Reimagining Agriculture: From Seed to Shelf

White Buffalo Land Trust (WBLT) is focused on restoring our ecosystem through regenerative agriculture. Their methods represent a paradigm shift, as the nonprofit engages in developing regenerative systems while also promoting the widespread adoption of these proven methods across the entire food system, from farmer to customer.

White Buffalo Land Trust’s unique approach is cyclical, seamlessly integrating regenerative land stewardship with community education and the training of farmers and ranchers. Similarly, their innovative monitoring and extensive data collection informs their land management practices and supports scientific research and curriculum development that advances the field of regenerative agriculture. Perhaps most importantly, all of this work brings regenerative products into the marketplace.

“We’re re-imagining the systems from seed to shelf, so it’s critical that we have our feet on the ground and our hands in the soil actively tending to these different crops and innovating within these systems,” says Ana Smith, WBLT’s Director of Programs and Engagement. 

Since acquiring the 1,000-acre Center for Regenerative Agriculture at Jalama Canyon Ranch (JCR) in 2021, WBLT’s impact has extended beyond its “living laboratory.” Its management principles are now applied on more than 156,000 acres of land, thanks to its education and training programs, which reach hundreds of farmers and ranchers each year.

“Being able to share and teach and train what we’re doing is vitally important,” Smith says. “It’s how we move this work forward.” 

White Buffalo Land Trust recognizes that demonstrating the success of regenerative practices both on the farm and in the marketplace is essential for catalyzing global change. In addition to their award-winning food brand, Figure Ate, which brings regeneratively sourced products to major retailers and restaurant menus, WBLT is actively collaborating with enterprise partners to develop innovative ventures. These ventures serve as replicable models for forward-thinking producers and entrepreneurs, showcasing the economic viability and scalability of regenerative agriculture.

“We have seen how commodity markets can drive environmental degradation,” Jesse Smith, Director of Land Stewardship, says. “But we believe that if that same tool is flipped and re-imagined, it has the power to restore our ecosystem.”

To achieve this, WBLT has intensified its collaborative efforts, fostering a unique gathering of diverse stakeholders – not only farmers, ranchers, researchers, and scientists, but also economists, processors, manufacturers, and food brands. By connecting these individuals through tangible, on-the-ground experiences, WBLT showcases how universally applicable regenerative principles can be successfully implemented within specific contexts and products.

“By fostering collaborative action, we can catalyze a shift in cultural norms and create lasting systemic change,” remarks Smith. 

WBLT has several major projects underway in Santa Barbara County and throughout California that bring together farmers, scientists, processors, and brands to make an impact on the ground and in the marketplace. Two of these projects include re-establishing the native Western Blue Elderberry as a keystone species for watershed restoration in Santa Barbara County, and the second, known as The Almond Project, is dedicated to identifying more regenerative almond farming practices in the Central Valley, paving the way for a more resilient future for this vital crop.