The urgent transition to a truly regenerative food system, one that actively heals the earth, cannot succeed without a foundation in social justice. In a world grappling with inequality, social justice stands as a beacon of hope. It advocates for the fair distribution of resources and opportunities, recognizing the inherent value of every human being regardless of gender, race, class, sexuality, or nationality. Social justice movements aim to dismantle systems of oppression and ensure everyone has access to the same rights and freedoms. As we embark on the journey of promoting regenerative agriculture, understanding social justice is crucial because it illuminates the intersections between environmental degradation and social inequality.

Indigenous Roots

Many of the practices popularized by the modern regenerative agriculture movement—such as continuous cover, minimizing soil disturbance, and holistic livestock management—are deeply rooted in the agricultural traditions of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities across the globe. Acknowledging this history is a non-negotiable step toward social justice.

The Disproportionate Burden of Environmental Degradation

 Current research confirms that the impacts of industrial agriculture on environmental degradation. These impacts—including pollution, climate change, and loss of natural resources—are not borne equally among social groups. This disparity highlights the urgency of environmental justice and requires immediate action for several reasons. 

In the U.S., communities of color face a growing and disproportionate burden from air pollution. For example, some studies show that communities of color experience 7.5 times higher pediatric asthma rates and 1.3 times higher premature mortality rates due to fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide compared to mostly white communities. This is often linked to systemic racism and historical housing policies (like redlining) that located marginalized communities near factories, congested roadways, and other high-polluting areas. This increases the costs for those families but also for the entire society.

Climate Vulnerability

Black and African American individuals in the U.S. are projected to face higher impacts from climate change across multiple categories. With 2 degrees Celsius of global warming, they are estimated to be 34% more likely to live in areas with the highest projected increases in childhood asthma diagnoses and 40% more likely to face the highest projected increases in extreme temperature-related deaths compared to other demographic groups. Regenerative agriculture is part of the solution—increasing the health of all populations and reducing the cost of providing health care.

Nature Deprivation

 Analyzing resource access, research has shown that communities of color are three times more likely than white communities to live in “nature-deprived” places, which lack natural elements like forests, streams, and parks that provide essential benefits like air filtration and flood protection.

Farmworker Exploitation

Regenerative agriculture addresses exploitative farm labor structures. Within the current industrial farming system, the immense labor force of migratory and seasonal farmworkers, estimated at around three million in the U.S. (with approximately 80% being Hispanic), often faces exposure to harmful chemicals and lacks fair compensation, housing, and healthcare.

A truly regenerative system, therefore, requires systemic change that moves beyond just environmental metrics. It demands racial and gender equity, fair compensation for labor, and the empowerment of local, historically marginalized actors to lead the transformation based on their traditional and place-based knowledge.