Beyond the land: How regenerative grazing improves farmer wellbeing

Dec 13, 2024 at 03:23 PM CST
In recent years, the concept of human wellbeing has expanded to include multiple factors like health, relationships, purpose, and positive emotions. As Alejandro Adler and Martin Seligman suggest, it’s about more than just feeling happy—it’s also about finding meaning, managing stress, and maintaining physical health. But what does this have to do with farming, livestock production and the stresses of farmers’ everyday life? When it comes to regenerative grazing, often farmer wellbeing is an integrated goal alongside soil health and is therefore an emerging area of interest. This management approach prioritizes adaptive livestock management principles to support soil health and build on the relationship between livestock and grassland. Studies suggest that adopting regenerative grazing practices can positively influence farmers’ confidence in handling difficult situations, such as droughts, as noted by Barton and colleagues in a 2020 study. It can also strengthen social networks and learning among farmers, according to research by Carien De Villiers, and reshape the way ranchers interact with their land, enhancing their overall relationship with it, as highlighted by rangeland specialist Justin Derner.

Dec 13, 2024 at 03:23 PM CST

In recent years, the concept of human wellbeing has expanded to include multiple factors like health, relationships, purpose, and positive emotions. As Alejandro Adler and Martin Seligman suggest, it’s about more than just feeling happy—it’s also about finding meaning, managing stress, and maintaining physical health. But what does this have to do with farming, livestock production and the stresses of farmers’ everyday life?

When it comes to regenerative grazing, often farmer wellbeing is an integrated goal alongside soil health and is therefore an emerging area of interest. This management approach prioritizes adaptive livestock management principles to support soil health and build on the relationship between livestock and grassland. Studies suggest that adopting regenerative grazing practices can positively influence farmers’ confidence in handling difficult situations, such as droughts, as noted by Barton and colleagues in a 2020 study. It can also strengthen social networks and learning among farmers, according to research by Carien De Villiers, and reshape the way ranchers interact with their land, enhancing their overall relationship with it, as highlighted by rangeland specialist Justin Derner.