Can cows and trees work together to help combat climate change?
Silvopasture creates healthier soil, increases biodiversity, and has the potential to increase carbon sequestration
When we think about solutions to global warming, cows are probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Because of the methane cows emit, however, they are often blamed for climate change.
Methane from cows is directly responsible for about 5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to 2022 data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Though fossil fuels are responsible for the majority — 78% of global GHG emissions — it is still imperative that agriculture prioritizes sustainability and the reduction of emissions.
“Agriculture can become part of a climate solution,” Dr. Frank Mitloehner, a professor and air-quality specialist who serves as director of the CLEAR Center at the University of California, Davis, where he works to help people understand how animal agriculture affects the environment and human health.
“Regardless of how you view agriculture, I think we should all agree upon one thing: We want to minimize the environmental footprint and help our farmers to get there. Because without farmers, we cannot live,” he added.
How can agriculture simultaneously lower its environmental footprint and continue to produce enough food to nourish an additional billion people within the next decade?
One promising solution lies in carbon sequestration, a process that enables farmers to not only reduce their carbon footprint but also transforming their land — and cows — into tools for climate action.
Let’s examine this powerful natural process, and the role cows play in enhancing it, starting with the basics. Check out the carbon sequestration explainer video below from the CLEAR Center.
Carbon dioxide is a gas produced during natural processes such as the decomposition of organic matter. In recent decades, it’s also been increasingly produced by human activities such as the burning of coal, oil and natural gas for energy. This additional carbon dioxide is building up in the atmosphere, trapping heat there and subsequently driving the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events and rising global temperatures.
Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in plants, soil or other natural places. Over time, this process helps reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Essentially, carbon sequestration is a process that stabilizes stored carbon in its solid or dissolved forms — instead of letting it remain as a gas that heats up the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide can be captured and stored in three ways:
So, when it comes to capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, where do cows come in?
Carbon sequestration might sound complicated, but when you think about how cows support the process naturally, it’s actually pretty straightforward.
Imagine a herd of cows moving instinctively as they munch on grass and forage in a pasture. As they graze, they trim the grass just enough to encourage regrowth and strengthen its root systems. As they move about on the land, their hooves press organic matter like leaves and manure into the soil, mixing in nutrients and creating tiny pockets for water and air to penetrate.
Below the soil, an unseen transformation is also taking place. Through photosynthesis, the grass captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it beneath the earth’s surface — using it to grow stronger roots, stems and leaves.
Some of this captured carbon is transferred into the soil, where it becomes part of a rich organic layer teeming with microbes and fungi. This rich soil “locks” the carbon into its structure, effectively removing it from the atmosphere for decades or even centuries. Over time, the pasture becomes a powerful “carbon sink” that absorbs more carbon dioxide, offering significant potential to offset emissions.
With rotational grazing — a practice where cows are moved between pastures to prevent overgrazing — the potential to enhance carbon sequestration is even greater. This practice not only reduces methane emissions per kilogram of meat produced but also improves biodiversity and water retention in the soil.
While grazing cows do play an important role in enhancing carbon sequestration, they are really just one part of the equation. Several other sustainable practices can boost the ability of farmland to capture and store carbon, helping farmers to increase productivity while lowering their carbon footprint.
For example:
Cows are often wrongly perceived solely as a major source of emissions, according to the authors of a 2021 study published in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. However, when cows are managed using regenerative practices alongside crop production, they can actually help reduce overall emissions, said the study’s authors, led by Texas A&M professor Dr. Richard Teague. Regenerative grazing and cropping can store more carbon in the soil than what is emitted by cows and farming. These practices also improve soil health, enhance biodiversity and support ecosystems.
The authors suggested that regenerative grazing and cropping are essential strategies for achieving carbon neutrality, or even carbon negativity, in agriculture. They also called for policy changes to encourage these sustainable practices.
A future where agriculture removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it emits could be within reach. Recent studies suggest this could be achieved as soon as 2050 with widespread adoption of sustainable farming practices and innovative technologies.
With strategies like precision agriculture, methane-reducing feed additives, and carbon capture and storage, paired with practices like no-till farming and agroforestry, agriculture can actively remove more greenhouse gases than it produces.
While agriculture overall currently contributes about 22% of global GHG emissions (according to the IPCC), agriculture has the unique potential to not only reduce its own emissions but also capture and store emissions from other industries, making farmers key players in the fight against climate change.
A research alliance at Archbold’s Buck Island Ranch in Lake Placid, Florida, USA, has developed a model to estimate the ranch’s carbon footprint that has enabled the team to develop a deeper understanding of the cattle-grazing carbon cycle, which extends beyond animal emissions to encompass the vital roles of photosynthesis, natural greenhouse gas emissions from the land itself, and soil carbon sequestration.
On average, the 10,500-acre ranch, which is home to more than 3,000 beef cattle, sequesters more carbon each year than it emits — proving that carbon-negative beef production is possible at Buck Island Ranch, and that potential may extend to other beef ranching operations around the world.
The models developed at Buck Island Ranch will be used in future research to explore carbon sequestration on a global scale, enabling agriculture to be a part of the climate solution.
Farmers will always stand at the heart of any transformation to our global food systems. By embracing sustainable practices and leveraging available technologies, these stewards of the land can help fight climate change while ensuring food security for generations to come.
But they can’t do it alone. Scaling carbon sequestration practices globally will require broad and cohesive action by policymakers, agricultural leaders and communities. Farmers need access to financial support, technical resources and education to implement sustainable farming practices at scale.
Want to get involved? Partner with the World Without Cows team to help start conversations that can drive meaningful change — and benefit for all.
Silvopasture creates healthier soil, increases biodiversity, and has the potential to increase carbon sequestration
A diet that includes plant- and animal-sourced foods provides the nutrients our brains need to thrive throughout our lives
How farmers, policymakers and scientists are working together to drastically reduce methane emissions
Can grazing cattle combat climate change? Yes, through a simple yet profound natural process called carbon sequestration
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As climate change intensifies and the world’s population continues to grow, the pressure on our global food production system mounts. You can play an active role in shaping a more sustainable planet for future generations. Fill out the form below to learn more about how you can partner with us.
When we think about solutions to global warming, cows are probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Because of the methane cows emit, however, they are often blamed for climate change.
Methane from cows is directly responsible for about 5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to 2022 data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Though fossil fuels are responsible for the majority — 78% of global GHG emissions — it is still imperative that agriculture prioritizes sustainability and the reduction of emissions.
“Agriculture can become part of a climate solution,” Dr. Frank Mitloehner says in the documentary, World Without Cows, which examines the cultural and economic significance of cows, their role in nourishing the world, and their impact on climate. Mitloehner is a professor and air-quality specialist who serves as director of the CLEAR Center at the University of California, Davis, where he works to help people understand how animal agriculture affects the environment and human health.
“Regardless of how you view agriculture, I think we should all agree upon one thing: We want to minimize the environmental footprint and help our farmers to get there. Because without farmers, we cannot live,” he added.
How can agriculture simultaneously lower its environmental footprint and continue to produce enough food to nourish an additional billion people within the next decade?
One promising solution lies in carbon sequestration, a process that enables farmers to not only reduce their carbon footprint but also transforming their land — and cows — into tools for climate action.
Let’s examine this powerful natural process, and the role cows play in enhancing it, starting with the basics. Check out the carbon sequestration explainer video below from the CLEAR Center.
Carbon dioxide is a gas produced during natural processes such as the decomposition of organic matter. In recent decades, it’s also been increasingly produced by human activities such as the burning of coal, oil and natural gas for energy. This additional carbon dioxide is building up in the atmosphere, trapping heat there and subsequently driving the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events and rising global temperatures.
Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in plants, soil or other natural places. Over time, this process helps reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Essentially, carbon sequestration is a process that stabilizes stored carbon in its solid or dissolved forms — instead of letting it remain as a gas that heats up the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide can be captured and stored in three ways:
So, when it comes to capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, where do cows come in?
Carbon sequestration might sound complicated, but when you think about how cows support the process naturally, it’s actually pretty straightforward.
Imagine a herd of cows moving instinctively as they munch on grass and forage in a pasture. As they graze, they trim the grass just enough to encourage regrowth and strengthen its root systems. As they move about on the land, their hooves press organic matter like leaves and manure into the soil, mixing in nutrients and creating tiny pockets for water and air to penetrate.
Below the soil, an unseen transformation is also taking place. Through photosynthesis, the grass captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it beneath the earth’s surface — using it to grow stronger roots, stems and leaves.
Some of this captured carbon is transferred into the soil, where it becomes part of a rich organic layer teeming with microbes and fungi. This rich soil “locks” the carbon into its structure, effectively removing it from the atmosphere for decades or even centuries. Over time, the pasture becomes a powerful “carbon sink” that absorbs more carbon dioxide, offering significant potential to offset emissions.
With rotational grazing — a practice where cows are moved between pastures to prevent overgrazing — the potential to enhance carbon sequestration is even greater. This practice not only reduces methane emissions per kilogram of meat produced but also improves biodiversity and water retention in the soil.
While grazing cows do play an important role in enhancing carbon sequestration, they are really just one part of the equation. Several other sustainable practices can boost the ability of farmland to capture and store carbon, helping farmers to increase productivity while lowering their carbon footprint.
For example:
Cows are often wrongly perceived solely as a major source of emissions, according to the authors of a 2021 study published in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. However, when cows are managed using regenerative practices alongside crop production, they can actually help reduce overall emissions, said the study’s authors, led by Texas A&M professor Dr. Richard Teague. Regenerative grazing and cropping can store more carbon in the soil than what is emitted by cows and farming. These practices also improve soil health, enhance biodiversity and support ecosystems.
The authors suggested that regenerative grazing and cropping are essential strategies for achieving carbon neutrality, or even carbon negativity, in agriculture. They also called for policy changes to encourage these sustainable practices.
A future where agriculture removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it emits could be within reach. Recent studies suggest this could be achieved as soon as 2050 with widespread adoption of sustainable farming practices and innovative technologies.
With strategies like precision agriculture, methane-reducing feed additives, and carbon capture and storage, paired with practices like no-till farming and agroforestry, agriculture can actively remove more greenhouse gases than it produces.
While agriculture overall currently contributes about 22% of global GHG emissions (according to the IPCC), agriculture has the unique potential to not only reduce its own emissions but also capture and store emissions from other industries, making farmers key players in the fight against climate change.
A research alliance at Archbold’s Buck Island Ranch in Lake Placid, Florida, USA, has developed a model to estimate the ranch’s carbon footprint that has enabled the team to develop a deeper understanding of the cattle-grazing carbon cycle, which extends beyond animal emissions to encompass the vital roles of photosynthesis, natural greenhouse gas emissions from the land itself, and soil carbon sequestration.
On average, the 10,500-acre ranch, which is home to more than 3,000 beef cattle, sequesters more carbon each year than it emits — proving that carbon-negative beef production is possible at Buck Island Ranch, and that potential may extend to other beef ranching operations around the world.
The models developed at Buck Island Ranch will be used in future research to explore carbon sequestration on a global scale, enabling agriculture to be a part of the climate solution.
Farmers will always stand at the heart of any transformation to our global food systems. By embracing sustainable practices and leveraging available technologies, these stewards of the land can help fight climate change while ensuring food security for generations to come.
But they can’t do it alone. Scaling carbon sequestration practices globally will require broad and cohesive action by policymakers, agricultural leaders and communities. Farmers need access to financial support, technical resources and education to implement sustainable farming practices at scale.
Want to get involved? Partner with the World Without Cows team to help start conversations that can drive meaningful change — and benefit for all.
