New Zealand must conduct its own research to better understand the benefits of regenerative agriculture "on its unique ecosystems" before strong claims can be made to the public, a newly-released report says. "In order to build and maintain trust with consumers, one must be highly cautious of overpromising the benefits that regenerative agriculture has on the environment, taste and nutrition until more rigorous research is conducted. "Many of the claims about regenerative agriculture that were presented to consumers in this study for feedback were theoretical or merely aspirational claims that regenerative agriculture has the potential to achieve," it said. In a statement, B+LNZ chief executive Sam McIvor said regenerative agriculture — although still in its infancy — was gathering momentum and set to become a significant trend in food internationally. Nick Beeby, general manager market development at B+LNZ, said in the absence of a clear unified definition of regenerative agriculture globally, New Zealand must define what "regenerative" meant in a New Zealand context.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 05, 2021 15:33 UTC