Effectiveness and feasibility of regenerative agricultural practices in the root vegetable sector in the UK

Regenerative agriculture (RA) offers a holistic framework for restoring soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and increasing the resilience of food systems. While RA principles have gained traction globally, their adoption in root vegetable systems, especially within the UK, remains limited and fragmented. Root crops like potatoes and sugar beet pose unique challenges for RA due to their intensive soil disturbance and high input demands. This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of regenerative practices in root crop production in the UK, with a focus on identifying barriers to adoption and context-specific adaptations. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a survey of 57 RA practices and semi-structured interviews with root crop experts, including farmers, agronomists, and industry stakeholders. Practices such as nutrient budgeting, diversified rotations, hedgerows, and legume-rich leys were consistently rated high in both effectiveness and feasibility, whereas no-till systems, agroforestry, and biostimulants showed high variability or limited applicability in the root crop context. Findings from the interviews highlighted major barriers, including high transition costs, yield risks, insufficient or inconsistent government support and lack of market rewards. However, opportunities were also identified in supportive policy payments, supermarket-led sustainability pricing and assurance schemes, technological innovation, farmer-led experimentation, and knowledge transfer. The study concludes that RA holds substantial potential in the root vegetable sector, but widespread adoption will require targeted interventions at farm, market, and policy levels. By bridging empirical knowledge with farmers’ experiences, the research provides insights that can contribute to the discussion on the UK’s agricultural policy and guide initiatives such as Waitrose and Partners’ Farming for Nature programme towards practical, scalable sustainability in agriculture.