Workshop: Beyond Sustainability – Beef in a New Agricultural Model

Presenter: Ridge Shinn, Farmer

Saturday, September 24; 1:00-3:00 PM
at All Souls UU Church, Greenfield,
399 Main Street (Rte 2A—Corner of Hope & Main, Across from the Public Library and Public Parking Lot, ( Exit 26 off I-91 )

Learn more about the grass-fed beef program Ridge is now developing
with Northeast farmers.

Although industrial meat production practices can be bad for the environment and human health, Ridge explains how new ways of grazing cattle and managing farmland will take carbon out of the atmosphere, concentrate it in the soil, restoring soil fertility and water-carrying capacity which can help grasses survive drought,
and provide healthy food for humans.

A report published on Sept. 30, 2015 compares the net climate effect of various strategies for grazing beef cattle in the Southern Great Plains, where one-third of the U.S cow-calf operations are located. The study, conducted by scientists from South Dakota University and Texas A&M, calculated both the emissions of methane from the animals’ digestive tracts and also the carbon sequestration occurring under the respective grazing scenarios as carbon is taken from the air and stored deep in the ground via photosynthesis and the action of soil microbes. Previous studies on beef production have generally omitted the carbon sequestration factor ,which mitigates the GHG emissions impact. The report concludes that rotational grazing, is the best option and farms employing this grazing strategy will likely be carbon sinks for decades.

Register administrator@uugreenfield.org
More info? Pam Kelly 413-475-3605