Regenerative Cattle Farming Reduces Carbon Emissions and Heals the Soil

Cows have been repeatedly condemned for their role in what we are told will be the destruction of life as we know it, thanks to climate change. Specifically, cows have been demonized because of their methane-laden burps and farts. Entirely omitting that the large-scale, inhumane, industrial production of livestock is actually at the root of the problem, we are sermonized that eliminating cows and switching to synthetic, lab-grown meat is the only solution to save us. But cows are not the problem. Instead, how they’re handled and farmed is what must be transformed. And lets not forget covert operations like forever wars and blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline, which released record amounts of methane and CO2 emissions. Undoubtedly, it would serve humanity well to end those schemes. Nevertheless, backing up the fact that cows are not the problem, in March, Peter Byck, a professor of practice at Arizona State University, shared:

“I’ve found examples of ranches in the U.S. that are adding to their herd, and yet, reducing their carbon footprint through regenerative practices. So, cows can actually be part of the solution to climate change, when regeneratively grazed.”

What?! Whether one believes in climate change or not, why isn’t this front-page news? Regenerative farming is allowing ranchers to add to their herds and reduce carbon! Wow, the climate change preachers must surely be rattled. Although we’ve heard little about this fantastic plan from the likes of U.S. farmland hoarder Bill Gates or others pushing the overtly obvious authoritative agenda, in a March 11, 2024 article in Time, Byck explained the straightforward solution. He shared that when ranchers periodically shift their cattle between different plots of land in a process called multi-paddock grazing (or AMP grazing), it helps farmers create carbon sinks with their herds. AMP grazing is “akin to how bison roamed the open plains” of our vast nation, with long rest periods between each grazing that gives grasses time to grow, thus enriching the soil. Indeed, the potential for healing from AMP grazing is as critical to farming as it is to the climate. Make no mistake, the quality and quantity of our nation’s soil is a looming national catastrophe. Why? Because industrial agriculture has been squandering it for decades.

Besides enriching the soil, which is a living and life-giving natural resource—a single gram may hold a billion bacteria—Byck explains that shifting cattle between different grazing areas also supports a greater diversity of plants, which means more birds and insects and, thus, a more natural approach to help control pests. At the same time, the vegetation covers the soil and keeps the ground temperature cool, allowing microbes—which play a crucial role in storing carbon in the soil—to flourish. Moreover, this grazing strategy stimulates plant growth and encourages deeper root systems, leading to increased carbon sequestration in the soil when plants photosynthesize and store carbon underground. Essentially, this process acts as a natural “carbon sink” through cattle grazing patterns and the depositing of manure, which acts as a fertilizer, adding nutrients that enrich the soil and support microbial activity. Again, this natural approach mimics the historical behavior of bison herds.

According to the USDA, the average beef cow herd comprises 44 cows. The Time article notes that this size of farm is often most prone to adopt regenerative practices. But make no mistake, Byck points out it can be successfully accomplished at much larger scales. Texas rancher Emry Birdwell has implemented AMP grazing practices with 5,000 cattle across 14,000 acres of land. The changes have been profound. What were once large bare patches of soil—hundreds of acres wide—are now thriving. The weeds on his farm are under control, and the pastures are covered with grasses for cattle to graze on. Best of all, no toxic chemicals are needed to control weeds because the cattle take care of it at no charge. Birdwell shared what many feel about toxic pesticides, noting they can be like “dropping an atom bomb because you’ll kill some of the good ones too.” No doubt.

Ranchers aren’t the only farms taking up regenerative practices. Like cattle ranches, dairies have also adopted this method, which Byck shared saves farmers at least $50,000 a year overall. How? Because they don’t have to buy nitrogen fertilizer and need fewer insecticides and other farm inputs. Making this approach even better, Blake Alexandre, owner of a regenerative organic certified dairy farm in the U.S. (his farm adopted the practice in 2021), shared that he’s seen an improvement in water retention in his soils since focusing on organic matter and not using any chemical fertilizers for the past twenty years.

That is great, but it gets better. After becoming certified regenerative three years ago, Alexandre said that his farm is fully invested in common-sense practices across its 9,000 acres (with soil that is like “chocolate cake”), including rotational grazing, making their own compost (from cow manure, wood shavings, fish waste, green waste, and egg shells), and helping bring more wildlife, particularly birds, into their farm ecosystem. His farm has concentrated heavily on building organic matter by allowing grass to grow taller before grazing, thereby letting deeper roots develop, eliminating tillage, and routine application of soil modifications through their compost system. Stating that his cows help sequester about 50 tons of carbon per day, Alexandre said the porous soil allows for deeper roots and microbial activity, which keeps the carbon in the earth longer.

Undoubtedly, grass-fed cows and beef meat raised on farms using regenerative practices—where cows feed on perennial, chemical-free pastures and thus farmers save considerable money on feed—provide excellent nutrients like vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium, selenium, phosphorus, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential in brain health. For his part, Byck is on a mission to take AMP grazing mainstream, boasting that he’s even got funding from Cargill and McDonalds (which is his project’s most prominent backer, at $4.5 million) supporting his research. He was quick to point out that these companies have no say in how he and his colleagues conduct their studies, adding that he hopes that the engagement encourages them to pay attention and start changing their ways. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if both local small farms (currently under attack) and larger ones alike tended to and cared for the earth while treating animals humanely?

As it stands right now, the problem is not cows, viruses, or climate change. No indeed, it is the greedy global elite intentionally degrading this plentiful earth, destroying the soil, and contaminating the people to push their disingenuous Great Reset.