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How do you bridge the worlds of regenerative and commodity agriculture? Wendy Johnson, land steward, farmer, and owner of Jóia Food and Fiber Farm, joins Erin Axelrod to share her experience farming in northern Iowa while working across both regenerative and conventional agricultural systems. Drawing on her background in fashion, farming, and agricultural advocacy, Wendy reflects on how her journey reshaped her understanding of food, fiber, and the role agriculture can play in creating a more resilient future.

The conversation explores Wendy's transition back to her family farm, how regenerative grazing, perennial crops, and diversified farming support healthier ecosystems, and why food and fiber deserve equal attention in conversations about sustainability. Wendy also discusses the financial, policy, and infrastructure barriers that make regenerative farming difficult to scale, while explaining how partnerships and conservation programs can help support the transition to regenerative agriculture.

Along the way, Wendy offers an honest perspective on transitioning conventional farmland, the promise of perennial grains and regional supply chains, and why advocacy is essential for the future of agriculture. Discover how regenerative farming can reconnect people with the land and help cultivate healthier communities for generations to come.

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What You’ll Learn:

Discover how Wendy's journey from fashion to farming reshaped her understanding of food and fiber. [0:01:37]
Explore what a day at Jóia Food and Fiber Farm reveals about regenerative agriculture. [0:09:49]
Understand how funding, policy, and partnerships are shaping the future of regenerative agriculture. [0:15:33]
Learn what's needed to transition conventional farms to regenerative agriculture at scale. [0:23:52]
Discover why farmers, funders, consumers, and advocates all play a role in transforming agriculture. [0:33:00]

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Memorable Quotations:

“All around us is corn, and we're this little green island, 130 acres of regeneration.” — Wendy Johnson [0:11:29]

“We are 100% perennial, so that means we don't have a lot of annual crops like corn or soybeans.” — Wendy Johnson [0:12:49]

“The pillars of capital and infrastructure and policy and markets; all those things really need to fall in place for the type of agriculture that we're doing.” — Wendy Johnson [0:28:09]

“We are a part of an agricultural system, whether we think we are or we aren't. Every single one of us on planet Earth is.” — Wendy Johnson [0:33:28]

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Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Wendy Johnson – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-johnson-27b9777/

Jóia Food & Fiber Farm – Website: https://www.joiafoodfarm.com/

Fibershed – Website: https://fibershed.org/

Mad Agriculture – Website: https://madagriculture.org/

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) – Website: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/

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