| | | | | | | Why U.S. Beef Sustainability Advocacy Matters Now More Than Ever | | | | The 7,000-plus beef producers at this past week’s 2023 Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans heard a consistent message from the main stage: Sustainability will become an increasingly important part of their operational mindset.
“Cattle producers have been caretakers of the land and livestock for decades and are committed to conserving this country’s natural resources while producing high-quality beef,” noted President-Elect Todd Wilkinson in a statement about National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) policy priorities for the year. Those priorities include protecting and funding EQIP, CSP and other voluntary conservation programs that incentivize science-based, active management of natural resources.
Consumers are largely unaware of the progress the U.S. beef industry has made in the last decades, and they are increasingly clamoring for even more change. It will be the job of the conservation community to support producers in incorporating enhanced sustainability practices and making sure consumers feel this progress.
This is why Trust In Food’s Trust In Beef program proudly sponsored the Masters of Beef Advocacy reception at the NCBA meeting. The advocacy program provides self-guided online courses to help producers and allied industry communicate with the public about the ranching lifestyle and the benefits of beef production.
It’s a great example of how NCBA helps producers share their stories and amplify the social, financial and conservation value of farmers and ranchers throughout the U.S.
The event also featured moments of celebration, a nod to stewardship happening across beef country. I’m delighted to extend congratulations to sixth-generation rancher Tucker Brown, wildlife manager of R.A. Brown Ranch in Throckmorton, Texas. He earned 2023 Advocate of the Year honors. Brown has a passion for connecting people back to agriculture. His 102,000 followers on Instagram and more than 200,000 followers on TikTok tune into his videos, where he shares his love for God, land, family and the ranching lifestyle.
NCBA also promotes conservation success stories. It announced its Environmental Stewardship Award Program regional winners in New Orleans; the overall winner will be announced in April. The program features some of the best conservation storytelling in our industry, and I encourage you to watch these videos about past honorees.
Trust In Beef is proud to work with NCBA and our other foundational partners Merck, Tyson, Enogen and the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef to provide resources that help beef producers make continuous improvement in conservation agriculture. We look forward to helping the ranching community tell more great stories that feature their positive impact on America’s landscapes.
Yours in regenerative ag,
Amy Skoczlas Cole
President, Trust In Food™
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| | | | | | | NRCS Chief Terry Cosby Details Funding For ‘Once-In-A-Lifetime Investment Into Conservation’ | | | | By David Frabotta, director of climate-smart content, Trust In Food: Leaders across conservation and agriculture should work closely with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service to decide where and how billions of new funds will be invested, NRCS Chief Terry Cosby told attendees Jan. 24 at the 2023 Trust In Food Symposium in Nashville. “Every day I get asked, ‘Can you get this done?’ And I say, ‘Yes, we’re going to do this.’ But I can’t do it by myself. It’s going to take all of us working together to make sure this happens,” Cosby says. | | | | | | |
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| | | | | | | Be Inspired By Five Remarkable Farm Operations | | | | By Sara Schafer, Top Producer editor and Farm Journal Content Manager, Farm Journal: Sustainability is a through line for the five U.S. farms and ranches honored during the recent 2023 Top Producer Summit in Nashville. Watch these videos from Farm Journal’s AgDay TV to discover how operations including row-crop farms, dairies and beef businesses are raising the bar on environmental, social and economic stewardship. | | | | | | |
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| | By David Frabotta, director of climate-smart content, Trust In Food: Farmers will benefit from innovative products that benefit soil, plant health and the climate with the Valent BioSciences acquisition of FBSciences, the companies said in a news release. The move grows the Valent BioSciences portfolio of technologies including biopesticides, biostimulants and crop nutrition products. “Our companies share a common rooted-in-science approach coupled with a mission to better society and our planet,” says Courtenay Wolfe, CEO and chairwoman of FBSciences. | | |
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| | Shared by Jim Wiesemeyer, Pro Farmer Washington analyst, Farm Journal: States should explore ways to engage in developing resilient, localized food systems less likely to get disrupted by global conflict or trade challenges, says U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “What's preventing them from encouraging ecosystem markets in their state?” he said during the National Sustainable Ag Coalition’s winter meeting. | | |
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| | Shared by Nate Birt, vice president, Trust In Food: Farmers and foresters will be a key part of the state of Minnesota’s strategy to significantly reduce carbon emissions in the coming years. Regulators say the state is on track to meet its goal of cutting emissions 30% by 2025 compared to 2005 levels, though continued progress depends on an array of complex factors. | | |
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