By Ken Roseboro
Kiss the Ground, an organization focused on advancing regenerative agriculture, recently released a comprehensive national study revealing an acceleration in how Americans view their food.
Consumer understanding of regenerative agriculture has grown from 7% to 13% in just 12 months. The quantitative study of more than 2,000 U.S. adults indicates that awareness and understanding are on the cusp of breaking through to the mainstream.
The regenerative movement is accelerating
The data shows a clear, compounding upward trajectory. In 2023, only 4% of Americans had a working understanding of regenerative agriculture–holistic farming practices that aim to restore soil health, enhance biodiversity, with benefits for climate and wellness. That number ticked up to 7% in 2025. Now, that growth has surged to 13% of the total U.S. population. Furthermore, 1 in 4 Americans (25%) have now heard the term “regenerative farming,” with 37% of those individuals identifying as “very” or “extremely” familiar with it.
Personal health is the primary driver
The survey indicates that the path to widespread adoption of regenerative practices relies on a “me-first” mindset. For three consecutive years, personal health benefits (72%) and food freshness (76%) completely outranked broader indicators like environmental concerns (32%) as the primary motivators for grocery shoppers.
While shopping, 30% of Americans state their top priority is securing more nutrients. This direct link between soil health and human health has gone from niche to an undeniable market force. While not yet entirely mainstream, the momentum is clear: the modern shopper is beginning to make a “soil-to-health” connection.
Label confusion and knowledge gap
While consumer intent is high, the current U.S. food system’s communication mechanics are causing confusion.
Sixty-percent of consumers actively read food labels, yet 66% report confusion. Ambiguous, unregulated marketing terms like “fresh” and “natural” continue to muddy the waters, routinely outperforming regulated terms.
Crucially, the primary barrier to adoption isn’t economic. When asked why they do not buy regenerative products more often, 45% of respondents stated they simply “don’t know enough yet,” while a mere 12% blamed pricing. The data says the market is ready to pay for quality; they just lack the clarity to do so.
Early momentum for shopping shift
A distinct and growing segment of the population is seeking out transparency directly at the source. Over half of U.S. adults (52%) state it is important to know their food’s origin. Signaling early momentum for local food systems, 31% of Americans purchased directly from a farmer in the past year, and 18% engaged in direct conversations with producers about how their food was grown.
“We all want to maximize our health and enjoy food. Now, the connection to how and where the food is produced is growing meaningfully,” said Evan Harrison, CEO of Kiss the Ground.
The full Kiss the Ground survey can be accessed at this link: