Building cattle and bison value for producers, people, and the planet
A USDA-funded project of the American Sustainable Business Institute / Network and Other Half Processing
Are you a farmer, rancher, or herder raising cattle or bison? Are you paying more than you used to at your local processor?
We need your input to establish reliable, resilient, high-value supply chains for meat processing byproducts.
Learn more & sign up by clicking below!
OUR MISSION
Increase the value & production of regeneratively grazed cattle & bison in ways that benefit U.S. farmers, ranchers, supply chain partners & the climate.
The Generalized Regenerative Agriculture Sourcing Specification (GRASS) is an equivalency verification approach utilizing recognized indicators and certifications to substantiate regeneratively-raised claims for ruminant livestock.
Created for the leather and apparel market, GRASS is focused primarily on increasing supply, utilization & valuation of hides and other meat processing byproducts from regeneratively-raised livestock.
The Growing GRASS Project (GGRASS) involves farmers/ranchers, processors, brands and experts in determining how best to “grow” the GRASS regenerative grazing systems verification system and markets in ways that both validate the climate benefit AND increase the supply and profitability of regeneratively raised cattle and bison byproducts for all value chain partners. Growing GRASS is a USDA-funded project of the American Sustainable Business Institute / Network and Other Half Processing.
Seeking a better future
Regeneratively grazed grasses extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and can transfer it through the roots into the soil. This climate-smart outcome is achieved by grazing cattle, bison, and other ruminant livestock in prescribed ways that mimic natural grass growth cycles and encourage long-term forage and soil health improvements. The results are not only good for the climate, but also increase fertility, soil water holding capacity and overall resiliency in the face of increasing risk of drought and floods.
Consumer demand for meat and milk from regeneratively raised livestock is rapidly growing. For farmers, ranchers and the supply chain to be truly profitable, the whole animal needs to be valued, including byproducts from meat processing such as hides, bones and other parts from the “other half” of these livestock.
Our Project Approach
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We will work to:
Determine adaptations needed to make production incentives appropriate on a community and cultural level, and economical and desirable to use for farmers and ranchers from different backgrounds and starting points;
identify the right combination of incentives and assistance that will help recruit and retain a diverse set of farmers/ranchers in Growing GRASS and the GRASS marketplace;
test and verify which support systems are most vital, culturally relevant and of highest value (attractive, easy to use, relevant) for regenerative farmers, ranchers and producer communities.
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Establish the best education, communication, traceability, reporting and marketing approaches to optimize the market and supply chain value of GRASS products for companies, producers and consumers.
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Working with producers, meat companies, meat and byproduct processors, determine ways to optimize byproduct collection, traceability, segregation, and preservation with the maximum quality and retained regenerative and climate smart attributes.
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Make GRASS a respected and validated market system that promotes a diversity of verification approaches to meet regenerative and climate-smart market claims and provides producer support to gain access to the value-added regenerative marketplace.
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We will validate that there is climate and economic value associated with regenerative byproducts that can be accurately quantified, traced and demonstrated through the entire journey of products through the supply chain.
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Based on findings of Growing GRASS work, provide feedback and a roadmap for policymakers and market partners to increase the pace of adoption of regenerative agriculture supportive policies and markets. Create ongoing support for producers and sustain the market by proving our approach works, and then identifying needed support systems and where those mechanisms should "live.”
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Are you interested or involved in regenerative livestock grazing systems?
We need an even bigger network to successfully build strong, resilient supply chains for the byproducts of regeneratively raised cattle and bison. Whoever you are, however you are working for more resilient food systems — we want to work with you to Grow GRASS!
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