If We Want Better Food, We Have to Pay Farmers Now.

Regenerative agriculture can rebuild soil and increase nutrient density—but farmers can’t afford to make the shift alone.

What if the food on your plate could be more nutrient-dense because it was grown in healthier soil?

That’s the promise of regenerative agriculture. By rebuilding soil health and increasing carbon in the ground, farmers aren’t just improving resilience—they’re producing food with greater nutritional value. But making that shift doesn’t come easily.

Right now, farmers are under extraordinary pressure. Input costs are rising, commodity prices remain volatile, and climate conditions are becoming harder to predict. At the same time, the transition to regenerative practices often comes with upfront costs and short-term yield risk—leaving farmers to carry the burden of change.

This conversation with Josh McClain, a sixth-generation Kansas farmer and champion of regenerative agriculture, and Ben Clark, filmmaker and co-founder of Creekside Carbon, offers a timely look at what it really takes to farm for the future—and why supporting farmers in this moment matters more than ever.

Ben Clark: Let’s start with where you are today. What’s happening on the farm right now?

Josh McClain: We’re planting soybeans. We’re in Kansas, trying to get them in the ground. We’ve got a little chance of rain this weekend and next week—hopefully those hit.

We’ve been extremely dry. We’ve had about 150 days since our last measurable rain, so that’s really, really dry for our area. But we’ve got to go. That’s what we’re doing right now.

Ben: Beyond reducing emissions, what are some of the benefits of sequestering carbon?

Josh: Carbon is the number one nutrient for all crops in the plant life cycle. And there’s a lot of co-benefits—you get increased nutrient density in your crops, healthier soils.

Everything leads back to the same thing: regenerative practices.

Ben: How does regenerative agriculture actually improve the food we eat?

Josh: You’re getting a lot more microbial activity in the ground, which creates healthier soils. And that increases the nutrient density of your food.

It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s organic—it just means it’s more nutrient-dense.

Ben: What are some of the practices you’re using on your farm?

Josh: No-till is a big one. That means we’re not tilling the ground—we’re planting right into the previous crop. You can see cornstalks still standing and we’re planting right into it. That helps conserve moisture, it shades the ground when it gets hot, and it builds soil health.

We also use cover crops, change our nitrogen timing so we apply it in-season when the crop is growing, and use things like drones.

It’s little changes. It doesn’t have to be all overnight. Every little bit counts.

Ben: What are the biggest challenges in making that transition?

Josh: You can’t do it overnight. If you try to, you’ll go broke.

The first few years you usually have a yield drag, and yield is what we get paid on. So there’s real risk there.

And then there’s the cost—you’ve got to buy different equipment. Economically, it’s just not viable for the ag industry to put all of that on the farmer.

Ben: How does pricing factor into that? Are farmers able to keep up?

Josh: No. Commodity prices don’t move with input prices.

We don’t set the price for what we sell, and we don’t set the price for what we buy. We’re price takers on both sides.

There are years—like right now—where I’m going to work planting a crop and losing money on every acre. But we don’t have a choice not to plant, because everybody needs a farmer three times a day.

Ben: What about subsidies—do they help offset that?

Josh: Not really. We only get subsidies if there’s a disaster or prices are bad.

And that money doesn’t stay with us—it goes straight to the companies we’re buying from. It doesn’t sit in a farmer’s pocket for more than 30 seconds.

Ben: So when someone buys a carbon credit, what are they actually supporting?

Josh: They’re helping get money to the farmer so we can make changes.

Everybody wants a more sustainable food system and more nutritious food—but those changes take capital.

Right now, farmers are carrying the debt for the entire ag system. There are months where I’m carrying two years’ worth of inputs before I ever sell a crop.

We’re not asking to get rich—we just can’t afford to lose money making these changes. If we can break even, we’ll do it. We want to make the soil healthier and make things better.

Ben: And you’re doing all of that while dealing with changing weather patterns?

Josh: Yeah. You just keep your head down and keep going.

You try to conserve as much moisture as possible and just keep doing more with less. That’s the farmer’s motto.

Ben: With all of that, what keeps you going?

Josh: I claim insanity, I think.

It’s definitely not for the money. It’s a passion—to feed the world.

But the reality is, every farmer farming this year won’t necessarily be farming next year. It’s that tough right now.

Ben: Final thought—what would you say to people out there?

Josh: Our forefathers built this country on the idea that one person can make a difference. And I think a lot of people today have gotten away from that—they think they’re just one person, so it won’t matter. But that’s not true.

If you feel compelled to get involved, do it. Every little bit matters. Whether it’s supporting farmers, buying a subscription, or purchasing a carbon credit—even one helps.

We’re out here to feed you. We just want to do it in the most sustainable way possible.