Gabe and Shelly Brown and their son, Paul, have struck out a new path to long-profitability.

“Our goal is to capture a higher and higher percentage of the food dollar,” said Gabe of Brown’s Ranch, Bismarck, N.D. Gabe is one of the leading champions of regenerative agriculture — a series of practices such as no-till, cover crops and managed grasses that together regenerate the soil. He spoke at the recent Soil Health Summit: Regenerating Soil With Diversity, held in Bismarck.

Originally a traditional grain and cattle enterprise where they sold grain to elevators, beef calves to feeders, and bulls to other cattlemen, the Browns have switched to direct marketing food. They now sell-grade grains; grassfed beef and lamb; pasture raised pork, chickens and eggs; and pesticide-free vegetables, honey and fruit to about 8,000 customers.

Several other U.S. and Canadian farmers who spoke at the Soil Health Summit are involved in similar ventures.

“Are we capturing 100% of the consumer food dollar? No, but we are well-above 70% now,” Brown said.

The Browns went all-in on direct marketing because the more success they had improving the soil health, the more consumers were interested buying the food they produced.

Gabe said he  believes their food is more nutrient dense that what is produced in “commoditized, industrial” style agriculture. He cited studies that indicate food today has 15-65% lower mineral levels than food produced in the 1940s. The theory is that the difference is due to soil health.

LandStream, a consulting company, is conducting a $1.5-million study at the Brown’s Ranch to measure the gains the it has made in capturing carbon and increasing the nutrient density of the food it produces.

“Don’t tell me there is not money in production agriculture,” Brown said.  “There is not money in the commoditized, industrial type model, but there is money in production agriculture. … What you want to do is totally up to you, but this is how my family and I are moving down the path.”