American farmers are at a crossroads and regional researchers are out with new information about certain practices they said could boost struggling operations and help the environment.

A new study showed regenerative agriculture can be profitable and help reverse climate change. The Ecdysis Foundation, based in the Dakotas, said soil on participating farms captures 39% more carbon than on traditional farms, leading to more biodiversity and healthier food.

Jonathan Lundgren, executive director of the foundation, said if North American producers fully embraced strategies like cover crops, it would capture and store one to two years of annual greenhouse gas emissions.

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"When you compare that to the next technological solution, the results of those other solutions are laughable compared to what our food system is capable of," Lundgren asserted.

The study found crop yields on regenerative farms match national averages for traditional row crops and the profit potential can be greater. Farm associations have widely shared the economic struggles facing farmers today, including higher input costs. Researchers studied crop farms in North and South Dakota and several other states, as well as two Canadian provinces.

While some farmers have latched onto the movement, others worry about the up front costs. And federal assistance programs often have to turn away applicants due to funding gaps.

Lundgren called the study a game changer and stressed it touches many sectors of society, including consumers, policymakers, conservationists, the healthcare industry and the media.

"Regenerative ag is a cultural shift that ends up simultaneously solving so many of the problems that we're facing right now," Lundgren contended.

Meanwhile, other regenerative practices include no-till farming and rotational grazing for livestock. The study is published in the August issue of the journal "Environmental Research: Food Systems."