At Coastal Roots Farm, our certified organic, regenerative farm serves as a living laboratory for soil health and regenerative agriculture research. Working alongside leading universities, research institutions, and nonprofit organizations, we're advancing climate-smart farming through field-based science and real-world application.
Together, we're generating research that strengthens agriculture, restores ecosystems, and helps scale regenerative solutions from our farm in Encinitas, California.
UC San Diego Soil Health Center
Coastal Roots Farm is partnered with UC San Diego's Soil Health Center at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, grounding regenerative agriculture in both science and lived practice. As interest in regenerative farming grows—and is increasingly scrutinized for unverified claims—this collaboration allows us to measure what truly matters.
Through weekly soil sampling and multiple crop successions, we are documenting healthier soils, reduced disease pressure, and fewer agricultural inputs. By pairing rigorous scientific research with place-based farming, we demonstrate that regeneration is not simply a label, but a long-term commitment to ecological health, resilience, and community nourishment.
What is the partnership studying?
- Weekly soil sampling across production fields
- Changes in soil biology, organic matter, and nutrient cycling
- Crop performance across multiple successions
- Disease suppression and overall soil health
- Reductions in fertilizer and other agricultural inputs
Why does this research matter?
Healthy soils produce healthier crops while storing carbon, improving water retention, reducing erosion, and increasing resilience to drought and extreme weather. Research like this helps demonstrate the measurable benefits of regenerative agriculture and provides data that can inform farming practices beyond Coastal Roots Farm.
How does this benefit the community?
Because Coastal Roots Farm is an active production farm, research findings can be applied immediately to improve food production, strengthen environmental stewardship, and increase the Farm's ability to grow and donate fresh organic produce to the community.
Foodshed
Healthy soil tells a story—and we're measuring it. In partnership with Foodshed, Coastal Roots Farm conducts weekly soil sampling to track how a decade of regenerative farming has transformed our land.
Once sandy, depleted soil now supports a thriving ecosystem that produces more than 80,000 pounds of certified organic produce each year while improving soil health and storing carbon. By documenting these changes over time, we're helping demonstrate how regenerative agriculture can restore landscapes, strengthen food systems, and build resilience for the future.
Salk Institute Fungal Peptide Study
Coastal Roots Farm partners with the Salk Institute to support research on CLE-16, a fungal peptide that strengthens the relationship between plants and beneficial soil fungi. These underground fungal networks extend far beyond plant roots, helping crops access water and nutrients more efficiently.
Understanding these natural processes could reduce agriculture's reliance on synthetic fertilizers and other chemical inputs. At Coastal Roots Farm, our certified organic, regenerative farming practices already prioritize healthy soil biology and integrated pest management, making the Farm an ideal place to explore nature-based solutions that benefit both people and the planet.
More Partners
Oath Soil Life
In 2023, Coastal Roots Farm was a site for an Oath pilot study that demonstrated broad efficacy in replenishing the soil microbiome.
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
Coastal Roots Farm works in partnership with UCANR on growing studies, localized trials of new crops, and as a subject matter expert on a panel.
Department of Pesticide Regulation
Coastal Roots Farm works with the Department of Pesticide Regulation on both the County and State level as a consultant, while maintaining compliance.
UC Center for Agricultural Innovation
Tomato trial