Thank you for taking the time to elaborate your answer and yes, I agree on your terms and data. To my understanding holistically planned grazing has different potential then the industrial agricultural complex (large industrial feed lots, dairy and pig operations) also accounted for in the data in your reference [0].
Grazing operations can of course differ, but regenerative agriculture and HM are tools which can be used for the betterment of carbon-, nutrient and the water cycle. All tools can be used wrong and therefore cause harm.
I agree that industrial agriculture has gotten out of the planetary boundaries and according to this study actually the contributing factor transgressing 5 boundaries. [1]
There is no ecosystems without animals and we will have to steward the rewilding of things, over time restoring ecosystem. I am aware of the size needed, I am working with this professionally, the natural hydrology needs vast areas to function properly.
We are trying to set the right boundaries in the Anthropocene, agriculture is a vital part of this, I guess my argument is that agriculture can be the segway for stewarding the naturebased inititatives on the vast areas. Regenerative agriculture as an output orientated and holistic approach can function as the middle way granting us a planetary healthy diet [2] (mainly plantbased) and leave room for healthy ecosystem. So much work to do, it's important to recognize the conversion loss as you are stating in animal based nutrients. We can spare a lot of land changing our diets, but we need animals in the landscape to disturb the biological succession of ecosystem. Grass is a great perennial crop.
I will put no arguments forward maintaining the exaggerated industrial agricultural complex, besides we need a fair exit plan for all the involved people. We are only practicing for the much larger exit plan for petrol states.
Myshpa, I am a farmer. The livestock mimicking the movement of wild herd is a compromise stewarding the land with what is at hand and possible. Yes we should do large scale rewilding projects, but managing brittle environment need disturbance and livestock can do that it's not trying to be the same as a wild and regenerated landscape but it can be a part of the natural succession and furthermore it's being done. It's working and profitable for the landowners, I am aware that things could be better, it's a longterm project regenerated living ecosystem. One step at the time, regenerating land and ecosystems.
Hi Vindarel.
Have you read Allan Savorys book Holistic Management? Savory Institute has successfully developed tools for farmers, grazing planning, decision making and economical planning. The book does a fascinating job explaining a holistic principles first thinking process for managing the ever changing, evolving context of a farm and land stewardship.
I could imaging you would enjoy reading <teaming with microbes> about the life of soils.
Paul Hawken does a great job explaining a broader scene with <Drawdown> and <Regeneration>
George Monbiot writes a fascinating book <Regenesis> but comes to my understanding to the wrong conclusion.
Planetary Boundaries is my go to reference and the documentary on netflix is always recommended.
Please share a reference, I am not sure I understand what you mean.
The big majority of agriculture land is spend on producing fodder not husks, stems and so on. I mean an animal need calories too, yes a ruminant can digest cellulose, but the majority is soy, corn and wheat.
legit. He's trying to mimic nature and keep the photosynthesis running by using ruminants to speed up the decomposition of organic matter and by timely management, have the regrowth sequester more atmospheric CO2 without overgrazing and compromising the grass plant or ecosystem.
We already have carbon removal development. It's called regenerative agriculture.
Regenerative agriculture is about harvesting sunlight (free resource), utilizing plants photosynthesizing abilities. Plants are a part of a larger ecosystem including producers, consumers and decomposers.
Plants exudate sugars feeding the soil microbial life, sugars from the photosynthesis where atmospheric carbon dioxide is converted into sugars. Large herbivores eat the grass, holistic grazing keeps the animals moving mimicking predators and the defensive herding mechanisms for efficient animal impact. The timed regrowth will let the plant photosynthesize more carbon dioxide, while the walking sun powered compost machine (cow) decomposes the organic matter and leaves it for further decomposition and utilization.
We have huge areas where desertification is happening [1] because of wrong management. Holistic Grazing is a easy implemented, low tech, approach with great benefits for capital, social and ecological level.
Regenerative agriculture is also covering land management in less brittle environments, field production, notill, utilizing plants, the soil community and the only truly free available resource sunlight.
We can manage grassland and savanah. Grasses exudate a lot of their sugars (carbon) into the ground feeding the microbes. Holistically managed grassing is all about timing the regrowth and recycling the nutrients and fibers through the cow.
The prairies are amazing ecosystem pumping carbon into the ground when properly managed.