The past decade has seen food companies and retailers demanding 'regenerative production practices'. Furthermore, there is a distinct antipathy to what is disparagingly termed 'conventional' or 'industrial' agriculture. The rhetoric is increasingly alarmist, with statements such as "The food system is broken" and "Agriculture is limping on and possibly heading towards an abyss" characterising discussions.
Regenerative agriculture is seen as the way to overcome this perceived state of affairs, while at the same time minimising the impact of agriculture on climate change. But what exactly is meant by 'regenerative agriculture'? And are the concerns regarding 'conventional' agriculture valid?
A survey of the literature indicates that no
