Proof is in the pasture: changing the narrative about animals and farming

By Angus D. Birditt, Content Manager at Pasture for Life

Do you want to support diverse grasslands, increase biodiversity and improve the health of wider ecosystems? And did you know you can do this from your dinner table?

Diverse grasslands and pastures are important habitats within the UK, most of which have been lost to other land uses. Grazing animals are vital for the restoration and maintenance of these habitats, and pasture-based systems allow us to produce nutrient-dense food at the same time.

Brown and white cows and calves in a wild meadow eating — Cows on pasture @cotswoldbeef

So if you want to eat nutritious and high quality food from producers that farm with nature and ensure the highest levels of animal welfare, then consider meat and dairy that is 100% pasture fed and carries the certification Pasture for Life.

a person in an apron holding a large piece of raw beef — Beef in hand @angusdbirditt

Pasture for Life is a not-for-profit movement of farmers, butchers, retailers, chefs, vets, academics and members of the public who believe grazing animals power the regeneration of landscapes, economies, food cultures and communities in the UK. We help farmers harness the power of pasture for the benefit of the natural world, their communities and themselves. We bond farmers together in a strong community demonstrating the irrefutable case for pasture-based farming.

Our farmers are super charging nature’s recovery - increasing biodiversity, carbon remaining within pasture, ensuring excellent soil health teaming with life below ground, resilience against drought and flooding, and delivering higher nutritional density rich with benefits for human health, as well as the highest standards of animal welfare.

Our certification standard guarantees 100% pasture fed ruminant products such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, beef, lamb, hogget and now even leather and fibre. Our standards are updated annually in line with what we learn from extensive research in how and why pasture-based systems benefit the farmer, the farm, the animals and the food they produce.

Two blocks of creamy cheese on a wooden chopping board — Pasture fed cheese @challons_combe

Ruminant animals are ecosystem engineers. From enhancing soil health, to improving biodiversity, grazing animals have the ability to significantly restore the health of an ecosystem, a positive narrative that we are passionate to champion.

Over the last few years, there has been a lot of negative media about ruminant animals, namely the fixation on production cycles like methane or carbon. We strongly believe that when analysing any ruminant livestock system, or any farming system for that matter, a more holistic and multi-faceted system needs to be used when measuring on-farm sustainability.

Lots of sheep in a field with red clover — Sheep on herbal leys @essebeare_farm

‘It’s not the cow, it's the how' is a phrase we use to champion pasture-based farming, taken from a research study done by Rothamsted Research, led by Dr Jordana Rivero, that identifies the positive impacts of adaptive, cell grazing, just one of many pasture fed land and animal management approaches.

The power of grazing animals in a pasture fed system, has a multitude of positive impacts for biodiversity. Grazing animals return nutrients and organic matter back to the ground as they deposit their waste, ensuring the soil remains healthy and fertile, thus improving the health of the wider ecosystem.

A recent study - conducted across 56 Pasture for Life farms across the UK - displayed increased biodiversity with a greater number of species in grasslands, many with higher levels of carbon in the soil. Our Biodiversity Case Studies showcase our Pasture for Life member farmers working to encourage biodiversity on their farms whilst producing nutritious produce for their local communities and beyond.

A close up of a wild flower meadow with lots of different species of plant in — Diverse pasture @angusdbirditt

Sourcing 100% pasture fed produce supports our farmers who are producing nutrient-rich food within a system that encourages biodiversity onto their farms and regenerates nature’s cycles, whilst adhering to the highest levels of animal welfare including quality of life. Find produce here

Join our movement

We are a thriving community of farmers, academics, chefs, butchers, retailers and members of the public, sharing knowledge and building community. Become a member: pastureforlife.org/members/