The Soil Health Avengers Gather in D.C.
Written by Ryland Engelhart and Kelly Ryerson
August 11th, 4:00 AM — My sister Mollie and I woke up early and headed to Washington, D.C. for our fourth trip this year tied to advocating for regenerative agriculture within the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) agenda.
But this trip was different.
We were co-producing an event with one of D.C.’s most influential institutions — The Heritage Foundation — and to our surprise and excitement, they were eager to platform some of the most inspiring leaders in regenerative agriculture. It felt like a “Soil Health Avengers” moment — visionaries from all corners of the movement gathering under one roof.
A Unique Collaboration
Since the Kiss the Ground days, my mission has always been to bring regenerative agriculture to unlikely audiences — from music festivals to institutions of power. The goal has always been to bridge gaps between rural America, health advocates, farmers, and policymakers.
This collaboration between American Regeneration and The Heritage Foundation was especially significant. It showed that regenerative agriculture isn’t political — it’s practical. It’s about health, freedom, profitability, and resilience.
Together, we spent over a month planning this gathering — and it came together beautifully.
Why Regeneration Matters Now
Our current agricultural model is failing:
We overproduce commodity crops like corn and soy.
Subsidies prop up unsustainable practices.
Nutrient-poor, ultra-processed food floods the market.
Most farmers are struggling financially — many working second jobs or losing their land.
In the last five years alone, we’ve lost over 160,000 farms.
Yet regenerative agriculture offers a viable off-ramp. It reduces dependency on expensive inputs, regenerates soil, increases nutrient density, and revives rural economies.
And most importantly — it works.
Arrival and Gathering at AMA
We landed in D.C. at 11:00 AM and headed to our hotel as final details poured in:
150 in-person attendees
350 online viewers
50+ signed up for a closed-door policy roundtable
That evening, we gathered for dinner at AMA, a seed-oil-free, organic, farm-to-table Italian restaurant that has become a staple for the MAHA community.
The table was filled with regenerative leaders, including:
Carter Williams
John Kempf
Kelly Ryerson
AJ Richards
Steve Jarvis
Erin Martin
Dan Kittredge
These are the doers — farmers, technologists, and advocates who are proving regeneration is not only possible, but scalable.
Later, Calley Means joined and offered a candid briefing on the policy landscape: the wins, the challenges, and the tensions — especially around how to hold momentum while navigating institutional resistance. His transparency invited honest feedback from the group, and he met it with grace and clarity.
Heritage Foundation Event
Tuesday morning, we arrived at the Heritage Foundation’s iconic gray granite building. After security, we gathered in the green room. There was an electric mix of nervousness and excitement.
Joel Salatin, regenerative pioneer, broke the silence with a moment of gratitude for Heritage’s willingness to platform this message — especially as conservative leadership hasn’t always led on stewardship issues.
We moved into the main event hall. The room was packed. C-SPAN cameras rolled.
Film Clip & Opening Remarks
Calley Means opened the program, speaking boldly about the influence of the chemical lobby and the barriers to meaningful change. He emphasized that this is a long journey, one that must be built through unity, integrity, and persistence.
I introduced a clip from Common Ground, featuring Gabe Brown and Rick Clark, to ground the day’s conversation in real-world regenerative success.
Jennifer Galardi followed, sharing how we met four years ago over a cutting board talking about soil. Today, she’s launching RAW: Restoring American Wellness, a new division at Heritage focused on food, health, and healing — including a podcast and ongoing programming.
Panel 1: The Future of Farming — Pro-Farmer, Pro-Health
Jennifer introduced our first panelists:
Rick Clark — 7,000 acres, regenerative organic no-till, saving $2M/year on inputs.
Joel Salatin — Polyface Farm, mobile poultry and rotational grazing pioneer.
David Stelzer — Founder of Azure Standard, a national regenerative food distributor.
The takeaway: Regenerative farming is profitable, scalable, and future-proof. These leaders aren’t talking theory — they’re living it, every day.
Panel 2: Regenerative Tech
The second panel, moderated by Jay Richards of Heritage, featured:
John Kempf — Agronomist and educator
Colleen Kavanagh — Nutrient density testing and verification
Carter Williams — Investor in high-impact, scalable ag-tech
This panel explored how AI and data tools can support regenerative farming — from field diagnostics to supply chain transparency — and how tech can help incentivize better outcomes, not just practices.
The Closed-Door Policy Roundtable
After lunch, we moved to the top floor of the building for a closed policy roundtable. It was set for 30 people — but nearly 50 showed up, lining the walls and packing the room.
Jay Richards from The Heritage Foundation facilitated, posing key questions and guiding an open, solution-focused conversation.
Key insights included:
Joel Salatin: Farmers should be able to sell directly to neighbors without government interference.
Steve Jarvis: Proposed a model of building 1,000 40-acre farms — restoring rural, self-reliant communities.
Mollie Engelhart: Advocated for better agricultural lending, similar to first-time homebuyer or veteran loan programs.
Meryl Nass: Called attention to the pesticide liability shield, drawing parallels to other unaccountable industries.
Erin Martin: Shared how Oklahoma’s Food is Medicine program can be scaled nationally, moving dollars from healthcare to food production.
The central theme:
Let’s stop paying for disease after the fact — and start investing in wellness at the root: food and farming.
True Foods Dinner & Final Reflections
That evening, many of us gathered at True Foods Kitchen to continue the conversations sparked during the event. Over 40 people attended — sharing insights, forming new partnerships, and mapping next steps.
It felt like a true movement moment — a convergence of voices ready to lead and support a new direction for American agriculture.
Final Thoughts
This gathering marked a milestone: the regenerative movement sitting at the table with one of the most powerful think tanks in the nation — not in opposition, but in alignment.
This isn’t about left or right. It’s about:
Healthy soil
Healthy food
Healthy people
Thriving farmers
Stronger communities
And at the heart of it all is a simple idea:
When people understand the truth about regenerative agriculture — they want to be on board.
Let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep bridging divides.
Let’s regenerate America — from the soil up.
#RegenerativeAgriculture #SoilHealth #MAHA #HeritageFoundation #AmericanRegeneration #FarmersFirst #RestoreAmericanWellness #FoodIsMedicine #PolicyChange #NutrientDensity
