Our Roots
Ecdysis Foundation started in 2016 behind the wheel of a rental car on a cross country roadtrip home to South Dakota. Driving through the endless miles where society had traded corn and soybeans for degraded rural communities, it was clear that something was deeply wrong with how science was being applied. Something had to change.
A New Vision of Agricultural Science
The vision that evolved became a new model of agricultural science. And the only way to implement these changes was to get out of the current scientific matrix.
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For agricultural research to be truly relevant and credible, scientists can no longer stand apart - they have to become farmers, immerse themselves and become a part of the farming community. This vision also demands changes to the system: funding models must evolve to eliminate conflicts of interest and free science from hidden agendas. Farmers should play an active, collaborative role in shaping the research itself. Success in science should no longer be measured solely by academic metrics, but also by the real-world outcomes that matter to farmers. And perhaps most importantly, scientists need to be able to clearly communicate their findings to the people who will use them.
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We have the ability to grow food while also protecting biodiversity and the health of our environment. Agriculture holds the potential to address many of the world’s most pressing challenges. Ecdysis Foundation is at the forefront of providing the research and development needed to replicate, scale and transfer innovative practices to farms of all sizes. We anticipate a paradigm shift in the way food is produced in this country, and we're committed to being ready with the solutions farmers need when they're ready to farm in nature’s image.
Research Strategy
The central outcome of our research is to redesign agroecosystems to be more resilient, produce healthier food, and do so profitably by increasing biodiversity and reducing disturbance to farmland. Ecdysis Foundation’s research strategy for transforming the food system includes:
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Identify key regenerative food systems in different regions that will have a ripple effect across food communities
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Validate successful regenerative operations relative to conventional food production strategies using a systems level approach.
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Develop a roadmap to guide farmers transitioning to regenerative production systems, based on proven farmer strategies.
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Use mechanistic and observational studies to further optimize regenerative systems.
Focal food systems include rangeland, pastured dairy, perennial and annual crops, orchards, no-till organic vegetables, and honey bees. Ecdysis has a strong emphasis on farmer, rancher, and beekeeper driven research questions, empowering producers by involving them in every step - from systems design to guided citizen science. ​
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To attain these outcomes, we began an incredibly ambitious project: the 1,000 Farms Initative. ​​​
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