Episode 117: Exploring Innovative Agricultural Practices with Steve Diver

Regenerative Agriculture Podcast

AEA Marketing

Earth Sciences, Science, Natural Sciences

4.7 • 546 Ratings

🗓️ 9 May 2024

⏱️ 86 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Steve Diver, Farm Superintendent at the University of Kentucky's Horticulture Research Farm in Lexington, boasts a rich background in sustainable agriculture. With a B.S. and M.S. in Horticulture from Oklahoma State University, he honed his expertise while serving as a horticultural and soils consultant in Central Texas. Diver founded Agri-Horticultural Consulting in 2010, specializing in soil analysis and consultancy services tailored to eco-agriculture, organic and sustainable farming, and environmental sciences.

Diver's professional journey underscores his status as a pioneer in sustainable agriculture, with a focus on regenerative farming practices. His extensive experience spans soil health, microbial ecology, and innovative water management techniques geared toward advancing regenerative agriculture principles.

In this episode, Steve and John discuss:

The rhizosphere, root exudates, and soil enzymes' role in agriculture
How microbial inoculants can reduce synthetic nitrogen applications while increasing crop yields
Habitat-based management and the resilience of biological systems
Water structuring techniques and their potential impact on plant growth
Introduction to plasma-activated water and its role in nitrogen absorption by crops
Consideration of regulatory challenges in agriculture and navigating evolving policies

Additional Resources
"Tuning in to Nature: Solar Energy, Infrared Radiation, and the Insect Communication System" by Philip S. Callahan is no longer in print, but you may find used copies on thriftbooks.com or amazon.com

About John Kempf
John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.

Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture.

AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA's science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.

AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.

Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.

Learn more about AEA's regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com

VIDEO: To learn more from John Kempf about regenerative agriculture, watch this conversation between John and three AEA grower partners about how regenerative agriculture is changing lives and conventional farming: https://youtu.be/n9U6GwbYPDk

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hi, friends. Welcome back to the regenerative agriculture podcast. This is John, and today I have back on the podcast for a second episode, Steve Diver from the University of Kentucky. At the moment, Steve has been a friend of mine for some time. We've been in similar circles, and there are a small handful of people who I consider to be walking encyclopedias.
0:24.6	And Steve is one of those people where he has had such a diverse background of experiences in the biologic agricultural space that we could have conversations for hours and hours and not even begin to tap the fount of knowledge and experience
0:39.0	that he has been able to accumulate over the last several decades.
0:42.9	So Steve, thank you very much for being willing to join me and for being willing to have
0:47.2	a follow-up conversation to the previous one we had.
0:50.1	Can you tell a bit our audience here at the podcast has grown significantly.
0:56.0	I think you were one of the first two dozen or so episodes.
0:58.0	I'm not sure exactly which number.
1:00.0	And our audience has grown a lot since then.
1:03.0	So I certainly would refer all of our listeners back to that episode as well once you listen to this one
1:09.0	because I'm sure you're going to be very intrigued with some of the things that you hear. But can you tell us a bit about your story and your background
1:15.9	and the scope of the work that you're doing and the scope of the encyclopedia, if you will?
1:22.3	Well, John, thank you so much for having me back on the podcast. And yes, it's a real pleasure
1:27.0	because we know each other because we're on the speaker podcast. And yes, it's a real pleasure because,
1:27.6	you know, we know each other because we're on the speaker circuit. But yes, you've been really
1:32.1	instrumental in pulling together a framework of ideas and practices and products that farmers can
1:38.2	really tap into. So we've kind of set the tone for this podcast around microbiome and soul biology.
1:45.7	And so let me just kind of go back into the 1970s, which was a really revolutionary time in the country.
1:53.1	I was in junior high and high school back then.
1:55.7	I was in Oklahoma.
1:56.7	And my parents joined a food co-op.
1:59.6	And they brought home organic apples. I ate those and I was like
	...

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