Initial resistance perhaps comes from the implication that if your farm isn’t regenerative, it is degenerative – in other words, degrading the land and water.
However, the main reason there is resistance to RA is that it largely goes against the last 50 or so years of research and practice in farming in New Zealand. Modern livestock farms are very good at growing a lot of grass, often through the application of fertiliser and irrigation.
RA turns this on its head by introducing multi-species pastures, no-till, minimal fertiliser application, and a range of practices that focus on maximising soil health over pure output.
This clash between RA’s almost evangelical supporters and notoriously sceptical farming communities is something that will likely continue.