Jesse Smith is the Director of Land Stewardship at the White Buffalo Land Trust, which is a global hub for regenerative land stewardship, ecological monitoring and research, education, and more. Jesse brings a unique perspective and a diverse set of experiences to his work in regenerative agriculture– his early interest in architecture led him to pursue an education in design, which then led to a career in product design and visual communication. But over time, he became interested in combining his artistic sensibilities with his love of the land, science, and permaculture, and soon thereafter began his journey in the world of family farming, food production, and education. Jesse is now a leader in the world of regenerative ag, and, as you’ll hear, he has a real gift for communicating the art and science of land stewardship.
This conversation was recorded in November of 2024 on stage at the REGENERATE conference– one of the country’s foremost gatherings of regenerative agriculture practitioners and thought leaders. REGENERATE is a collaboration between the Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grassfed Association, and the conference attracts fascinating people from all over the world to share knowledge, build community, and create a culture of resilience and regeneration.
Despite sitting on stage in front of an auditorium full of people, this conversation felt much more like a fun one-on-one discussion between two friends. We covered everything from Jesse’s winding path into the world of agriculture to some of the more technical details around land monitoring and certifications. We discussed the natural disasters in Jesse’s community that highlighted huge problems in the local food systems, which eventually led to the creation of the White Buffalo Land Trust. We discussed how Jesse prioritizes his work when there are so many urgent challenges to address, and he shares his experiences with big business’s growing interest in regenerative ag. We talk about the Japanese concept of Ikigai, transforming inspiration into action, advice for building a career in regenerative ag, favorite books, and much more. We also allowed ample time for Q&A from the audience, which I know you’ll enjoy.
Jesse mentions tons of useful resources so be sure to visit the episode notes for a full list of topics we discussed and links to everything. A huge thanks to the team at REGENERATE for inviting me to the conference, thank you to Jesse for chatting with me and offering so much wisdom, and thanks to you for listening.
The episode starts out with an introduction from Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, who is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition and a past Mountain & Prairie podcast guest. Hope you enjoy!
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Photos courtesy of the Quivira Coalition and REGENERATE, headshot courtesy of Jesse Smith
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RESOURCES:
Topics Discussed:
- 3:00 – An introduction from Quivira’s Executive Director, Sarah Wentzel-Fisher
- 4:45 – Ed’s introduction
- 8:00 – Jesse’s early years and path into conservation
- 12:15 – Recognizing the community need that led to the creation of the White Buffalo Land Trust
- 16:00 – How Jesse prioritizes his work at the White Buffalo Land Trust
- 21:45 – Thoughts on big business’s interest in regenerative agriculture
- 27:05 – The complexity of regenerative certifications
- 32:45 – Predictions about the future of regenerative certifications
- 35:30 – Advice for people who want to work in regenerative ag
- 41:00 – Translating inspiration into action
- 45:30 – Audience Q&A: How do stories and on-the-ground experiences help to change people’s minds?
- 50:43 – Audience Q&A: Why is the burden on regenerative producers to get certifications to prove that they are doing it correctly?
- 54:15 – Audience Q&A: Thoughts on the new administration bringing regenerative practitioners into the FDA?
- 59:20 – Audience Q&A: How do we create more accessibility around regenerative ag?
- 1:03:10 – Audience Q&A: How does regenerative ag play a role in procurement by institutional buyers?
- 1:05:00 – Audience Q&A: What is the source of people’s disconnect with food and what is one step to bridge that gap?
- 1:08:20 – Audience Q&A: What are some planning strategies to help balance stewardship and profitability
- 1:12:05 – Audience Q&A: What is the lay of the land when it comes to certifications across a broad range of markets?
- 1:16:15 – Jesse’s book recommendations
Information Referenced:
- REGENERATE conference
- Sarah Wentzel-Fisher
- Quivira Coalition
- Holistic Management International
- American Grassfed Association
- Jesse Smith
- White Buffalo Land Trust
- Figure Ate Foods
- 2015 California Wildfires
- Thomas Fire
- Steve Finkle
- Jamala Canyon Ranch
- Regenerative Agriculture
- Biodynamic Ag
- Greenwashing
- Greenhushing
- ExpoWest
- Patagonia
- Dr. Bronners
- Regenerative Organic Certified
- Savory’s EOV Protocol
- Green America
- Audubon Conservation Ranching
- Ikigai
- Will Harris
- Joel Salatin
- Farmprenuers
- Common Ground
- Richard’s Regenerative
- Bionutrient Food Association
- Nutrient Density Alliance
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- The Third Plate by Dan Barber
- Basque Country: A Culinary Journey Through a Food Lover’s Paradise by Marti Buckley
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:
- Kristine Tompkins – Nothing to Lose
- Curt Meine – Aldo Leopold’s Life, Work, and Enduring Legacy
- Celene Hawkins & Izabella Ruffino – Tribal Partnerships, Indigenous Voices, Cutting-Edge Conservation
- Jenna Pollard – Timber Framing, Organic Farming, Community, and Purpose
- Nick Offerman – Empathy, Nuance, & Good Hard Work
- Rebuilding a Resilient, Regional Meat Supply Chain – LIVE at the Old Salt Festival
- Kate Mannix – A Legacy of Land Stewardship
- Daniela Ibarra-Howell – Healing the Land Holistically
Visit the podcast page for a full, searchable list of episodes
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