grower in the world to be certified from Regenified, a firm committed to a rigorous verification system for regenerative farming.

“In particular about Regenified what I like is their use of soil testing through soil microbiology and soil life,” Chase Thornhill, Mendocino Wine Company owner and general manager, said. “At the end of the day they are really looking for life in the soil, life in the field. That is what gets me excited. When I walk in the field there are a lot of different plants, insects, and birds.”

Regenified has five levels of certification, with each one requiring more work on behalf of the agricultural entity. Mendocino Wine Company is at tier three.

To reach this status it had to meet 65 data points, and have its soil and water tested.

Regenified has certified more than 1 million acres, which encompasses 284 farms on three continents.

“What is incredible about the work and progress they are doing is that they are not only creating a product that has better quality, they are having a direct impact on the environment, on the land, the ecosystem and are helping the region,” Salar Shemirani, CEO of Regenified, said of Mendocino Wine Company. “The impact goes beyond the acres where they grow grapes.”

A convert

Treating soil like the living organism that it is is at the root of what regenerative farming is all about. But it’s also more than that. It’s about looking at the health of the entire ecosystem.

Doing so then promotes biodiversity, will make better use of water—whether it’s rain or irrigation, and ultimately has better outcomes for whatever is being farmed.

Thornhill started delving deep into soil health in 2018 after talking to a friend who farms in Idaho about the weeds in his yard. His friend said those weeds were telling him something and that he needed to find out what the message was.

“Bare dirt is like a wound on the earth. If you see it, you need to heal it. It’s why weeds grow well in bare dirt; it’s like a scab,” Thornhill explained. “Bare earth doesn't exist in nature unless it’s in a desert or granite.”

He added, “The planet is clothing itself in plants and not just one.”

That is why cover crops in the vineyards have been planted—and not just one kind. There could be a dozen species in the mixes that are planted in fall and mowed in late spring. Grasses, legumes, vetch, and Brassica are all included.

The certified vineyards include 70 acres under vine and 20 fallow acres at Home Ranch north of the town of Ukiah about a mile due west of Lake Mendocino, and the 142-acre La Ribera vineyard, which is between Hopland and Ukiah on the Russian River.

While both vineyards have been certified organic since 2007, Thornhill believes regenerative farming is what’s best for the environment as a whole.

“The Dust Bowl happened pre-chemical farming, so that was organic farming at the time,” Thornhill said. “But we got the Dust Bowl with it.”

Organic, he says, is not enough. At the same time, regenerative is not necessarily organic.

Certification details

Regenified’s certification is good for three years. However, during that time the farmer must be doing the work to reach the next level of certification or else he will lose it all together.

“We require progress. With that being said, we understand things are out of someone’s control. It could be a significant drought, hail storm, pest disease. We consider those externalities,” Shemirani said.

Annual inspections are part of the process so there shouldn’t be any surprises at the end of the three years.

Shemirani’s team has a checklist of sorts when it comes to inspections.

“Most of them cannot be faked,” he said. “If you till soil, it is very visible for years to come. You can tell by walking into the space.”

Other lands Regenified has certified are row crops, orchards, grass lands, and livestock production.

Kristine Root, spokesperson for Regenified, said, “It’s about working in harmony with nature to be successful. You get immediate benefits. As you build 1% organic material in the soil you are holding 20,000 gallons of water with each percentage of increase. It means less irrigation, less money, less labor.”

Perhaps more important, it means better soil and inevitably a better crop.

“Certification provides a clear framework for me and the team so we have a clear path forward,” Thornhill said. “At the core I think we have an opportunity to really change the way we are farming for the better for lasting soil fertility and a lasting impact on the environment. The biggest hurdle to get over is not to do things differently, but to see things differently.”

Regenified’s five levels of certification

Tier 1

Baseline evaluation and testing must be completed on all tracts of land submitted for verification.

Completion of the full verification standard, including all soil testing.

If not already in place, producers must begin developing a written plan for the application of regenerative practices.

Producers must attend a multi-day regenerative agriculture educational workshop.

Tier 2

Regenerative practices that address the soil health principles and ecosystem processes must be applied to 20%-40% of the ag land base.

The farm/ranch written regenerative plan must be in place.

That plan must include logical management steps and practices which address soil health and adaptive stewardship.

The written plan must be approved by the Regenified review board.

Once qualified for Tier 2, use of the Regenified seal on products is allowed.

Tier 3

Regenerative practices that address soil health principles and ecosystem processes must be fully applied to 40%–60% of the ag land base.

Livestock operations must have 40%–60% of annual feed inputs, including purchased, produced regeneratively.

Current year’s evaluation scores and soil tests should be higher than previous scores.

Tier 4

Regenerative practices that address the soil health principles and ecosystem processes must be fully applied to 60%-80% of the ag land base.

Livestock operations must have 60%–80% of annual feed inputs, including purchased, produced regeneratively.

Current year’s evaluation scores and soil tests must be higher than scores and test results from the previous tier.

Tier 5

Regenerative practices that address the soil health principles and ecosystem processes must be fully applied to 80%-100% of the ag land base.

Livestock operations must have 80%-100% of annual feed inputs, including those purchased, produced regeneratively.

Current year’s evaluation scores and soil tests must be maintained.

Source: Regenified

Regenerative farming

30% increase in yields during times of extreme weather, and match to conventional yields for cash crops during normal weather patterns.

1 billion tons of croplands worldwide have the potential to sequester up to 1.855 billion metric tons of carbon per year under regenerative farming methods.

63% less water runoff through increased water infiltration equals healthier soil that retains water more effectively, reducing the need for irrigation;

Source: Regenified