Lynn Pledger: Cattle as global heroes?

Daniel Brown’s excellent Aug. 24 column outlined the perils of drought facing the U.S. Fortunately, some soil scientists, environmentalists, and farmers and ranchers around the country, have developed a way to protect water and other natural resources. This practical and proven methodology builds soil health through regenerative agriculture, particularly regenerative cattle grazing.

Wait— haven’t we heard for 50 years that cattle are the enemy? Yes, raising corn-fed cattle on feedlots drives climate change and is cruel to the animals. But now scientists know considerably more about soil, grassland ecology, and carbon sequestration than they did 50 years ago when the prevailing belief about cattle was formed. It is important for people to understand that a totally different approach to raising cattle can actually combat confounding global problems, including droughts and floods, climate change, nitrogen pollution, and world hunger.

How can a shift in farming methods achieve such dramatic results? By working with existing natural systems — not against them. Soils cover much of the planet and are the heart of this strategy. Regenerative grazing fosters abundant populations of beneficial soil microbes that restore soil structure and fertility in depleted farmland. This transformation is not just from cattle manure; it is brought about by chemical feedback mechanisms, one of which occurs when a cow takes a mouthful of grass. (For details, look up “how regenerative grazing increases soil microbes.”)

This science-based approach has been successful all over the U.S., including the arid Southwest. For example, conservations groups have thoroughly documented how regenerative practices at the Las Damas ranch restored a large swath of the Chihuahuan Desert to lush grasslands.

Anticipating two common questions: yes, we have enough acreage in the U.S. to feed cattle without cutting forests, and yes, this climate strategy addresses methane generation and nitrous oxide as well as carbon dioxide.

Some successful area farms have employed regenerative grazing for years. Wheelview Farm in Shelburne (which received the Aldo Leopold conservation award) and Freeman Farm in Heath are two examples. Their 100% grass-fed beef is in local markets.