Farm4Profit Podcast

From Conventional to Regenerative: What Actually Worked (and What Didn’t)

Episode Summary

On this episode, we sit down with Kelly and Matt Griggs, a 5th-generation farming family in West Tennessee, who have completely transformed their operation from conventional tillage to a regenerative system focused on soil health, profitability, and long-term sustainability.

Episode Notes

And they’re not guessing…They have farm data going back to 1977

This isn’t theory — it’s tested, measured, and proven on their farm.

The Big Shift

• Moving from conventional tillage to strict no-till
• Why they believe tillage destroys soil ecosystems
• The philosophy of “mimicking nature” in production ag

Regenerative Practices in Action

• Multi-species cover crops
• Crop rotation (corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton)
• Using chicken litter and reducing synthetic inputs
• Building soil biology below ground

On-Farm Trials That Matter

• No-till vs. cover crop systems (replicated trials)
• Nitrogen timing with heavy residue
• Interplanting soybeans into corn
• Biological products and their ROI
• MicroNoc trials showing +15 bushel gains

Real Results

• Improved water infiltration
• Reduced input costs
• Long-term soil productivity gains
• What actually worked—and what didn’t

The Hard Truths

• Mistakes made during transition
• Why adoption is still slow
• What farmers get wrong about regenerative ag

This episode isn’t about going “organic.”

It’s about building a system that works economically and agronomically.