Our conversation touched on a very interesting phenomenon: the growing cross-over of interest and influence between mainstream farming and what was once termed "sustainable," "alternative" or "organic" farming.
The fact is, said Dr. Lengnick, everyone is interested in soil health these days:
"There is definitely more cross-pollinization of ideas between industrial and sustainable agriculture than there once was. The full-on model of industrial agriculture — meaning replacement of ecosystem services with fossil fuels and other chemicals — has been degrading the landscape to a point where resilience has been undermined. As farmers have begun to experience climate change disturbances, they are seeing diminishing returns and they are looking for solutions.