May 2026 Issue

Contents

May 2026 • Issue #659

Photo: TOC photo (Courtesy of Mark Shepard) — Pigs scrounge for hazelnuts on Mark Shepard’s farm. Read Mark’s thoughts on the power of perennials on page 22.

FEATURES

Growing Bananas
A farm in Ecuador proves that it’s possible to restore ecosystems and break the conventional chemical cycle
BY DAVID PALADINES 

The Power of Perennials
By managing photosynthesis, disturbance, and canopy structure, farmers can create regenerative ecosystems that capture more energy than traditional 2D cropland
BY MARK SHEPARD

Apples: Biologically Grown
An article from the April 1981 issue of Acres U.S.A. demonstrates that biological principles have always worked
BY ALVIN FILSINGER

A Multiplicity of Microbes
Plant diversity leads to microbe diversity, which leads to ecosystem functionality
BY JAY FUHRER

Milton Whitney, Regenerative Advocate?
The man with the infamous “inexhaustible soil” comment may actually have been among the first to describe the ability of farmers to regenerate soil
BY ANNELIESE ABBOTT

A Lucrative Lawn
A simple decision to sell fresh figs to a local chef led to the creation of a thriving suburban farm built on niche crops and smart market strategy
BY MICHAEL BROWN

Stockpiling It On
Stockpiling creates fungal pathways, which lead to long-lived soil carbon
BY JAIME ELIZONDO

The Lipid Spark
Rhizophagy and cyanobacteria should force us to rethink the role of energy in the root zone
BY DEAC JONES

A Common Agenda
Can European agricultural policy help bring about the expansion in organic farming we need?
BY FELIX ZU LÖWENSTEIN

DEPARTMENTS

VIEW FROM THE COUNTRY
Monthly musings from Acres U.S.A.’s editor

OPINION
Choosing Pesti-sides
Why the debate over the pesticide liability shield is so important — and so gravely misunderstood
BY CHARLES BENBROOK

ECO-UPDATE
News in brief on developments in agronomic science

REGEN AGRONOMY
Where Are the Farmers?
We can each help give the next generation a chance to be stewards of the land
BY JEFFREY KLEYPAS

INTERVIEW
Regenerative Gagriculture
“Glyphosate Girl” Kelly Ryerson discusses ag-gag laws, how to reconcile herbicides with regenerative agriculture, national security risks from toxic chemicals, and how to develop healthy food and farming into a truly purple movement

REVIEWS

MARKETPLACE

CLASSIFIEDS

ECO-MEETINGS

ECO-GRAPHIC