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If Ranching Wants To Survive Drought And Other Climate Hassles, It's Time To Show Soil Some Love

Michael Elizabeth Sakas

December 07, 2020 |

Colorado Public Radio |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Thanks to a microloan from a local nonprofit and a willingness to try a new approach, a ranching operation in Colorado has begun introducing regenerative agriculture practices in the form of carbon capture. Using "portable electric fences to keep their cattle moving," the farmers have been able to produce healthier soil which has promoted better grass growth. Although the practice has not caught on across the industry, "regenerative agriculture is considered an important climate solution."

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An unusual snack for cows, a powerful fix for climate

William Neff Tatiana Schlossberg

November 27, 2020 |

The Washington Post |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Prince Edward Island

A farmer on Prince Edward Island fed his cows seaweed and noticed that they produced more milk and had better pregnancy success. A study of his cows found that they also reduced methane emissions by about 18 percent, a decent amount that could be beneficial in combating climate change. The farmer is now part owner of North Atlantic Organics, which produces seaweed supplements for livestock. Now, other companies around the world are popping up to do the same thing and scale this climate solution.

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The Casino That Farms Its Own Food

Hannah Wallace

November 26, 2020 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Quapaw, Oklahoma

The Quapaw tribe runs the Downstream Casino Resort in Oklahoma where they combine Indigenous food and farming knowledge with modern hotel operations. They have seven greenhouses and two gardens with 20 varieties of vegetables and herbs that cultivate about 6,000 pounds of food per year for the hotel and casino. They also have their own meat packing and processing plant, coffee roasting program, brewery, and farmers market. By creating a system of locally sourced and sustainably raised food, the Quapaw are reclaiming their land and food sovereignty.

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S.D. farmers raise 'heritage' turkeys to preserve ancient breeds and meet growing consumer demand

Mark Andersen

November 24, 2020 |

South Dakota News Watch |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, South Dakota

A band of farmers in South Dakota are reviving “heritage turkeys,” an ancient breed of turkeys that went nearly extinct in the 1990s. There can be a learning curve and upfront costs when working with heritage turkeys, but because of efforts nationwide, the breeding stock of these creatures went from 1,335 in 1997 to 14,000 by 2016. The farmers are breeding, raising, and selling these turkeys as part of the farm-to-table movement, but they’re also working to preserve the critically endangered breed.

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The Small Goat Breed That's a Star of Urban Farms

Chris Malloy

November 24, 2020 |

Atlas Obscura |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Denver, Colorado

Nigerian Dwarf goats can be a viable livestock option for people who want to engage in urban farming. Cities across the United States — like Phoenix, Austin, Pittsburgh, and San Diego — are making it easier to keep goats, which can provide financial boons for urban farmers through cheesemaking and even enhance the farm’s ecosystem by using its manure as fertilizer.

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How effective are China's attempts to reduce the risk of wildlife spreading disease to humans?

Michael Standaert

November 05, 2020 |

Ensia |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: China, Shebu, Guangdong

In order to get a handle on the spread of COVID-19, and to prevent future zoonotic disease outbreaks, China introduced temporary regulations banning commercial breeding of wildlife for meat consumption. These have hit farmers hard, with at least 20,000 farming operations shutting down by the end of February. With the bans on their way to fully becoming a law, local governments are trying to provide training and loans to help farmers transition to new products, but some claim the process is slow and doesn’t go far enough to prevent the breeding of the banned creatures for fur farming and traditional medicine.

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Wacky tube men could keep dingoes away from livestock in Australia

Max G. Levy

October 20, 2020 |

Science Magazine |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Australia, Melbourne

Those wacky waving inflatable tube men normally seen outside car dealerships may also have a dual purpose: stopping wild dingoes from killing livestock. Inspired by a similar attempt in Oregon, scientists tested the approach in Australia, where nine of the 12 dingoes ran away in fear after seeing the tube man compared with a control group. While some conservationists aren’t convinced that the tube men are a practical solution, it could be combined with other methods to protect livestock in the Outback.

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Study Finds Painting Eyes On Cows' Butts Can Save Their Lives

Lulu Garcia-Navarro

August 23, 2020 |

NPR |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: Botswana

As a way to prevent livestock from being attacked by predators and to decrease conflict between farmers and big cats, a pair of conservation biologists painted eyes on the backsides of cattle to fool carnivores during their hunt. A study in Botswana showed that cows painted with artificial eyes on their behinds tricked predators into thinking they’ve been seen by their prey. While it’s not a perfect protection method for cattle, over the four years of the study, none of the cows with the colorful posteriors were killed compared with control groups.

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Is the way cattle are grazed the key to saving America's threatened prairies?

Lynne Curry

August 19, 2020 |

The Guardian |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oregon

An unlikely partnership between ranchers and conservationists is working together to protect grassland biodiversity on the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve in Oregon. The Nature Conservancy has cultivated relationships with landowners in the area to promote sustainable grazing practices. While some ranchers are skeptical about the organization’s intentions in the area, one rancher says they are “a good neighbor” and because of his alliance with the nonprofit, his pastures have consistently achieved good ratings over the years.

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Raising Nature on Florida Ranchlands

Virginia Gewin Carlton Ward Jr.

August 11, 2020 |

bioGraphic |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Florida

Ranchers and conservationists in Florida are working together to lobby for policies that preserve their farmland, protect wildlife species, and conserve water instead of turning it over to be developed. The Sunshine State has experimented with conservation incentive programs like payments for panther habitat restoration, reimbursements for livestock losses, and water storage projects but most of these programs have had mixed success and are often underfunded.

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