A Six-Part Class in Regenerative Agriculture, the Climate and a Green New Deal for Oregon

Start: Thursday, February 13, 2020• 6:00 PM

End: Thursday, March 19, 2020• 7:30 PM

Host Contact Info: info@sustainable-economy.org

There is hope for our climate, our biodiversity, our water and our rural communities in regenerative agriculture!

Come learn about regenerative agriculture in a six-part series taught by regenerative farmer and seasoned instructor, Will Newman. Classes start on Feb. 13. Space is limited, so please sign up now!

We will also be offering remote participation via Zoom to a limited number of participants.

If you would like to read the syllabus in advance, please register and we will send it to you.

Regenerative Agriculture & A Green New Deal Course

Dates: Thursdays, Feb. 13, 2020 - March 19, 2019, 6:00 PM - 7:30PM

Fee: $10/class or $60/course for all 6 courses (to cover food, expenses for guest lecturers, sliding scale, no one will be turned away)

Instructor: Will Newman has been an organic farmer in Clackamas County for 30 years. He has taught farming, economics, and other topics at seven colleges and universities and with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. He mentors young growers at Natural Harvest Farm on land protected by the Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Land Trust.

Location: HatchLab PDX - Conference Room - 2420 NE Sandy, Portland, OR 97232

Space is limited to 25 participants per night.

part 1: introduction to agriculture and climate

Part 2: Review of regenerative agriculture

part 3: economics of agriculture/subsidies

part 4: policy remedies to support sustainable agriculture

part 5: Discussion and strategy around operationalizing policy remedies

part 6: A Green New Deal for Oregon

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An October 2018 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated that avoiding catastrophic climate impacts now requires carbon removal from the atmosphere. The report urged immediate focus on carbon sequestration through natural lands. A transition to 100% renewable energy is necessary but not sufficient. We need large-scale carbon removal from the atmosphere to have a safe future. Protecting and restoring global soils can limit global warming by sequestering carbon emissions. When we build carbon in agricultural soils through regenerative practices, we achieve extraordinary benefits.

Changes in agricultural land management, combined with conservation and restoration of forests, wetlands and grasslands, can provide over one-third of the cost-effective climate mitigation needed to stabilize global warming below 2°C degrees. Emerging evidence on compost, silvopasture, cover crops, storing soil carbon at depth, and perennial crops indicate even greater mitigation potential in the quest to keep global warming below 1.5°C.