Restoring the Range: Can Beef Be Earth-Friendly?


Mortenson Cattle Ranch in Hayes, South Dakota is redefining sustainability practices for cattle-raising farmers by using a model that restored the habitat, wildlife, and water sources on their land. Mimicking the habits of bison herds, the Mortensons use a technique called holistic range management to rotate their cattle's grazing areas, which increases distribution of wildflower and grass seeds, as well as planting trees and replenishing groundwater using dikes and dams. Having started this in the 1980s, 90% of their 19,000 acre property is back to native vegetation, and efforts are still ongoing.

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