California stands at the forefront of a fundamental economic transformation. Regenerative California, a nonprofit launched in 2024, is pioneering a demonstration-based approach to proving that regenerative economies—systems that restore ecosystems while building community prosperity—can work at scale. For professionals and business owners seeking strategies for lasting success, understanding this movement provides both a competitive advantage and a roadmap for building resilient organizations in an era of climate uncertainty and economic volatility.
This comprehensive guide examines Regenerative California’s approach, the policy landscape supporting regenerative practices, community economic models that align profit with purpose, and practical implementation strategies. California’s $105+ million investment in the Healthy Soils Program alone demonstrates that regenerative practices have moved from fringe concept to mainstream policy priority.
Regenerative California builds proof points for a new economy
Regenerative California operates as a project of Multiplier, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with a mission to “activate place-based, community-led solutions that tackle California’s pressing challenges, including natural disasters, growing inequality, and fragile food and housing systems.” Unlike traditional advocacy organizations, they focus on creating tangible demonstration projects that prove regenerative economics can work.
The organization chose Monterey County as its pilot region specifically because it embodies California’s contrasts—“one of California’s wealthiest and most economically challenged counties” with iconic coastlines, thriving ecosystems, and converging industries including agriculture, tourism, marine, construction, and technology. CEO Kristin Coates, with over 20 years of cross-sector experience including work with SecondMuse and award-winning hospitality development, leads a team of eight staff members and twelve volunteers operating on a $1.5 million annual budget.
Their advisory board bridges sectors: retired Congressman Sam Farr, Monterey County Supervisor Kate Daniels, Big Sur Land Trust President Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis, and representatives from investment, agriculture, and hospitality industries. This cross-sector governance reflects their theory that regenerative transformation requires coordinated action across traditionally siloed domains.
Four flagship programs define the model
Regenerate 68! Farm serves as their agricultural laboratory—a 68-acre demonstration farm at historic Ferrini Ranch in Salinas, operated in partnership with Big Sur Land Trust. Four micro-enterprise farmers cultivate 5-17 acre plots of vegetables, berries, herbs, and flowers, with food distributed to Monterey County schools, hospitals, food banks, and local businesses. The model addresses a critical barrier to regenerative farming: short-term land leases that discourage long-term soil investment. Regenerative California provides long-term subleases, removing this obstacle while training next-generation farmers.
The Monterey County Attainable Housing Initiative targets the “missing middle”—residents earning 80-150% of area median income who don’t qualify for traditional affordable housing but cannot afford market rates. Their goal of creating 3,000 local attainable housing units by 2030 demonstrates how regenerative principles extend beyond agriculture to address interconnected challenges.
The Future of Blue partners with Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust to revitalize the fishing economy, bringing together commercial, tribal, research, and innovation sectors. Meanwhile, their Regenerative Tourism advisory work with Visit California positions them to influence the state’s tourism industry toward practices that restore rather than extract from communities.
Five principles guide decision-making
Regenerative California operates on five interconnected principles that offer a framework for any organization:
The principle of embracing complexity resists oversimplification—living systems require nuanced solutions. Honoring diversity recognizes that the unique characteristics of each region, community, and ecosystem enable health. Elevating interdependence acknowledges that parts of a system shape and are shaped by the whole. Respecting ecosystems treats planetary boundaries as non-negotiable. Designing for emergence accepts that living systems evolve in planned and unexpected ways.
California’s policy landscape rewards regenerative practices
California has emerged as the national leader in regenerative agriculture policy, creating a framework of incentives, technical assistance, and market development that professionals and business owners can leverage.
The Healthy Soils Program anchors state support
Launched in 2017 following Governor Brown’s Healthy Soils Initiative, the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Healthy Soils Program has awarded $105.4 million to over 1,513 projects, sequestering an estimated 1.1 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. Individual grants provide up to $100,000 over three years for implementing practices including cover cropping, compost application, mulching, conservation crop rotation, no-till and reduced-till methods, and nutrient management.
The program prioritizes socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and Proposition 4—the $10 billion climate bond passed in November 2024—allocates an additional $65 million specifically for Healthy Soils Program expansion, plus $40 million for the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) and $200 million for multi-benefit land repurposing.
Recent legislation creates new opportunities
Assembly Bill 1757 (2022), signed by Governor Newsom, represents landmark policy requiring California to establish climate targets for natural carbon sequestration for 2030, 2038, and 2045. The resulting April 2024 targets call for increasing certified organic acreage to 10% by 2030, 15% by 2038, and 20% by 2045, while expanding healthy soils practice adoption on 140,000 additional acres annually by 2030.
In January 2025, the State Board of Food and Agriculture adopted California’s first official definition of regenerative agriculture: “An integrated approach to farming and ranching rooted in principles of soil health, biodiversity and ecosystem resiliency leading to improved targeted outcomes. Regenerative agriculture is not an endpoint, but a continuous implementation of practices… informed by current science as well as the traditions and innovations from the original Indigenous stewards of the land.” This definition provides policy clarity without creating a rigid certification standard, allowing flexibility while establishing direction.
CalCAN leads direct legislative advocacy
While Regenerative California focuses on demonstration, the California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN), founded in 2009, serves as the primary coalition advocating for regenerative agriculture legislation. CalCAN’s theory of change combines direct legislative engagement, coalition building, farmer-to-policymaker connections, and data-driven progress tracking. Current priorities include AB 491, which would make California the first state to codify natural and working lands climate targets in statute, and advocacy for dedicating 15% of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund revenues to climate-smart agricultural programs.
Community economic models offer alternatives to extraction
Regenerative economics provides the theoretical foundation for community-based approaches to building prosperity. Understanding these models equips professionals to identify opportunities aligned with emerging policy priorities and consumer preferences.
Eight principles define regenerative economics
John Fullerton, founder of the Capital Institute and former JPMorgan managing director, articulated eight principles of regenerative vitality that distinguish regenerative from merely sustainable economics. Sustainability focuses on “doing less harm”—maintaining systems without further degradation. Regenerative economics seeks to actively restore and revitalize degraded systems, creating conditions for ever more life.
The eight principles begin with being in right relationship, recognizing that humanity is an integral part of an interconnected web where damage to any part ripples back to harm every other part. Viewing wealth holistically transcends monetary value to include social, cultural, experiential, and natural capital. Innovation, adaptation, and responsiveness channel enterprise to respond to systemic health needs rather than short-term desires. Empowered participation ensures all parts can negotiate for their needs while contributing to the larger system.
Honoring community and place nurtures communities uniquely informed by their individual history and geography. Edge effect abundance recognizes that creativity flourishes at the edges where opportunities for innovation are greatest. Robust circulatory flow requires healthy circulation of energy, materials, money, information, and empathy, with waste becoming food as in biological systems. Dynamic balance harmonizes efficiency with resilience, diversity with coherence, competition with collaboration.
Community wealth building transforms local economies
The Democracy Collaborative’s Community Wealth Building model, first articulated in 2005, provides a practical framework for implementing regenerative economics at the community level. The approach addresses wealth inequality by ensuring communities have direct ownership and control of their assets through five pillars: fair work with living wages and worker rights; locally rooted finance through credit unions and community development financial institutions; just use of land and property through community land trusts; progressive procurement directing institutional purchasing to local enterprises; and inclusive democratic enterprises including worker cooperatives.
The Cleveland Model demonstrates implementation at scale. Created in 2008 through partnership between the Cleveland Foundation, the Democracy Collaborative, and local anchor institutions, the Evergreen Cooperatives established worker-owned green businesses serving major hospitals and universities. Evergreen Cooperative Laundry provides industrial laundry services; Green City Growers operates a 230,000 square foot hydroponic greenhouse; Ohio Cooperative Solar handles installation and weatherization. Anchor institutions guarantee purchasing, workers become employee-owners sharing in profits and governance, and 10% of pre-tax profits seed new cooperatives. The model has been replicated in Springfield, Massachusetts and New Haven, Connecticut.
California’s cooperative landscape is expanding
California hosts approximately 200 agricultural cooperatives operating as marketing, supply, or service cooperatives, with historical roots dating to 1867 when the Cooperative Union Store opened in San Francisco. The California Center for Cooperative Development provides technical assistance, business planning, and legal support for cooperative formation and conversion, while Assembly Bill 816 has strengthened worker cooperative statutes.
Contemporary examples demonstrate diverse applications. Solidarity Farm in San Diego County grew from a half-acre to six acres in two years, operating as a worker cooperative with 80 CSA subscribers generating $12,000 monthly in gross revenue. California Harvesters operates as a farmworker benefit trust, directing 5-8% of labor profit margin into worker benefits including healthcare, workforce training, and year-round employment rather than owner pockets. Cities including Oakland, Berkeley, and Santa Ana have adopted formal policies supporting worker cooperative development.
Community land trusts remove land from speculation
Community Land Trusts acquire and permanently own land, entering into 99-year ground leases with property owners and maintaining permanent affordability through resale restrictions. The California Community Land Trust Network represents over 40 member CLTs stewarding 1,600+ permanently affordable homes, housing more than 3,500 Californians with $250 million in community assets removed from speculative markets.
Agricultural applications include the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, which launched the Marin Carbon Project for regenerative land management, and the California Rangeland Trust, which has protected 371,000+ acres across 90 ranches. The Ag Land Trust in Monterey County has protected over 50,000 acres of productive farmland. These models provide land access pathways for beginning farmers while ensuring long-term stewardship requirements.
Implementation pathways for professionals and business owners
Transitioning to regenerative practices requires navigating certification programs, securing funding, building networks, and following proven implementation frameworks.
Certification programs validate regenerative commitments
Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC), administered by the Regenerative Organic Alliance founded by Patagonia, Rodale Institute, and Dr. Bronner’s, represents the highest agricultural certification. It requires baseline USDA Organic certification and evaluates three pillars: soil health, animal welfare, and farmer and worker fairness. Bronze certification requires 10% of land certified initially rising to 50% by year five; Silver requires 50% initially to 75% by year five; Gold requires 100% certification. California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) serves as a regional certification body.
Real Organic Project certification is completely free—no application or inspection fees— and requires USDA Organic certification as a baseline. It adds requirements that crops must be grown in soil connected to subsoil (prohibiting hydroponics) and livestock must have year-round outdoor access. Over 1,000 farms across the US and Canada hold certification.
B Corp certification addresses broader business practices beyond agriculture. Administered by B Lab, it requires scoring 80+ points on the B Impact Assessment and making legal governance commitments to stakeholder interests. The 2025 standards evaluate seven impact topics: purpose and stakeholder governance, climate action, environmental stewardship and circularity, fair work, justice and equity, human rights, and government affairs. Costs range from $500 to $50,000+ annually based on company revenue.
Funding programs reduce transition risk
The USDA Regenerative Pilot Program, announced December 2025 with $700 million in funding ($400 million from EQIP, $300 million from CSP), offers a single application for both programs, whole-farm holistic conservation planning, and outcomes tracked and credited to farmers. Applications go through local NRCS Service Centers.
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) allocated $242.2 million to California in 2024 for designated practices. The program provides advance payments for historically underserved producers, with applications typically due November 15 for the first cutoff period.
Private impact investors have increased activity significantly. Mad Capital’s Perennial Fund II targets $50 million backed by the Rockefeller Foundation, Builders Vision, and Schmidt Family Foundation. Dirt Capital Partners provides conservation easements and joint ventures. Potlikker Capital focuses specifically on BIPOC farmers with non-extractive capital structures. Corporate commitments include ADM’s target of transitioning 4 million acres to regenerative practices.
Networks provide knowledge and market access
The Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems at CSU Chico offers certificate programs, on-farm research sites, mentor farmers, and the RAD-Lab for soil processing and testing. Their Regenerative Agriculture Network Web Forum connects practitioners statewide.
Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) provides Healthy Soils Program technical assistance, including webinars and application support, through their Ecological Farming Team. American Farmland Trust’s California programs include the San Joaquin Valley Land and Water Strategy covering 100,000+ acres, Women for the Land Learning Circles, and Farms for a New Generation succession planning.
The Food and Farm Resilience Coalition brings together 17+ organizations and 85+ supporters focused on scaling sustainable practices, farmworker safety, and food justice. The California Food and Farming Network convenes 60+ member organizations around policy advocacy integrating racial equity with ecological regeneration.
California farms demonstrate successful models
Burroughs Family Farms in Merced County has operated since 1894, implementing compost applications, minimal-to-no-till methods, diverse cover crops, year-round managed grazing with sheep, cattle, and chickens, and hedgerows for biodiversity. Products include Grass to Gold Cheese, almonds, and beef.
Old Dog Ranch in Linden became the first walnut farm to achieve Regenerative Organic Certification in 2021, with particular focus on the social equity pillar through livable wages and safe housing for workers. Apricot Lane Farms in Ventura County, featured in the documentary “The Biggest Little Farm,” demonstrates certified organic and biodynamic diversified farming with founder John Chester serving as a ROC founding member.
Alexandre Family Farm in Del Norte County holds Savory Institute Land to Market certification through Ecological Outcome Verification. Rodale Institute’s California Organic Center in Ventura County, operating on a fifth-generation family-owned farm since 1871 with funding from Holdfast Collective and CDFA, provides technical assistance, business planning, and equipment stipends for underserved farmers.
The ecosystem of related organizations
Professionals and business owners benefit from understanding the broader network of organizations advancing regenerative policy and economics in California and nationally.
California organizations provide complementary services
California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN) advances state and federal policy for sustainable and organic agriculture, having helped create the Healthy Soils Program and spawned the Midwest Agriculture Conservation Network. Fibershed, founded in 2010, develops regional fiber and dye systems with their Climate Beneficial verification program documenting 45,550+ metric tons of CO2 equivalent drawdown. They helped shape California’s SB 707, the first US Extended Producer Responsibility law for textiles.
Kiss the Ground, founded in 2013 in Venice Beach, reaches audiences through documentary films including the 2020 Netflix release viewed by 10+ million people. They lead the Regenerate America coalition advocating for Farm Bill reforms and report influencing transition of 2.11 million acres to regenerative agriculture. Roots of Change serves as the backbone organization for California’s Food Policy Council network representing 27 regional councils and nearly 80% of state eligible voters.
National organizations provide research and certification infrastructure
Rodale Institute, founded in 1947 by J.I. Rodale who coined the term “organic,” operates the 44+ year Farming Systems Trial—the longest-running side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional systems. Their research demonstrates that regenerative organic agriculture can sequester more than 100% of annual CO2 emissions if adopted globally, yields become competitive with conventional after a three-year transition, and profits run 3-6 times higher for organic farmers.
Savory Institute has trained 16,000+ farmers and ranchers in Holistic Management since 2009, with 21+ million hectares holistically managed globally. Their Land to Market Ecological Outcome Verification monitors 6+ million acres for regenerative sourcing verification.
Academic research validates regenerative approaches
UC Davis houses several critical research centers including the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP), the Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility with its Century Experiment (a 100-year soil study begun in 1992), and researchers including Dr. Cristina Lazcano studying vineyard regenerative practices with a $2.6 million FFAR grant. UC Berkeley’s Food Institute and researchers including Dr. Whendee Silver examine soil management practices and carbon neutrality goals. CSU Chico’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems provides practitioner education and the California Resiliency Index.
Key definitions for practitioners
Regenerative agriculture describes an integrated approach to farming and ranching rooted in principles of soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem resiliency leading to improved targeted outcomes— not an endpoint but a continuous implementation of practices informed by science and Indigenous traditions.
Regenerative economics treats the economy as a living system that should emulate patterns defining all living systems, actively restoring and revitalizing degraded systems rather than merely sustaining current states.
Community wealth building transforms local economies through direct community ownership and control of assets across five pillars: fair work, locally rooted finance, just use of land, progressive procurement, and democratic enterprises.
Cooperative economics encompasses businesses democratically owned and controlled by members— whether workers, producers, consumers, or combinations—with profits shared based on participation rather than capital investment.
Circular economy promotes systems eliminating waste through recycling, recovery, and reuse of natural resources, where waste becomes food and resources maintain maximum value at all times.
Bioregionalism organizes economic and political activity around naturally defined regions based on geography, ecology, and community rather than arbitrary political boundaries.
Food sovereignty asserts the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.
Carbon farming implements agricultural practices that sequester atmospheric carbon into soil and plant material, including cover cropping, compost application, planned grazing, and agroforestry.
Ecosystem services describes the benefits humans receive from ecosystems including provisioning services (food, water), regulating services (climate, water quality), supporting services (nutrient cycling, soil formation), and cultural services (recreation, spiritual value).
Solidarity economy represents a global movement building just and sustainable economies prioritizing people and planet over profit and growth through cooperative, democratic, and community-controlled economic activities.
Strategic recommendations for long-term success
California’s regenerative policy framework, combined with growing consumer demand for verified sustainable products, creates immediate opportunities for professionals and business owners.
Begin by assessing current practices against certification requirements—the B Impact Assessment is free and provides baseline measurement. Contact local NRCS Service Centers for free conservation planning and explore Healthy Soils Program grants up to $100,000. The USDA’s new Regenerative Pilot Program provides another substantial funding pathway with simplified applications.
For supply chain integration, identify ROC-certified or Real Organic Project certified suppliers, or consider direct investment in farmer transition support. Zero Foodprint’s Restore California model—where businesses contribute 1% to fund regenerative practice implementation—offers an accessible entry point with documented outcomes.
Network membership provides knowledge sharing and market access. The Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems at CSU Chico offers certificate programs. Industry-specific networks including Fibershed for textiles and the Network of Bay Area Worker Cooperatives for democratic enterprises provide specialized support.
The trajectory is clear: California has committed billions to regenerative transitions, major corporations are setting regenerative sourcing targets, and certification programs are maturing. Organizations that position themselves within this ecosystem now will capture competitive advantages as regenerative practices become standard expectations rather than differentiating features. Regenerative California’s demonstration-based model in Monterey County offers a preview of what California—as the world’s fourth-largest economy—intends to become.
econology 