Policy pathways for perennial agriculture

Abstract

Perennial agriculture refers to agricultural systems in which perennial crops are a central strategy for producing farm products and ecosystem services. Perennial agriculture offers a range of ecosystem services, including improved soil health and biodiversity, high carbon sequestration rates, agroecosystems better adapted to climate change, improved water quality, and economically viable products. Shifting U.S. agriculture to be perennial-focused will require a range of support structures, including federal policy changes. Federal policymakers should support perennial agriculture by establishing safety nets like those available for annual crops, centering perennial practices in cost-sharing conservation programs, facilitating market opportunities, and investing in perennial agriculture research and development.

Adapting perennial grain and oilseed crops for climate resiliency

“…It will also require explicitly factoring into breeding programs the interaction between environmental benefits and classical production‐based goals (Dennison et al., 2003). While it is necessary to have plant material that has novel characteristics, having a clear market is necessary for widespread adoption (Lanker et al., 2020), in some cases adoption can occur quickly (Khanna et al., 2017) in others it does not, this exemplifies the need for policy to work in close concert with production (Scott et al., 2022).…”

Editorial: Can the trees save the crops? Predicting the services provided by traditional and novel agroforests in changing Mediterranean landscapes

“…Recent findings highlight the regulating and supporting services provided by agroforestry that may be especially important facing highly erratic economic scenarios and dynamic environmental conditions predicted for the near future in Mediterranean-type areas (Castle et al, 2022). In fact, planted trees among "crops" (silvoarable or alley cropping) contribute to carbon sequestration, functional biodiversity, reduce soil erosion, control microclimates (radiation, temperature, humidity, wind), increase soil fertility, retain agrochemicals and are able to recycle water and nutrients from deeper layers (Scott et al, 2022). The development of novel woody perennial "crop" combinations in Mediterranean-type ecosystems and the sustainable management of existing ones is only possible if we are able to understand and predict the functioning of agroforestry, link practices with ecosystem services and prove that these systems are a viable option for rural areas, namely facing uncertain and evolving forecasted environmental conditions (Blaser et al, 2018).…”

Quantifying soil carbon sequestration from regenerative agricultural practices in crops and vineyards

“…The fact that soil and its characteristics are recognized as essential to wine quality was also a factor (Giffard et al, 2022). Additionally, viticulture is a perennial crop, and in regenerative agriculture perennials have been found to have beneficial effects on soil, water, biodiversity and climate (Scott et al, 2022). For instance, the soil organic C sequestration potential for viticulture using regenerative practices could be up to four times higher than for other…”