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Regionalizing sustainability in the beef industry

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The beef industry is moving into the second phase of their Beef Industry Sustainability Assessment.  Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, Director of Sustainability Research for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says they’ve currently analyzed data for Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Now in phase II, the beef industry is regionalizing the data.  Stackhouse-Lawson tells Brownfield over 1,000 producers have participated so far.  “A one sized approach to beef industry sustainability is simply not sustainable.”  She says, “The way we raise cattle in Texas is different than the way we raise cattle in Michigan.”

She says the research is influencing how sustainability is measured in the academic community.  “Sustainability is still a very new science and it’s still an evolving science, so the fact that the beef industry can help to create methods and create the best way to do these assessments really sets us apart.”

Stackhouse-Lawson says sustainability is about a continuous improvement over time, something the beef industry has been doing for generations.  “We have sixth and seventh generation farmers and ranchers, and that is something that we should be very, very, very proud of, there are very few commodities or businesses that can claim that of sustainable succession.”

She says to remain sustainable there needs to be continued beef demand for seventh, eighth and ninth generation farmers and ranchers.

AUDIO: Interview with Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson (7:14 mp3):

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