Dale Caldwell on Agricultural Resilience and Rebuilding Rural America
In this powerful episode of North Georgia Business Radio, host Phil Bonelli sits down with Dale Caldwell, Executive Director of CFAR—the Center for Agricultural Resilience—to explore how regenerative farming isn’t just transforming land, but entire communities. Based at White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Georgia, CFAR is on a mission to educate individuals and organizations about sustainable, resilient agriculture practices that heal the land and reconnect people to their food.
Dale shares his inspiring journey from watershed protection with Georgia’s DNR to becoming CFAR’s first full-time executive director. He speaks candidly about the challenges of stepping into leadership, the learning curve of running a nonprofit, and the deep satisfaction that comes from mission-driven work. “Start before you’re ready,” he says—a mantra for anyone looking to make meaningful change.
CFAR, the educational arm of White Oak Pastures, offers hands-on workshops and internships that showcase regenerative techniques focused on environmental, economic, and social benefits. With programs like their partnership with the Hinterland Institute to help U.S. military veterans transition into farming, CFAR is redefining what it means to support rural resilience and national food security.
Phil and Dale dive deep into how industrial agriculture has created a fragile and disconnected food system. They highlight the critical need for decentralization and diversification to ensure long-term sustainability. Phil shares his own transformation—from banking executive to regenerative farmer at Hopewell Farms GA—after attending a CFAR workshop years ago. Now, he’s returning to co-facilitate future events, creating a full-circle moment in this movement for better food systems.
Listeners will gain practical insights into the impact of regenerative agriculture: from reducing chemical runoff and sequestering carbon, to building healthy soil and supporting local economies. Dale emphasizes that this is not about left or right—it’s about food security, environmental health, and bridging divides through common ground.
If you’re curious about how to make a real difference—whether in your diet, business, or community—this episode offers a hopeful, actionable path forward. As Dale and Phil remind us, the solutions are already here. We just need to lean in, learn, and support the farmers and organizations working to make it happen.
Learn more or get involved at thecfar.org.
Connect with Dale and the CFAR Team:
https://www.facebook.com/theCFAR
https://www.instagram.com/centerforagresilience
Connect with Phil Bonelli:
https://www.facebook.com/Hopewell-Farms-GA-105614501707618/
https://www.instagram.com/hopewellfarmsga/
https://www.hopewellfarmsga.com/
Connect with Beau Henderson:
https://www.facebook.com/RichLifeAdvisors
https://www.facebook.com/NorthGARadioX
This Segment Is Brought To You By Our Amazing Sponsors
Hopewell Farms GA
Roundtable Advisors
RichLife Advisors
Cadence Bank
Highlights of the Show:
00:30 – 02:03
Phil introduces CIFAR and guest Dale Caldwell, sharing how White Oak Pastures changed his farming journey.
02:16 – 03:09
Dale explains CIFAR’s mission to educate on resilient farming and its role as the educational arm of White Oak Pastures.
05:00 – 06:19
Dale discusses his leadership journey as CIFAR’s first executive director and lessons learned along the way.
06:19 – 07:00
CIFAR’s exciting new partnership with the Hinterland Institute to help veterans transition into regenerative agriculture.
11:54 – 13:09
Phil and Dale unpack the disconnect between consumers and their food, and how industrial ag created hidden costs.
15:14 – 15:56
The unintended consequences of post-WWII agriculture—and how regenerative farming flips the script.
22:46 – 24:26
How mission-driven collaboration sets regenerative farms apart—and how listeners can support through donations.
27:53 – 29:30
Dale and Phil share how a short film, 100,000 Beating Hearts, inspired them both to pursue regenerative agriculture.
32:18 – 33:08
Phil and Dale highlight how a decentralized food system improves national food security and economic resilience.
36:01 – 37:47
White Oak Pastures’ thriving performance during COVID proves the value of resilient, locally integrated farm systems.
39:35 – 40:15
A freestyle rap wraps the show with themes of inspiration, risk-taking, and stepping outside your comfort zone.
