Tuesday, June 16, 2026

“Regenerative farming" is a term being used readily in the food industry at the moment. But what does it actually mean?

While there is no single official definition, regenerative farming can be explained simply as a set of principles, where the environment, soil health, and biodiversity are placed at the very heart of growing the produce we eat. Central to the practice of regenerative farming is the linking of environmental practices and commercial viability. A farm needs to be able to grow food efficiently to survive.

Although it shares a number of principles with other growing practices such as re-wilding and organic farming, regenerative farming is about using less, as opposed to completely avoiding farm inputs such as fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. In regenerative farming, these are still used, but in conjunction with natural defenses. 

“If you look after the soil, the soil will look after you”
- Anna Walton, Fullers Foods – Agricultural Technical Manager

At Fullers, our core focus with regenerative farming is to encourage our grower base to minimise soil disturbance, through minimal-to-no tilling (reducing ploughing) and overwinter cover cropping to protect the ground from erosion during the winter months.

For annual crops grown in open fields, our growers operate a field rotation system, moving between roots, legumes, brassicas, alliums, and cereals. This introduces differing root structures and varied nutrients back into the earth, helping to naturally break the cycle of soil-borne pests and diseases. In some systems, livestock are introduced for natural fertilisation and weed control.

By encouraging wildlife, with practices such as planting herbal leys, establishing wild bird food margins, and beetle banks; this can provide ideal habitats for natural predators that can prey on crop-damaging insects, reducing the reliance for chemical pest control.

The commercial hurdle

In today’s cost-driven market, adopting regenerative farming practices can be daunting. When systems are initially put into place, growing systems can see a temporary dip in yield while the soil adjusts to the change.

When margins are tight and the weather is unpredictable, a sudden drop in crop yield is unnerving. That’s why a piecemeal transition combining conventional and regenerative features is a good option to explore in order to obtain the best results from the land while maintaining biodiversity. At Fullers, our aim is to collaborate with our growers since they’re the farming experts.

Regenerative farming and the advantage of frozen

Regenerative farming produces nutrient-rich crops; and freezing technology ensures those nutrients are preserved at their peak.

Fruits, for instance, are often picked at their ripest and delivered directly to freezer plants where they are chilled, assessed for quality, frozen, and stored on the same day they are picked.

Similarly, most vegetables are harvested, washed, blanched, and frozen within a matter of hours of being pulled from the ground.

Whether it’s a field-fresh berry, or a pre-chopped mix of carrots, onions, and celery for a midweek bolognese, frozen produce locks in peak taste, flavour, and nutrients at the moment of harvest, while offering ultimate convenience and reducing food waste.

True sustainability isn’t an overnight switch, but a continuous journey rooted in the ground beneath our feet.