Jesse Smith – A Regenerative Approach to Land and Life

Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

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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• Jesse Smith
• White Buffalo Land Trust
• Figure Ate Foods
• REGENERATE conference
• Quivira Coalition
• Holistic Management International
• American Grassfed Association
• Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/jesse-smith/

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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 does Jesse prioritize 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 disconnection 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

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