by Tamara Scully
There isn’t one set definition of sustainable practices for livestock production. Even among producers, sustainable production is based on a variety of perspectives, and takes multiple forms. While debates on grass-fed production, confined animal feeding operations, synthetic inputs and other practices often divide those in the agricultural sector, non-farmers are also weighing in with their own definitions of sustainable livestock production.
“We definitely have issues with miscommunication,” when 98 percent of eaters are non-farmers, Sarah Place, Ph.D, assistant professor, Sustainable Beef Cattle Systems, Oklahoma State University said.
Environmental impact, social issue, and economic viability are all components of sustainable farming systems, according to Place. Sustainability, from the producer’s perspective, has to encompass long-term business viability, stewardship of natural resources, animal welfare, and responsibility to the community and to the family. Continue reading
