Fred Kirschenmann (born February 4, 1935) is an American professor, organic farmer, and a leader in the sustainable agriculture movement.
[6] In 1970, while working as an instructor and administrator at CHERS, he was struck by his student David Vetter's research showing how heavy doses of nitrogen fertilizer lead to the deterioration of soil.
Vetter found that the heavy use of chemical inputs in conventional farming created what he called a "chemical treadmill": "Farmers would use a pesticide, then find the next year that bugs had grown resistant, forcing them to resort to newer, more expensive products.
"[7][8][9][10] In 1976, after his father suffered a heart attack, Fred offered to move back to the farm, on the condition that he could run it organically.
[9] Once establishing his farm, Kirschenmann returned to academia and worked for several different nonprofit organizations in order to advance the cause of sustainable agriculture.
[13] He has been an advisor and been interviewed for several documentaries including American Meat, Symphony of the Soil,[14] and Dreaming of a Vetter World.