Grazing in Croplands
Generations of ripping up fence lines and filling in sloughs looks to be a thing of the past. Today, big money is heading towards livestock integration in crop rotations.
In some circles of the agriculture industry, the idea of going back to integrated farming systems is considered ‘impossible’, or ‘crazy’. This report dispels that myth by laying out the steps, economics, and long-term payoffs.
For sure, handling livestock isn’t for everyone. The challenges are as emotional as they are infrastructural… but so are the solutions.
The enticement for farms that implement managed grazing is curiosity. Those who deny the possibility and the profitability of integrated grazing are afraid of change. In the end, the ones that succeed are taken aback at the joy they find in working with nature and animals.
Generally speaking, turning a field from cropland into pasture involves these steps:
Install perimeter and cross fencing,
Create a plan to move the animals frequently,
Set up a watering system,
Acquire a herd or partner with a neighboring rancher,
Seed the field to a multi-species pasture mix.
Just like agronomists help grain farmers scout fields and make cropping decisions, grazing consultants can provide pasturing strategies… as well as forecast returns over multiple years. Tactical resources for fencing and plant species selection are available from salespeople. Again, just like in conventional agronomy, they make their expertise available to farmers as needed.
Along the way, there are lots of fun learning events to attend, such as this one happening tonight. It does not take long to build a peer network in regenerative agriculture, but typically, broadacre grain farmers need to step into a new community of practice to find the support needed to be successful.
How Does Grazing Cropland Pay Off?
It’s heavily subsidized.
It diversifies farm revenue into rent or livestock sales.
It avoids greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to nitrogen fertilizer.
It reduces future crop input requirements.
It contributes to high scores for carbon removal, biodiversity, and other ecosystems services.
Even though carbon markets are not well established today, they are coming… and will have a massive financial impact on production agriculture. Putting fields on a pathway of getting on the right side of the carbon equation is arguably the most important business risk management strategy facing farmers today.
More Resources
To understand more about the net positive climate impact of adaptive multi-paddock grazing, take a read through this research from the University of Alberta. Or, just watch the video below that spells out the benefits - not just to the soil - but to the farms’ profitability, and the health of rural communities.