The Catalyst-Activated Cycle (CAC) establishes a regenerative systems framework that links soilborne disease suppression with measurable agronomic, economic, and environmental outcomes through controlled microbial renewal. Rather than sterilizing soil, CAC applies precision-timed catalysts—most effectively chloropicrin—to temporarily suppress pathogens and trigger a microbial reset, fostering rapid rebound of beneficial fungi and bacteria, improved root development, and yield stability. Across 24 replicated field trials in Maine, chloropicrin-based CAC treatments increased marketable yield of Russet Burbank potatoes by an average of 25.6 %, confirming both agronomic and economic scalability. By restoring productivity on existing acreage, CAC reduces land demand, input use, and emissions intensity, generating verifiable Avoided Emissions (AE) and long-term Sequestered Emissions (SE) through microbial necromass stabilization in mineral-associated organic matter. This first manuscript establishes the CAC’s biological foundation and introduces the Functional Resilience Quotient (FRQ) - a quantifiable measure of system recovery that underpins the Functional Sustainability Architecture developed in subsequent manuscripts.