Letters

I am writing about the opinion piece by William Brinton, “Will Regenerative Replace Organic?”

In the second paragraph, Mr. Brinton writes about the term “regenerative”: “The expression was first introduced by the organic farming community itself more than 40 years ago when the Rodale organization sought to make organic more attractive in the mainstream.”  

Although this is an opinion piece, I think that it would be more accurate to say that “some people think that … the expression was first introduced …” Although I have limited resources to check on Robert Rodale’s writings, I am quite sure that his motivation was quite a bit more significant than a publicity matter. I find that the opinion piece by Mr. Brinton attributes motive without citing evidence for such an attribution. 

I find that the entire topic is a valuable one and that, indeed, terms like “renewable,” “sustainable,” “ecological” and even “organic” are either subsumed under “regenerative” or are themselves used as “catchphrases,” without adequate precision. In my home jurisdiction (British Columbia), for example, all sorts of policies, programs and emphases are termed “regenerative.” Many would be anathema to the late Robert Rodale, and to much of the organic movement, as it is traditionally designated.

Curt Gesch
Eskerhazy Farm
Quick, British Columbia