Our Story

Living Roots Ag is dedicated to empowering farmers, ranchers, land managers, and corporations worldwide to understand, adopt, and quantify the benefits of sustainable and regenerative farming practices. Our mission focuses on building soil health, enhancing ecosystem services, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, boosting farm/ranch profitability and improving both food quality and consumer health. Through innovative solutions and expert guidance, we aim to transform agricultural practices, promoting long-term sustainability and profitability for our clients and partners.

Tom Lawler grew up on a family farm in northwest Iowa. His journey in soil health began in 2007 with high school soil judging competitions through the FFA. His passion grew as God unfolded numerous opportunities, including competing for Iowa State University, where he placed second in the national soil judging contest in 2012. While in graduate school, he co-coached the ISU team from 2014 to 2016. Tom continued to work for the department until 2018 helping teach introduction to soil science and conducting international research with his mentor and major professor. During this time, a slow shift in the Agronomy department's focus moved towards plant breeding and genetics, Tom remained dedicated to soil science.

The Turning Point

In 2018, Tom joined Indigo Ag, fully immersing himself in the growing field of soil health. This pivotal moment allowed him to engage with leading regenerative farmers across the United States, expand his network and knowledge, and develop a profound passion and focus for scaling sustainable farming practices.

A mild stroke in 2019, at age 29, underscored for him the vital link between soil health and human health. This moment fortified his belief that food is in fact medicine and nutritional density of the food we eat has major ramifications over the short term and long term.

"When we view soil as living organism and steward it in a way that focuses on life, the benefits are multiplied on many different levels."

Our Expertise and Mission

Living Roots Ag was born from this deep-rooted passion. We began helping farmers in 2022 and expanded to support corporations in 2024. Tom has worked as an agronomist, regenerative ag specialist, agronomic product manager, and senior sustainability scientist, gaining valuable skills in each role.

Positioned at the forefront of ag tech, sustainability, and farm profitability, our team brings a wealth of experience in developing tailored solutions—whether mechanical, digital, biological, or chemical—to meet the diverse needs of farmers, ranchers, corporations, and governmental bodies.

We are committed to guiding, educating, advising, and partnering with you to achieve your goals in soil health and sustainability. Contact us today to learn how we can help you succeed.

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Our Values

Faithful Presence:
- We uphold the value of maintaining a faithful presence in our community. This means taking time to meet others where they are, volunteering in local schools, and serving our communities and churches.
Learning Mindset:
- Continuous and hands-on learning are essential tools for reaching one's objectives. We believe all questions are good questions, and learning looks different for each client. We live by the motto, "If you don't know, please ask."
Community Based:
- The agricultural industry is a tight-knit community. We are interdependent, and having communities of like-minded farmers and industry representatives is vital for the successful adoption of regenerative farming practices. We work to connect people and believe community is a necessary ingredient for success.
Integrity:
- Everyone is created with intrinsic value and deserves respect. We hold to this conviction by being earnest in our actions.
Honest:
- Being fully honest is not always easy, but it is the foundation upon which trust is built. Regardless of the client, we have your best interests in mind and will provide honest and empathetic feedback to help you reach your goals.
Climate Conscious:
- We believe people have been given the privilege to steward creation. To us, this stewardship means leaving the earth in as good or better condition for generations to come.
Empathetic:
- Everyone comes from different backgrounds, and understanding how each person thinks creates an environment where we can learn together. This allows for safe, honest, and respectful dialogue, even in areas of disagreement.

Our Team

Meet Us

Tom Lawler is the President and owner of Living Roots Ag. When he's not serving his clients, he enjoys spending time with his family, being outside in God's creation, farming, hiking, reading, and mentoring.

Tom Lawler