We often hear that livestock production is responsible for a wide range of environmental problems like greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, and water pollution. Is all livestock production bad for the environment?
Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC), a non-profit charitable organization with a conservation and wildlife habitat mandate, has been working in partnership with Manitoba Beef Producers for the past seven years delivering the ‘Keep Grazing Program’ (now called the Grassland Stewardship Program). In 2022 the program allocated a million dollars to support 88 livestock producers to fund pasture infrastructure projects (like upgrading fencing and watering systems) on 60,000 acres of pasture in Manitoba.
So why would a conservation organization like MHHC partner with the livestock industry? Could there be some positive environmental impacts associated with livestock production? I asked MHHC’s Habitat Field Manager Curtis Hullick this very question.
“Livestock production plays a valuable role in maintaining grasslands, providing wildlife habitat, enhancing biodiversity, building soil fertility, sequestering carbon, and building climate change resiliency,” said Hullick. “That’s a lot of positive impacts! Cattle producers and their livestock are fundamental to the future of the grassland environment.”
A well managed rotational grazing system increases plant density and diversity.
“This is beneficial for the cattle, increases farm profitability, and provides habitat for wildlife,” said Hullick. “Grassland nesting birds are at risk in Manitoba and Canada, primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Their future survival depends on maintaining healthy grasslands and the vegetation management performed by livestock.”
To recognize the grassland bird habitat that cattle producers provide, MHHC received funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada and partnered with Manitoba Beef Producers, to deliver a 3-year Rangeland Management Plan initiative. In 2021 Carol Graham expanded her role as a Rangeland Extension Specialist to work with cattle producers in western Manitoba with the mandate to promote Rangeland Management Planning. The intent is to enhance grassland productivity with grazing systems that supports the economic viability of the producer while providing wildlife benefits, such as conserving habitat for grassland bird species at risk.
“Rangeland management is the utilization of livestock to influence grazing distribution, carrying capacity, and timing to sync with grass development and performance,” said Graham. “It requires a vegetation inventory to identify plant species, define unique landscape features, and identify areas that are distinct grassland types.
“It is a science-based approach where data collection and analysis allows identification of rangeland health, trends, and potential problems that can be addressed with the implementation or modification of a grazing system,” Graham said.
MHHC is producing Rangeland Management Plans at no cost for the cattle producers participating in the Grassland Stewardship Program offered by MHHC. The minimum pasture area required is 320 acres. The Rangeland Management Plans outline opportunities for change along with incentives for improvements to the infrastructure of the pasture.
“There are a number of very good initiatives happening in Manitoba with sustainable livestock production and rangeland management planning,” said Hullick. “We are proud to be partners with Manitoba Beef Producers who are working to enhance biodiversity on the landscape, raise high quality nutritious food, and support a healthy rural economy.”
