By Sarah Zeiler and Christine Charles
In February 2026, Michigan State University Extension partnered with the MSU Center for Regenerative Agriculture to offer a special webinar series on regenerative agriculture. These sessions brought together farmers, educators and landowners who are interested in healthier soils, stronger farms and more resilient rural communities.
The series introduced six key principles that help guide regenerative agriculture. These principles focus on things like keeping living roots in the soil, minimizing soil disturbance, increasing plant diversity, integrating livestock, and understanding your unique farm context. One important message from the series was clear: regenerative agriculture is not “one size fits all.” Every farm is different. Climate, soil type, crops, livestock and personal goals all matter. The goal of the webinar series was not to tell farmers exactly what to do, but to share ideas, examples and research that can help guide decisions.
Cover crops in vineyards
Michela Centinari, an associate professor of viticulture at Penn State University, shared lessons from her research and Extension work with wine grape growers. Many vineyard growers are increasingly interested in using cover crops to improve soil health, reduce erosion and manage weeds.
In vineyards, cover crops grow alongside grapevines year after year. This makes them different from cover crops in annual row-crop systems. Because vines and cover crops share space, water and nutrients, careful planning is needed.
One key concept is dividing the vineyard floor into two zones:
- The inter-row area (between rows), where tractors drive and erosion often starts
- The under-vine area, where most vine roots are found
The inter-row area is considered lower risk and often the best place to start. Cover crops here can reduce erosion, improve water infiltration, and make it easier for equipment to move through the vineyard.
Under-vine cover crops are more advanced and require careful management. In high-vigor vineyards with fertile soil and plenty of water, under-vine grasses like fescue or plants like chicory can reduce the need for herbicides, improve soil structure, and increase soil life. However, in young vineyards or dry sites, these cover crops can compete too much with vines and reduce growth and yield.
Source : msu.edu