Against the Herd

Presented by the Western Landowners Alliance and Range Revolution

Almost a century of overgrazing and neglect has degraded much of America’s public lands, but Cottonwood Ranch has discovered that cattle can actually be the key to restoring our rangelands. Now the Smith family must convince legislators and regulators that cows aren't always eco-villains, or they’re sure to lose their land.

Agricultural subsidies are killing Americans and fueling the climate crisis. A new Farm Bill should promote production of food that is good for both consumers and the planet

By Dr. Logan Harper

American life expectancy is falling further behind that of other wealthy countries. Many factors account for this trend, but our increasing consumption of ultra-processed food plays a major role in early and preventable deaths. U.S. agriculture subsidies encourage the production of commodity crops like corn and soybeans, which are mostly made into processed foods or used for animal feed and biofuel production.

Meanwhile, the relative lack of subsidies for healthy crops like fruits and vegetables means that farmers are economically discouraged from growing them. This wreaks havoc on Americans’ health by promoting the production and consumption of unhealthy food, but it also perpetuates a series of environmental harms that adversely impact human health, including the rapidly worsening climate crisis.

The Farm Bill, which expires this year, offers a necessary opportunity to repair our food system, improve human health, and address the climate crisis head on, all while providing stronger economic support to small and independent farmers.

As a family physician, one of my most important jobs is to teach patients how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Various national and international dietary guidelines, including those from the American Heart Association and the EAT Lancet Commission, call for more consumption of whole and plant-based foods, while also urging reduced intake of red meat, dairy, and ultra-processed foods. I constantly stress the importance of these changes to my patients, but our food system makes for an uphill battle. Many of my younger patients grew up with a diet consisting largely of processed foods. Even for teenagers and young adults, these deeply ingrained habits begin to take a serious physical toll, leading to various chronic diseases including obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes at shockingly young ages.

Marginalized communities bear the greatest health burden from the current U.S. food system. Black and Hispanic households experience food insecurity at more than twice the rate of white households. Importantly, food insecurity does not simply denote a lack of access to sufficient calories, but rather, a lack of access to food that is both nutritious and affordable. For example, people living in food deserts may be surrounded by ultra-processed foods from fast food restaurants and convenience stores, while the nearest produce aisle sits miles away. Moreover, BIPOC and Hispanic Americans have higher rates of diabetes than white people; Black people consistently have the highest rates of hypertension of any racial group; and, women with low levels of education and income are more likely to have obesity.

All of these chronic conditions increase the risk of climate-related health impacts. For example, people with diabetes and obesity are more prone to heat illness, both heat and poor air quality can worsen heart disease, and those with chronic disease are especially vulnerable during natural disasters, which frequently block access to medication, dialysis, and other essential forms of health care.

The U.S. food system is also a major driver of climate change, which leading medical journals have called the single greatest public health threat to humanity. A recent analysis by the Harvard Center for Health Law and Policy found that one-third of U.S. greenhouse emissions come from agriculture. Not only do agricultural practices contribute to planet-warming pollution, they also pose additional environmental health risks, including human exposure to infectious diseases such as E. coli and bird flu, increasing rates of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, air and water pollution, and the erosion and degradation of topsoil, which will make it even harder to produce enough food in the face of climate change.

The U.S. agriculture industry must continue to supply abundant and affordable food to the nation and the world, but it also must adapt to confront the twin threats of the obesity epidemic and climate change. A new Farm Bill can facilitate this transition with a few key provisions.mmodity crops with a relatively high carbon footprint, creating economic incentives to use them for the production of ultra-processed food and animal feed, thereby leading to cheaper carbon-intensive animal products like beef and dairy. These foods tend tobe high in calories, sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, all of which are associated with adverse health impacts such as diabetes, heart disease, and premature death.

Meanwhile, the healthiest foods — such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils — receive minimal subsidies and are therefore artificially more expensive for consumers compared to less healthy options.

A new Farm Bill can also shrink our carbon footprint by providing better funding for conservation programs, shifting agricultural subsidies so that payouts are not tied to crop production, realigning agricultural insurance policies to encourage climate- and water-smart practices, and funding further research into new low carbon farming technology.

Inevitably, any version of the Farm Bill that includes the above provisions will be accused of further hindering the prosperity of rural America and sacrificing the American farmer at the expense of meeting climate goals. This is a common but disingenuous argument that fails to account for who currently benefits from agricultural subsidies. In fact, the largest and wealthiest farms, most of which grow commodity crops, are by far the biggest beneficiaries of current subsidies. Farmers of color, new farmers, and those growing fruits and vegetables tend to receive a very small slice of the pie. The new Farm Bill should shift subsidies from wealthy, corporate farms toward small, independent growers, while also improving Americans’ health and fighting climate change.

Doctors and climate scientists have been sounding simultaneous alarms for decades. The twin crises of diet-related chronic disease and climate change are both taking a serious toll on our health, and are set to worsen without urgent, large-scale changes in government policy. In both cases, the onus is too often placed on individuals to eat a better diet and take personal action to limit their carbon footprint, but it is past time we recognize the need for systemic change.

The Farm Bill is typically renegotiated every five years, creating high stakes and long-term impacts from each new version. We cannot risk waiting until 2029 for policies that facilitate a green, healthy, and just transition away from a food system that harms our health and accelerates climate change.

Logan Harper, M.D., is a family physician with expertise in climate and health policy who lives and works in Denver, Colorado. This article was originally published in STAT, a journal reporrting on the frontiers of health and medicine, on October 28, 2024.

Do We Need a Wake-up Call?

By Craig Madsen

My wife and I traveled to New Zealand and Australia this December. We had a great time seeing some beautiful landscapes and fascinating wildlife. As part of our journey, I spent a week with around 40 farmers and agronomists attending Graeme Sait’s Nutrition Farming Class.

One of my takeaways from the class: Is science asking the right questions? Is it looking for better ways to collaborate with the natural system and address the underlying causes of the problems, or is it merely addressing symptoms that stem from past decisions? One agronomist sitting next to me in the class has been working in the field for over 20 years, and he mentioned that it’s time to rethink our approach to agriculture. Graeme Sait emphasized that it’s time for a wake-up call.

What are the signs telling us about the management of our agricultural lands?

• Studies estimate that since the advent of intensive agriculture, U.S. cropland soils have lost 50-70% of their original organic carbon content.

• Herbicide-resistant weeds – over 70 species in the United States

• Increased disease and insect pressure on crops

• Increased use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides

• Water quality issues related to erosion and leaching of synthetic fertilizers

• Another issue is the declining nutrient density of our food.

How do we counteract these issues? Healthy plants need and create healthy soil.

• Stop treating symptoms – treat the underlying cause.  Insects and disease are symptoms of an unhealthy plant – Ask - What does the plant need to be healthy? Not how to kill the pest.

• Work with the natural processes versus fighting them.

• Understand the impact of your management decisions on soil biology. 

• Test your soil and plant to understand the chemistry and biology. Remember that biology drives chemistry. A biologically active soil can overcome many issues related to imbalances in chemistry. For example, fungi can break bonds that tie up phosphorous. Fungi and bacteria also produce chitinase, which dissolves chitin, which makes up the bodies of fungi and insects. If allowed to function, the soil biome works to create a balance.

• Two of the many critical roles of a farmer are to manage gas exchange (are your soils breathing) and chlorophyll management (how well are plants capturing the free energy of sunlight).

• Two key ratios that help a farmer are the Calcium-to-magnesium ratio (you need to know your base saturation levels in your soil) and the fungal-to-bacteria ratio.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Calcium to Magnesium ratio

• Adequate calcium levels are necessary to allow the soil to breathe. The most important nutrient for plant and soil health is not nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or calcium; it is oxygen. The higher the clay content in the soil, the more calcium is needed to separate the clay so that the soil can breathe. Microbes, like us, need oxygen to survive, and they produce CO2. For sandy soils, a Ca:Mg ratio of 3:1 is ideal, 5:1 for silt soils, and 7:1 for heavy clay soils. This is a target to aim for, not an absolute goal.

• Calcium is also essential for the absorption of minerals that affect chlorophyll density and, consequently, the rate of photosynthesis. An insufficient or excessive amount of calcium can lead to deficiencies in other minerals.

• Calcium and boron are important in cell wall strength. Together, they form a protective armor-like substance that increases resilience against disease and insects.

• Boron levels are essential for calcium absorption.

• Do not want to forget about magnesium, as it is the centerpiece of chlorophyll.

Fungal to Bacterial Ratio

• Fungi

o   Decompose more complex carbon compounds like lignin and cellulose.

o   Release acids that break the bonds, making minerals such as phosphorus and zinc accessible to plants.

o   Mycorrhizal fungi penetrate plant roots, creating a synergistic relationship with them. The plants release exudates that nourish bacteria and fungi, while the soil’s biology provides minerals, water, and essential compounds for plant growth and protection. Mycorrhizal fungi hyphae can increase the surface area of roots by up to ten times, enhancing access to nutrients like phosphorus, zinc, and iron. They also shield the roots from pathogens, including fungi and insects.

o   Fungi release compounds that bind small soil particles into larger aggregates, forming pore spaces for water storage and gas exchange, enabling the soil to breathe.

o   The liquid carbon pathway is the quickest method for building organic matter in soils. Plants transfer solar energy from their leaves to nourish soil biology through root exudates. Fungi are essential contributors to the liquid carbon pathway and the long-term storage of carbon in the soil. They create humus, a stable carbon compound, and form aggregates where carbon is safeguarded for microbes. Humus can remain in the soil for 100 to over 1,000 years.

• Bacteria

o   Break down simple organic compound materials with lower carbon and higher nitrogen levels.

o   Packages of nutrients that play a key role in the soil food web – food for protozoa, nematodes

o   Form small aggregates

o   Produce compounds that can protect the plant, such as antibiotics and growth-promoting compounds

o   There are free-living bacteria in the soil that fix nitrogen (another reason for well-aerated soil – 78% of the atmosphere is nitrogen) and others that excrete acids or produce enzymes that make phosphorous, zinc, and iron available.

• ·Fungal to Bacteria Ratio

o   This ratio impacts the types of plants that grow in the soil.

o   Bacteria-dominated soil – annuals and plants that low organic matter

o   Bacteria-dominated soil – less pore space, more prone to cap over, higher risk of erosion, high carbon plant material does not break down well, nutrients less available

o   High fungal component – trees – Where do you go mushroom hunting?

o   Native grassland has a fungal-to-bacteria ratio close to 1:1. Cropland should also have a 1:1 ratio.

The Ecdysis Foundation has been conducting soil sampling across the United States. Below is a figure showing the fungal-to-bacteria ratios on one farm, along with the ratios for wheat and averages for cropland in Washington State, as well as the national average. The low fungal-to-bacteria ratio is a strong indicator of how our management affects soil biology. In the next article, we will discuss some options for improving this situation.

Ruminating Magic: Harnessing Livestock to Manage Plant Species and Restore Landscapes

By Madison Throop

Across the globe, holistic livestock management has demonstrated remarkable potential in regenerating degraded landscapes. Figures like Alejandro Carillo in Chihuahua, Mexico, and Allan Savory in Africa have shown how strategic grazing practices can restore soil health, promote biodiversity, and combat desertification. These stories highlight the transformative power of ruminants when managed with care and intention.

In the Western United States, this potential is being harnessed to address invasive species like cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Known for its aggressive growth and ability to outcompete native plants, cheatgrass also poses a serious fire risk due to its early-season drying and high fuel loads. While traditional control methods often fall short, innovative approaches using grazing livestock are proving effective not only in managing cheatgrass but also in seeding native and beneficial plants into the landscape.

A recent study published in ScienceDirect revealed that ruminants can reduce the viability of cheatgrass seeds, which is key in mitigating the spread of this invasive species. The study focused on the ruminal incubation of cheatgrass seeds, showing that the longer the seeds remained in the rumen, the less likely they were to germinate. After just 36 hours in the rumen, nearly all the seeds lost their ability to germinate. This indicates that grazing can help reduce the cheatgrass seed bank, especially if ruminants graze strategically during vulnerable times.

In particular, fall-collected cheatgrass seeds exhibited a delayed response to microbial degradation, meaning they remained viable for a longer period than spring-collected seeds. This finding suggests that grazing in the fall, when seeds are most vulnerable, can significantly decrease cheatgrass seed viability and prevent its spread across landscapes.

In addition to controlling invasive species like cheatgrass, ruminants can help regenerate native pastures. Rancher Graeme Finn, in an article from BeefResearch.ca, uses a strategy of feeding legume seeds, such as sainfoin and alfalfa, to his cattle throughout the year. The seeds are mixed with the cattle’s mineral supplements, which helps distribute them across pastures naturally as the cattle graze. Finn has observed significant success with this strategy, noting that legumes like sainfoin have begun to appear in pastures where they had not been planted mechanically. “Last year, I went out with the quad to spray some thistle and toadflax in one bush area and I had to quit,” says Finn. “There was so much sainfoin coming in among the grass I stopped because I didn’t want to spray it out.” This natural distribution method is particularly effective in areas where mechanical seeding would be impractical or impossible.

Finn’s approach relies on feeding raw, untreated seed to cattle, ensuring that the seeds maintain their viability after passing through the animals’ digestive systems. This system provides a low-cost, sustainable method of renewing pastures over time. While this is a slow process, it’s an effective way to gradually spread beneficial plants and encourage the regeneration of degraded land.

Research also supports Finn’s approach. Studies show that hard seeds like those of sainfoin and other legumes can pass through the rumen and establish themselves in pastures. “Planning to have cattle distribute seed is part of a well-managed grazing system,” says Finn’s collaborator, Lastikwa. By incorporating seed distribution into a grazing plan, land managers can increase plant diversity and soil health over time without relying on expensive or damaging practices like tilling or chemical treatments.

The benefits of these grazing strategies extend beyond just weed control. By strategically managing grazing periods and timing, land managers can restore plant communities and improve soil health. Cattle can help manage grasses like cheatgrass, while sheep and goats are particularly effective at controlling broadleaf weeds and invasive shrubs. This integrated approach fosters more diverse and resilient plant communities, benefiting both the land and the livestock.

Ruminants are far more than just livestock; they are ecological stewards capable of driving lasting environmental change. From reducing the viability of cheatgrass seeds through ruminal digestion to naturally seeding landscapes with legumes like sainfoin, livestock play an integral role in restoring degraded ecosystems.

As the ScienceDirect study demonstrates, strategic grazing can drastically reduce invasive seed banks, particularly when timed to coincide with the vulnerability of species like cheatgrass. Meanwhile, innovative practices such as those employed by rancher Graeme Finn highlight how cattle can help regenerate pastures by spreading beneficial seeds in areas where mechanical seeding isn’t feasible.

With thoughtful management, these practices pave the way for healthier, more resilient landscapes. Ruminants, when treated as partners in land stewardship, truly embody a form of "ruminating magic," turning challenges like invasive species and soil degradation into opportunities for renewal and growth. This hopeful approach invites land managers, ranchers, and conservationists to harness the power of livestock to create thriving ecosystems for generations to come.

References

- ScienceDirect. (2024). "In situ ruminal incubation of cheatgrass seeds: Effects on seed germination." ScienceDirect. Retrieved from [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190052824000269](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190052824000269)

- BeefResearch.ca. (2024). "Let Cattle Do the Seeding." Beef Research. Retrieved from [https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/let-cattle-do-the-seeding/](https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/let-cattle-do-the-seeding/)

Madison Throop