Food waste is a challenge across the food system—but there are practical ways to do better. On Stop Food Waste Day, we’re sharing how farms, chefs, and home cooks can make small changes that add up to lasting impact.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene's devastation, Asheville’s culinary community is coming together to offer more than just food. From hosting fundraising events to donating meals and resources, these chefs, restaurateurs, and food artisans are playing a vital role in relief efforts, feeding hope to those in need.
As consumers become more conscious about the origins of their food, labels on meat and poultry offer reassurance that our choices align with our values. However, new USDA guidelines aimed at strengthening these claims bring a new challenge: balancing trust in these labels with the rising costs of maintaining them, especially for small producers. Explore how these changes could impact the food you choose and the diversity of options available.
A look back at our 2021 #CelebrateMeat initiative, meant to challenge the growing calls to cancel meat. By collaborating with chefs, experts, and thought leaders, we showcased how responsibly raised meat is not just good for the planet but also worth celebrating. Reflect on our journey and explore the powerful voices that made this campaign a success.
Discover the benefits of all-natural dog treats from Farm Hounds, made using premium meat and poultry from Joyce Farms. With high-quality, nutrient-dense options like beef jerky and turkey trainers, these treats support your dog's health while offering a delicious, wholesome snack. Perfect for pet parents who want the best for their furry friends.
Looking for a quick, flavorful addition to your meals that doesn’t compromise on quality? Discover why Joyce Farms' Naked Chicken Sausages might just become your new kitchen staple. From bold Mediterranean flavors to spicy Chipotle, these sausages are packed with real ingredients and no fillers—making it easier than ever to create delicious meals in no time. Plus, check out our newly updated packaging that makes finding your favorite flavor a breeze!
There’s a big change happening in the cattle industry that could impact what ends up on your plate, whether you’re whipping up dinner at home or crafting dishes for your menu. It’s not just about the rising cost of beef—it’s about the long-term quality, availability, and sustainability of our food and the livelihoods of small family farms. Let’s dive into what’s going on and why it should matter to all of us.
Right now, America’s cattle industry is facing some big challenges. The number of cattle in the U.S. has dropped to the lowest levels in over 70 years. Why? The current crisis is primarily driven by severe drought conditions in major cattle-producing regions. When there's not enough rain, the grass that cattle eat doesn't grow well, and water sources dry up. This forces ranchers to sell off more cattle than usual because they can't feed or water them adequately.
As the cattle population declines, the basic economic principle of supply and demand comes into play. With fewer cattle available, the supply of beef shrinks, leading to higher prices at the grocery store and in restaurants. You’ve probably already noticed the rising cost of ground beef, and unfortunately, it could get worse as the cattle population remains low. Simply put, when there’s less beef to go around, it becomes more expensive.
Source: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). "Cattle Inventory by Year, United States." Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.nass.usda.gov
The situation is further compounded by economic pressures. Ranchers often rely on loans to cover the costs of raising cattle, especially during tough times like these. When they have to sell off cattle early due to drought, they might not make enough money to pay back these loans. This financial strain forces some ranchers to reduce the size of their herds even further or exit the business entirely, lowering the overall cattle supply even more. As small family farms struggle, we risk losing a vital part of our agricultural heritage. These farms are often passed down through generations, and when they go out of business, the knowledge, traditions, and care for the land that they represent are lost as well.
But there's more to this story. The industrial farming practices used by most U.S. cattle producers have rendered much of our farmland more susceptible to drought. By relying heavily on monoculture and chemical inputs, industrial farms often degrade the soil, stripping it of its natural resilience. This makes the land less capable of retaining moisture and more vulnerable to the impacts of drought. As a result, when droughts hit, these farms are less able to cope, exacerbating the crisis.
The current cattle crisis is pushing beef prices higher as the supply dwindles. With fewer cattle available, we’re relying more on imported beef, which may not always deliver the quality or sustainability you expect. The closure of small, family-run American farms—a vital part of our agricultural heritage—means not just a reduction in our national cattle supply but also fewer choices for you as a consumer or chef. As large industrial operations gain ground, it becomes harder to find and support beef from farms that align with your values.
Your choices matter. Support small American farms, especially those committed to regenerative or sustainable practices. By purchasing beef that’s truly born, raised, and harvested in the USA, you help preserve the heritage, quality, and diversity that make our food system strong. The USDA’s new “Product of USA” rule, set to take full effect by January 1, 2026, will ensure that labels like “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” truly reflect where your beef comes from. Until then, it’s important to do your research and choose products that genuinely support American farmers.
At Joyce Farms, we’re committed to doing things the right way—real flavors, real farming, and real support for those who care about quality. Whether you’re crafting a special dish at home or planning a menu, knowing where your meat comes from makes all the difference. By choosing products from regenerative or sustainably managed farms, you’re not just making a better choice for your meals—you’re contributing to a system that prioritizes quality, sustainability, and the future of our food supply. Explore our selection of Heritage Beef, raised on regenerative farms here in America, to make a positive impact and support the livelihoods of small family farms.
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At Joyce Farms, our commitment to quality and flavor is evident in our premium meats, especially our Naked and Heritage lines. These two product lines represent our dedication to sustainable farming practices and exceptional taste. While Naked products highlight pure, additive-free excellence, our Heritage products celebrate traditional farming methods and superior, complex flavors. Whether you prefer the clean, natural taste of our hand-cut Naked products or the rich, deep flavors of our pasture-raised Heritage meats, Joyce Farms offers something for every discerning palate.
Discover why heritage meat and poultry are making a comeback in kitchens and restaurants worldwide. From the rich, robust flavors to the sustainable farming practices, learn about the unique benefits these traditional breeds bring to your table.
Ever find yourself scrambling to thaw dinner at the last minute? At Joyce Farms, we know the importance of food safety and want to help you avoid common pitfalls. In this blog post, we share expert tips on the safest methods for thawing and handling meat and poultry. Learn how to keep your meals delicious and safe by following our easy, step-by-step guidelines. Click through to read more!
We strive to achieve the highest standards of excellence in everything we do - from how we raise our animals to the safety and quality of the meat and poultry we produce. Food safety has always been an important focus for our business, and now we are proud to announce that we are taking our food safety standards to an even higher level through pursuit of BRC certification.
For years, you have trusted Joyce Farms to provide safe and high quality meat and poultry products. Our USDA-inspected plant in Winston Salem, North Carolina has multiple HACCP plans in place to ensure safe practices, and for 20 years we have continually received high marks on third party GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) audits. Now, we are thrilled to have achieved BRC Start! Certification - the first step toward our goal of becoming fully BRC certified.
The BRC is one of the few food safety and quality standards benchmarked by the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative), which sets a global standard for food safety and quality. BRC certification is only awarded to those who have truly embraced a top-to-bottom food safety culture and approach throughout their company.
We always want to offer our customers the very best. We searched the world for the best animal genetics for our heritage program. We raise our heritage animals using the best farming practices through regenerative agriculture, and according to the best animal welfare standards through GAP Global Animal Partnership. The BRC is what we believe to be the best food safety certification in the world, and we look forward to offering you an even deeper level of trust in our products through this certification.
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors with some sizzling, mouthwatering memorable meals. At Joyce Farms, we pride ourselves on bringing you the finest meat and poultry, and our sales team of former professional chefs has some expert grilling tips to ensure your cookouts are a hit. Let’s fire up the grill and dive into these juicy insights for a delicious summer!
Discover the extraordinary benefits of slow-growing, heritage chicken breeds and why they are worth the wait. From superior flavor and texture to better animal welfare and preservation of genetic diversity, our Poulet Rouge® Heritage Chickens offer a culinary experience unlike any other. Explore how these exceptional birds stand apart from commercial breeds and elevate your dining experience.
Chick-Fil-A® shifts its antibiotic policy, sparking debate. From "No Antibiotics Ever" to "No Antibiotics Important To Human Medicine," the change raises concerns about public health and antibiotic resistance. We dive into the implications, urging consumers to understand the impact on food safety and sustainability. Join us to explore the importance of ethical food choices and their role in combating antibiotic misuse.
Did you know that a staggering 40% of the US food supply is wasted each year? This statistic is not just a reflection of discarded leftovers; it represents a massive inefficiency in our food system. When you consider the significant resources—10% of the nation’s total energy budget, 50% of its land, and 80% of freshwater consumption—that go into American food production, it's clear that we have a big problem on our hands. Fortunately, there are inspiring figures in the culinary world who are actively combating food waste, and one such champion is our long-time friend and customer, Steven Satterfield, the talented chef and owner of Miller Union in Atlanta.
The Joyce Farms team celebrates its achievement of an AA+ rating, the highest possible score, in their latest BRC (British Retail Consortium) food safety audit.
Today we would like to formally announce a leadership transition here at Joyce Farms. As of August 1, 2022, Ryan Joyce, formerly VP of Finance, and Stuart Joyce, formerly VP of Operations, have assumed the role of President and Executive Vice President of Joyce Farms, respectively. Ron Joyce, who has served as President & CEO for the last 40 years, will remain Chairman of the Board and will play an active advisory role with the company moving forward.
This change comes as part of a succession plan to ensure company longevity and success. “Both of them grew up in the business,” says Ron Joyce. “They helped build Joyce Farms into a successful third-generation company. I am proud of them and what they have already accomplished. This will allow Joyce Farms to continue to grow as a family-owned business long into the future.”
Ryan and Stuart represent the third generation of Joyces to lead Joyce Farms since it was founded in 1962 by their grandfather, Alvin Joyce. They follow in the footsteps of their father Ron Joyce, who joined the business in 1971 and spearheaded its growth from a small chicken wholesaler to a multi-species meat and poultry producer specializing in heritage breeds and regenerative farming practices.
“Ron leaves behind big shoes to fill,” said Ryan Joyce, “but thanks to his hard work, we have a strong foundation to build on as we lead Joyce Farms into the future.”
Ryan first joined Joyce Farms in 2008 after graduating from N.C. State University with a degree in Business Management. In 2010, he left the company to attend Wake Forest University, where he earned his JD/MBA, and soon after, passed the NC Bar. Ryan returned to Joyce Farms in 2014 as VP of Finance before assuming his role as President.
Stuart joined Joyce Farms after graduation from N.C. State University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business Management. Before assuming his role as Executive Vice President, he has played an active leadership role in the company, overseeing all poultry operations from the plant and hatchery in Winston-Salem to the grow-out of birds for Joyce Farms’ Heritage Poultry line.
For 60 years, you have trusted Joyce Farms to provide you with safe, high-quality meat and poultry products. Our USDA-inspected plant in Winston Salem, NC has multiple HACCP plans in place to ensure safe practices, and we have continually received high marks on third party GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) audits. Now, we are thrilled to announce that we have achieved British Retail Consortium (BRC) Global Food Safety Certification at our poultry processing plant.
The BRCGS Global Food Safety Standard is a leading global quality and food safety certification program that is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). It provides a framework to manage product safety, integrity, legality and quality, and the operational controls for these criteria in the food and food ingredient manufacturing, processing and packing industry. Certification is only awarded to organizations that have embraced a top-to-bottom food safety culture and approach throughout their company.
To achieve this, our team undertook a rigorous third-party audit against certification requirements. The audit examined an extensive list of our company programs related to food safety, including, but not limited to, sanitation, pest control, recall and traceability, allergen control, pathogen/salmonella testing, and supplier approval.
Pictured above, from left: VP of Operations Stuart Joyce, Quality Assurance Supervisor Brittany Freeman, Quality Assurance Manager Jennifer Hamby, VP of Finance Ryan Joyce, and President and CEO Ron Joyce.
While this was truly a company-wide effort, our path to certification was led by Joyce Farms’ Quality Assurance Manager Jennifer Hamby. Her enthusiasm, guidance, and attention to detail were invaluable as we worked together to reach this goal.
At Joyce Farms, we always want to offer our customers the very best, and the BRCGS Global Food Safety Standard is what we believe to be the best and most respected food safety certification in the world. With this certification, we look forward to offering you an even deeper level of trust in our products.
Check out the moving moment when we surprised him with the news!
Despite the unprecedented events of the COVID pandemic and the unforeseen shift in our business within the industry, Ron Joyce and the team came together to stay ahead of the curve. Under his leadership and bold philosophy, we continue to support and practice Regenerative Agriculture, protect animal breeds and their welfare, and provide healthy meat and poultry that packs delicious natural flavor to our local communities.
While we took time to celebrate his achievements, Ron Joyce pressed on getting the word out about Regenerative Agriculture's impact. He hopes to continue restoring land, raising healthy animals, and providing customers with nutritional and flavorful products.
Thank you, Ron for your hard work, passion, and dedication. While you may tell us that you'll rest once you've retired, and that you'll retire once you're at rest, we feel it imperative to take this moment in and congratulate you for your contributions - not just to the poultry industry, but to the lives of everyone at Joyce Farms!
Thank you Ron Joyce and congratulations!!!!
In our last blog post, we discussed the tremendous array of phytonutrients available from plants and pasture-raised proteins.
Diversity, particularly plant species diversity, is crucial in building a wide range of health-boosting and healing phytochemicals.
Farm landscapes that encourage and build diverse arrays of plants become plant, animal, and human nutrition centers and pharmacies. And, unlike a typical pharmacy, you don't have to worry about drug interactions, side effects, or overdosing. The medicines we obtain through our foods are in perfect balance and readily available for health and healing.
As farmers, we focus on fostering landscapes that provide a variety of foods for the herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores beneath and above the soil surface.
These landscapes are in sharp contrast to farm landscapes where monoculture crops and livestock production are the norm.
Animal health greatly improves when they can forage from a diverse array of plants. They stay healthy, require no antibiotics, and grow more efficiently with less carbon, nitrous oxide and methane emissions.
Livestock grazing in diverse environments actually are healthy for the climate rather than harmful.
It is only when they are grazed poorly, in monoculture pastures, or in feedlots on grain rations, that we have problems with harmful greenhouse gas emissions from our livestock.
This makes complete sense from a historical ecological perspective, as there were once hundreds of millions of wild ruminants roaming the grasslands, prairies, savannas, and woodlands of the world. If grazing animals were harmful, then nature was conspiring against herself for tens of thousands of years!
At Joyce Farms, we strive to provide as diverse a plant environment to our livestock as possible. As a matter of fact, this diversity is increasing each year.
Herbivores will often eat from 50 to 70 plants a day, if provided a phytochemically rich mix of grasses, forbs, shrubs, and trees.
These animals eat a variety of foods for several reasons:
These are the same reasons we should eat a variety of foods daily.
It is the secondary nutritive compounds that are our personal pharmacy and nutrition center. Plants grown in diverse communities have enhanced above ground (shoot) and below ground (root) phytochemicals. This gives a phytochemical richness to the plants we eat, the meat we eat, eggs and dairy we eat. If grown in a diverse plant environment.
Amazingly, this phytochemical richness provides a host of benefits to the plants themselves, including:
Yes, plants can protect themselves against animals overgrazing any individual plant in a plant diverse environment. However, monoculture and low diversity environments encourage animals, including wild ruminants, to overgraze. These types of environments make plants and animals more susceptible to environmental hardships.
In most of modern agriculture, the production and array of these vital plant phytochemicals (secondary compounds) has been reduced. Monoculture systems have replaced natural phytochemical defenses with synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. Livestock operations have replaced nature’s pharmacy with antibiotics and anthelmintics (anti-parasitic drugs) to treat disease and parasites. There are even attempts to genetically engineer back into plants the resistance to disease and pests they once had.
We must remember that plants and herbivores have been playing these games for a very long time. They had established a balance that worked well. Modern agriculture interrupted that balance.
We need to understand that plants are sentient beings, receiving and responding to sensations. They are not organisms that feel nothing or understand nothing. Plants can “see” different wavelengths of light, “breathe” through the stomata on the surface area of their leaves and stems, smell, taste, talk and listen in biochemical languages, detect through their smell and taste chemical compounds in the air and on their tissues.
Plants “hear” the sounds of pest insects, such as caterpillars eating on a neighboring plant and respond in self-defense by producing volatile compounds that alert other plants in the community to the predator. These volatile compounds can be sensed by beneficial insects and birds that prey on the pest insect. The volatile compounds also attract pollinators, birds and animals to perform pollination services and seed dispersal.
Underneath the soil surface, the biological world is busy performing vital functions as well. Plant roots interact with soil fungi and bacteria as these microbes search for water and nutrients. The plants transfer food to the soil microbes through sugars spewed out from their roots (exudates). The bacteria and fungi capture nutrients in the soil and feed the plant host. The secondary compounds from the plant root exudates can attract, deter, or even kill insect herbivores, nematodes, and microbes. These same exudates can also prevent competing plants from establishing themselves.
Nature plays a complex offense and defense that has been honed by the interaction between soil microbes, plants, insects, and animals for eons.
This game plan works and works very well. It provides the pharmacy and nutrition center for all these organisms, and for us.
If we attempt to work against nature, we interrupt this delicate balance, and we disrupt the vast array of medicinal and nutritive compounds needed for optimum health.
Modern agricultural devices are foolish compared to nature’s devices. That is why we must always strive to work with nature, and never against. Nature always wins!
Written By Dr. Allen Williams, Ph.D.
A champion of the grass-fed beef industry and the growing Regenerative Agriculture movement, Allen helps restore soil health, increase land productivity, enhance biodiversity, and produce healthier food. Learn more about Allen
Did you know that the health of plants, animals, ecosystems and humans is inextricably tied to plant phytochemical diversity?
Phytochemicals are compounds naturally produced by plants that help the plants thrive in challenging conditions, fight off competitors, pest insects, and disease.
When you bite into a juicy strawberry or blueberry, enjoy vibrant green lettuce or spinach, munch on a tomato, or chow down on a juicy steak or hamburger you consume much more than vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. You also benefit from the incredible richness of phytochemicals.
Phytochemicals are comprised of four main categories:
All big words, and they have BIG impacts on our health.
All of these phytonutrients contain powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are crucial to our health and well-being, and our eventual longevity.
There are tens of thousands of these phytonutrients found in plants, and in the meat of animals that eat those plants.
Why do we all eat, and yet we still have significant health problems in the U.S.?
It is because not all foods are created equal.
Not all tomatoes are the same, not all chicken is the same, not all beef is the same, not all pork is the same.
The soil those plants grow in, the plants that are growing there, and the plants that the animals eat all determine the degree of phytonutrient richness in the foods we eat.
The problem with modern agriculture is its industrialized approach to food production -- planting monoculture and near monoculture crops and pastures, degrading our soils, and destroying soil biology.
Plants thrive when grown in diversity, with many plant species all growing within close proximity of each other, able to share nutrients and phytochemicals through the vast underground network of mycorrhizal fungi.
Modern industrial practices like tillage and use of chemicals, synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, and insecticides can greatly reduce plant phytochemical production and richness.
This shift away from phytochemically rich plant and animal foods to the highly processed foods so many eat today has enabled more than 2.1 billion people to become overweight and obese.
This, in turn, has led to higher incidence of diet-related disease in humans, like diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and even various types of cancer.
Evidence supports the hypothesis that phytochemical richness of herbivore diets significantly enhances the phytochemical and biochemical richness of the animal proteins that we eat.
Animal proteins from animals eating phytochemically rich diets do not lead to heart disease and cancer. Instead, they actually provide protection against those same diseases, just like the phytochemically rich plants do.
It is only when these same animals are fed high-grain rations and monoculture pastures that their protein becomes an issue for our health.
That methane issue we hear so much about with ruminant livestock? Plant phytochemical diversity stimulates microbes in the soil, such as methanotrophs, that digest that methane. This is how nature took care of methane from the hundreds of millions of wild ruminants that once roamed the face of the earth.
At Joyce Farms, we implement regenerative practices that create phytochemical diversity in our pastures. We restore our soils to their historical ecological context. We sequester carbon and return it to the soil so it can nourish the soil microbes vital to providing our plants and livestock with nutrients.
We recognize that our food is our medicine. We invite you to share in our phytochemically rich foods and enjoy truly healthy meals.
Written By Dr. Allen Williams, Ph.D.
A champion of the grass-fed beef industry and the growing Regenerative Agriculture movement, Allen helps restore soil health, increase land productivity, enhance biodiversity, and produce healthier food. Learn more about Allen
As we all seek healthier and more sustainable food options, "fake meats" have flooded the market, promising plant-based alternatives that mimic the real thing. But are these products truly as wholesome and eco-friendly as they claim?
Human behavior has tremendously impacted the state of our planet for thousands and thousands of years. In fact, if we traveled back in time, even by a few centuries, we may not even recognize the landscape of our own local regions and communities.
On Earth Day, we want to celebrate the incredible essential resources that Mother Earth provides, and to learn from the mistakes of our ancestors by recognizing the (often unintended) consequences they have had on our ecosystems. The practices we use today, in agriculture and beyond, will shape the future of our planet and all who inhabit it.
Most of us have a very narrow vision of what our region was like before our lifetimes. We think only in terms of what we have experienced, or what our grandparents told us.
The truth is all of us have experienced an already significantly degraded ecosystem. In most regions of the U.S., our soils and landscape has been seriously degraded for 300 or more years.
European settlers started the eastern U.S. degradation process in earnest by the early 1600s, in the Atlantic states. Before that time, the American landscape looked much different.
There were hundreds of plant species growing throughout the southern U.S. prairies. The eastern U.S. was filled with bison, elk, deer, and even antelope.
These wild ruminants kept the prairies a prairie and the savannas open and clean of dense, thick understory. They had a profound impact on the landscape of the southern U.S. and all of North America, and Native American tribes depended on these animals for sustenance, and famously used every part.
However, by the mid- to late-1700’s most of the bison, elk, and antelope were eradicated in this region due to the degenerative farming practices that early settlers brought with them to America.
Single tree plows pulled by oxen, mules, or horses did a great job of turning under the prairie and wooded savanna soils of the east, which started the erosion and degradation process. They planted monocultures using the agricultural knowledge they brought with them from Europe and the British Isles.
They were so good at destroying the soil that in 1796, George Washington stated:
“A few years more of increased sterility will drive the inhabitants of the Atlantic states westward for support; whereas if they were taught how to improve the old soils, instead of going in pursuit of the new and productive soil, they would make these acres, which now scarcely yield them anything, turn out beneficial to themselves.”
Think about the gravity of that statement! A brand new country was already suffering from the wounds of poor agricultural practices.
In under 200 years, our ancestors had destroyed the soil health of the Atlantic states, and they did it without the aid of the massive diesel-powered equipment we have at our disposal today.
Planters in the southern Atlantic states had so worn out those soils that, by the early 1800s (as Washington had predicted), they started looking westward for new lands and virgin soils.
Wagon trains of settlers headed west to the prairies and savannas of what is now Alabama and eastern Mississippi.
By the time of the Lewis & Clark expedition from May 1804 through September 1806, things had changed so drastically in the eastern portion of the U.S., that what they encountered and viewed as they moved westward in the early days of their journey was a distinct anomaly to them.
On July 4, 1804, William Clark wrote these words in his diary:
“The Plains of this countrey are covered with a Leek Green Grass, well calculated for the sweetest and most norushing hay --- interspersed with cops (copses) of trees, Spreding their lofty branchs over pools, Springs or Brooks of fine water. Groops of Shrubs covered with the most delicious froot is to be seen in every direction, and nature appears to have exerted herself to butify the senery by the variety of flours (flowers) raiseing delicately and highly flavored above the Grass, which strikes & profumes the sensation and muses the mind, …. So magnificent a senery in a country situated far from the Sivilised world to be enjoyed by nothing but the buffalo, elk, deer & bear in which it abounds……”
Now, Clark was not much on correct spelling, but he did write beautifully. This statement was written from a bluff overlooking the Missouri River near present day Doniphan County, KS.
What strikes me about Clark’s observations is that this sight was so astounding to him. It was so unusual that he wrote about it as if he were viewing the Garden of Eden.
His experience growing up in the eastern U.S., born in 1770 in Virginia, was of a country already devoid of the bounty he witnessed in the far northeastern corner of present-day Kansas in 1804. He had never seen such an amazing sight and it obviously stirred his very soul.
Fast forward just another 100 years and that same midwestern prairie that Clark wrote about was well on its way to becoming a part of the 1930s Dust Bowl.
We often hear today that cattle, and other grazing animals, compact the soil and many farmers want no part of cattle on their farmland. However, when the early settlers first put the plow to the prairie soils (which had been trampled and roamed for centuries by bison and other ruminants), they found them easy to turn over with a plow pulled by a mule. So easy that these early prairie farmers created the disaster we know as the Dust Bowl. These same midwestern soils today would barely be scratched on the surface with a single tree plow.
So, if grazing livestock compact soils, then just how did these early settlers so easily plow the prairie soils? In fact, poor grazing practices do compact the soil BUT good grazing practices, such as adaptive grazing, do just the opposite - creating loose, pliable, highly aggregated soils that are easy to plant with a No Till drill.
So, what should our planet, soils, and ecosystems look like today? Just look to the past and you will open a window into our future potential with solid regenerative agricultural practices. Wherever we implement these principles and practices we see life returning in abundance. Perhaps we too can one day view a scene similar to what William Clark experienced approximately 200 years ago.
Written By Dr. Allen Williams, Ph.D.
A champion of the grass-fed beef industry and the growing Regenerative Agriculture movement, Allen helps restore soil health, increase land productivity, enhance biodiversity, and produce healthier food. Learn more about Allen
