Kiss the Ground study reveals momentum in the regenerative movement but disconnect within our food system

Kiss the Ground, a leading nonprofit promoting regeneration and healthy soil, has released the findings of its 2025 Research Study, revealing both promising growth in the regenerative movement and a critical disconnect within the food system.

Kiss the Ground partnered with a third-party research company to gauge public awareness of regenerative agriculture and the impact of the organization’s messages, surveying 2,101 U.S. adults.

Key findings:

• 8% of U.S. adults are aware of regenerative agriculture as a solution for the wellness, water, and climate crisis—up from 4% only 18 months ago.
• When grocery shopping, 74.16% of people place food with health benefits as highly important, indicating that wellness remains a top concern.
• Only 1 in 3 adults visited a farm or farmers market in the last year.
• Only 8% of adults talked to a farmer about food production.
• 58% of shoppers don’t read food labels, and more than 50% of those who do are confused after reading them.

“Our latest research validates that the regenerative movement is growing—and quickly,” says Evan Harrison, CEO of Kiss the Ground. The increase to 6.8% awareness indicates the movement is heading toward the tipping point, cited as 15–25% awareness by experts and defined by Malcolm Gladwell as the moment when an idea “crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.”

“At the same time,” Harrison continues, “we have work ahead [. . .] The persistent disconnect in our food system demands attention. We’re at a critical juncture where education and inspiration can catalyze a transformation in how we produce, consume, and think about food. This starts with awareness. We are committed to leading this change, turning the promise of regenerative agriculture into a reality for human and planetary health.”

Organic & Non-GMO Insights April 2025