Current estimates suggest that Europe may have lost as much as 90% of its insects over the last century. Dave Goulson is a professor of biology at the University of Sussex and one of Europe’s leading experts on insect ecology. He has spent the better part of three decades studying bee populations, the drivers of insect decline, and the relationship between the way we farm and the health of the ecosystems that farming depends on.

His latest book, Eat the Planet Well, published this month, turns that lens onto our plates, examining the environmental and health costs embedded in the food we buy, and offering a clear-eyed guide to navigating a system that is, as he puts it, not one anyone would have designed from scratch.

In this episode of What The Field?!, we spoke to Dave about how insects underpin the food chain most of us take for granted, and about why the prognosis — despite everything — is not entirely bleak. There is, he argues, a great deal that individuals and communities can do, and insect populations, unlike pandas or rhinos, can recover quickly when given the conditions to do so.

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The meat debate is often stuck in extremes. In this episode, we spoke with farmers Benedikt Bösel (Gut&Bösel) and Alfonso Chico de Guzmán (La Junquera) about what it really means, in practice, to raise a cow — and to slaughter one. That uncomfortable line between integrating livestock to rebuild ecosystems… and killing and selling animals for profit.

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Blog: https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/

What if the future of farming was not only better for biodiversity and soil health, but also a smarter long-term investment?
In this episode of What The Field?!, we sit down with Alessia Lenders, Head of Impact at SLM Partners, a pioneering investment firm proving that ecological farming and solid financial performance can go hand in hand.

Alessia’s journey into regenerative agriculture did not begin in the fields but in the world of traditional finance. Searching for investment solutions that could genuinely improve biodiversity, she found herself returning again and again to agriculture: one of the biggest drivers of environmental degradation, but also one of the greatest opportunities for change.

Today, SLM Partners manages more than 760 million dollars in farmland and forestland across the United States, Australia and Europe. Their approach is simple yet radical: invest in land, partner with skilled farmers, and scale regenerative systems that rebuild soil, protect water and secure long-term productivity.

What you will discover in this episode

1. The economic logic behind regenerative agriculture

Alessia explains why long-term, patient capital fits naturally with regenerative transitions: healthier soils, more diverse revenue streams (including carbon projects in Australia) and more climate-resilient farms. Far from being a financial compromise, regenerative systems can improve profitability by reducing input costs, stabilising yields and tapping into premium and organic markets.

2. Why investors are turning to farmland

Farmland behaves differently from stocks and bonds, which makes it an attractive diversifier for institutional investors. SLM adds another layer: regenerative farms that can outperform conventional systems over the long term while delivering measurable environmental impact.

3. The crucial role of the farmer

SLM’s model is farmer first. They partner with experienced growers who want to expand but lack the capital to acquire land. SLM buys the land, the farmer manages it and both commit to a regenerative transition adapted to local realities. The result is a partnership that supports young farmers, protects landscapes and proves that ecological agriculture can scale.

4. A clearer picture through data

From soil microbiology to water modelling, biodiversity indicators and carbon estimates, SLM collects an extraordinary amount of data to understand and communicate how landscapes change over time. This allows them to build business models that anticipate droughts, evaluate water security and verify real ecological outcomes.

5. Regenerative agriculture is not one size fits all

Whether transitioning almond orchards in Spain, grasslands in Australia or mixed farms in the United States, SLM adapts regenerative principles to each context. For some farms, the target is organic certification. For others, it is a regenerative outcome-based approach focused on soil health, biodiversity and long-term resilience.

This episode goes deeper than we ever have into the financial mechanics behind regenerative agriculture. It is a rare look at how capital, ecology and farming come together to build food systems that work for both people and the planet.

If you have ever wondered whether regenerative agriculture really adds up financially, ecologically or both, this is the conversation you will not want to miss.

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Blog: https://www.crowdfarming.com/blog/en/