conference

key learnings from WA Regen Conference

Jason Jarvis, Chairman of Pomewest and an organic farmer based in Donnybrook, attended the recent Regenerative Food Systems Conference held at Optus Stadium in Perth on September 17–18. Jason, representing Pomewest, has generously shared his insights and key learnings from the conference.

Words Jason Jarvis, Chair, Pomewest

THE CONFERENCE addressed critical themes related to the environment, food security, and public health, emphasising the significance of tracing the food production journey. Participants explored the environmental impacts of food production and how the quality of food influences overall health outcomes.

I was pleased to attend an event featuring many interesting speakers, including Matthew Evans, Joel Williams, and Dan Kittredge. Throughout the day, several speakers explored topics such as soil health, biodiversity, and both the successes and challenges facing modern farming, whilst sharing their personal journeys in regenerative agriculture. I would strongly encourage all orchardists to participate in similar events in the future.

However, I want to focus particularly on one speaker whose mission resonated with me the most — Dan Kittredge. I believe that if his approach proves successful, it will significantly transform our production methods, making it especially relevant for Pomewest, which represents apple and pear producers.

Dan was not only the keynote speaker at the conference but also participated in the Grounded Festival and led a two-day workshop in Manjimup the following week. A prominent figure in regenerative agriculture and nutrient-dense food systems, he is the founder of both the Bionutrient Food Association and the Bionutrient Institute, organisations dedicated to advancing our understanding of food quality and agricultural practices.

PHOTOGRAPHY Paolo Sulit

His initiatives, such as the Bionutrient Meter project, have generated datasets and technical reports that are widely referenced in regenerative agriculture circles. He carried out a proof of concept using beef as a test case and is currently engaging a cross-sectoral global coalition to launch a Treaty on the definition of nutrient density.1

This is a worldwide initiative aimed at defining the spectrum of nutritional quality in food. The goal is to create a 1–100 scale for food quality — applicable to everything from beef to beans to broccoli, including apples and pears — based on factors such as soil health, genetics, microbiome composition, and health outcomes. The initiative seeks to determine whether science can validate what we, as humans, intuitively believe to be true about the nutritional value of food.

They stipulate that once the relevant parameters have been determined for what defines nutrient density, this knowledge will be open source. This will allow third-party developers the opportunity to create consumer-friendly technology to allow testing of produce against this standard prior to or following purchase. Consumers could then share this information with others through various platforms.

The concept will allow producers the ability to potentially get out of the commodity game. It could also potentially remove the need for third-party quality assurance systems and may eventually remove the need for organic or regenerative labels, allowing consumers and producers to see how their production actions impact real quality outcomes.

Aesthetics, whilst important, may not be the key parameter that determines price once consumers can see past it and have the tools to no longer just buy with their eyes.

At the Grounded Festival, I spoke with Dan to see if there was an opportunity to start testing fruit for nutrient density. Still, he said that he was fully committed to seeing his Treaty project through to completion and so wasn’t currently wanting to get sidetracked with individual or industry-type projects.

Recently, I learned that John Kempf, founder of Advancing Eco Ag, has formed a partnership with Eric Smith, CEO of Edacious, both of the USA.

Together, they plan to explore how nutrient density testing empowers farmers to stand out in the marketplace, capture premiums, and deliver proof of food quality.

As Chair of Pomewest, I will be advocating that the Western Australian Apple and Pear industry would do well to get ahead of the curve and investigate the opportunity to carry out a pilot project to get a gauge of where our produce fits on the spectrum of nutritional value. Down the track, this may build on the benefits we have seen from our existing Quality Programme, which currently focuses on maturity testing. After all, an apple a day… keeps us in business.