Originally published July 2018 | Updated June 2026

Written by Sara Newmark, VP of Social Impact

At MegaFood, we believe nutrition starts in the soil. 

Healthy soil helps grow healthier plants. Healthier plants help nourish healthier people. And healthier people help create stronger communities and a healthier planet. 

That’s why supporting soil health has been part of our mission for years—and why it continues to guide how we think about sourcing, partnerships, research, and long-term impact. 

 

Why Soil Health Matters

Soil is much more than dirt. It’s a living ecosystem made up of minerals, organic matter, microbes, fungi, insects, and plant roots working together. 

Healthy soil supports nutrient-dense crops, stronger ecosystems, cleaner water, and more resilient farming systems. It also helps protect the long-term future of our food supply. 

When soil loses biodiversity and organic matter, land becomes less productive, crops become more dependent on synthetic inputs, and farming systems become less resilient over time. 

That’s why soil health matters—not just for agriculture, but for the future of food itself. 

 

What Is Regenerative Agriculture? 

Built on generations of indigenous wisdom, regenerative agriculture includes farming practices that help restore soil health, support biodiversity, and strengthen long-term food system resilience. 

These practices may include: 

• Minimizing soil disturbance 
• Keeping soil covered 
• Maintaining living roots year-round 
• Increasing crop diversity 

While there’s no single approach, regenerative agriculture is rooted in the idea that healthier soil helps support healthier ecosystems, farms, and communities over time. 

 

How MegaFood Supports Soil Health Today 

Our commitment to soil health has continued to evolve since this article was first published in 2018. Today, we support healthier farming systems through partnerships, advocacy, research, education, and industry collaboration. 

Here are some of the ways we’re helping move this work forward.

 

Supporting Organizations Driving Change 

Mad Agriculture 

We’re proud to support Mad Agriculture, an organization helping farmers build healthier, more resilient farms through practical tools, education, and long-term support. 

We also joined Mad Agriculture and Whole Foods as a founding member of the Wilding initiative, which aims to help restore marginal cropland into thriving biodiverse ecosystems that support farmer resiliency. 

Kiss the Ground 

Kiss the Ground has helped bring greater awareness to the connection between soil health, food systems, and the health of our planet. 

Their education-first approach helps make these conversations more accessible for consumers, farmers, and businesses alike, and we’re proud to support that mission. 

Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA) 

Through our partnership with Women’s Earth Alliance, we help support women-led environmental solutions and community-based agricultural work around the world. 

Healthy soil and healthy communities go hand in hand, and WEA helps advance both. 

 

Supporting Research and Innovation 

The Beet Study 

Research helps us better understand how farming practices may influence crop quality and nutrition. 

We are currently partnering with Utah State University on a nutrient density study exploring the impact of conventional, organic, and regenerative farming practices on the nutritional profiles of beets. 

This work supports our belief that how food is grown matters. 

Soil Carbon Accrual Project 

MegaFood partnered with Chico State on the Soil Carbon Accrual Project, a multi-year study designed to advance regenerative agriculture research and improve how soil health outcomes are measured over time. 

Better data helps create stronger solutions for farmers, brands, and the future of food. 

 

Supporting Healthier Farming Systems 

We continue to source certified organic ingredients when possible, including Regenerative Organic Certified® beets. 

Every ingredient is unique, and our team thoughtfully evaluates how ingredients are sourced and certified. Regenerative ingredients are not always available for every processed or clinically studied ingredient, but we continue looking for opportunities to support the movement in meaningful ways. 

We also launched the Healthy Farm Standard, a publicly available tool designed to help connect suppliers and farming partners to soil health practices and regenerative agriculture principles. 

 

Advocacy and Industry Collaboration 

Supporting soil health also means helping move the broader conversation forward. 

Over the years, MegaFood has supported advocacy and industry efforts focused on regenerative agriculture, organic farming, and healthier food systems—including work alongside organizations like the Organic Trade Association, Regenerative Organic Alliance, Young Farmers, and the Nutrient Density Alliance. 

We’ve also supported conversations around agricultural policies and practices that impact long-term soil and ecosystem health. 

 

Looking Ahead 

Since this article was first published in 2018, our understanding of soil health—and the broader movement surrounding it—has continued to evolve. 

Along the way, we've supported organizations advancing regenerative agriculture, participated in research exploring farming practices and nutrient density, collaborated across the industry, and looked for opportunities to incorporate these principles into our own work. 

While there is no single solution to building a healthier food system, these experiences have reinforced something we've believed all along: what happens in the soil matters. 

As farmers, researchers, organizations, and communities continue this work, we're encouraged by the growing momentum around soil health and its potential to support a more resilient future for food.