LINDSAY Rapsey has been a long-time advocate of regenerative agriculture.
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Regenerative agriculture is a farming system that prioritises the replenishment of the soil.
A system that promotes food, farming and land use systems that regenerate and stabilise climate systems, the health of the planet and people, communities, culture and local economies.
The Bonegilla farmer was an interested onlooker at the Knowledge-based Agri-Culture - “Understanding Ecosystem Services to Escape Chemical Ag” seminar at Huon Hotel, Wodonga last week.
Guest speaker was Mr Andre Leu who has written two books on the subject.
"It supports what I was trying to do 30 to 40 years ago," Mr Rapsey said.
"I just didn't quite understand it.
"But through listening to Andre and a few other experts in regeneration it has allowed us to put it all together.
"It certainly leads to better yields and better production long-term.
"But you can't expect results overnight.
"The synthetic stuff of today - it's not just working."
Mr Rapsey said he rarely uses chemicals on his Bonegilla property with the biggest issue surrounding human health.
"We have gone away from chemicals," he said.
"We only use very limited chemicals to mostly eradicate blackberries that come from the rivers and foxes and kangaroos.
"I was probably lucky in that years ago I was able to observe the old blokes in the German families around Jindera and Walla.
"They were ley farming on a five and six year rotation.
"We have kept that in our production cycle to a large degree.
"But now we are understanding the finite bits of putting the carbon back into the soil and getting it back into working condition.
"If we don't get the soil back into working condition properly, it is detrimental to human health.
"I see many problems with human health that are caused by chemicals.
"Unfortunately the gurus in the medical fraternity can't accept the principles."
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