How the RANCH Act Helps Grow the Cow Herd (WCP 537)
Working Cows - Regenerative Ranching to Maximize Profitability and Soil HealthSummary
The cattle industry currently faces both opportunities and challenges, particularly regarding access to grazing land. Despite record high profits, the ongoing drought has limited pasture availability, pushing cattle herders further into drought-prone areas. A.J. Munger, a member of the South Dakota Grassland Coalition, is advocating for the Ranch Act, which aims to convert up to 20 million acres of marginal farmland back to grassland for grazing. This initiative is designed to provide additional pasture for cattle, potentially accommodating two to four million more cows.
The Ranch Act proposes a working lands program that encourages landowners to plant grass on marginal cropland for a contract period of 10 to 15 years, requiring that the land be actively grazed. Munger emphasizes the need for such legislation, noting that current agricultural policies have often favored row crop production over pasture restoration, which has contributed to the challenges faced by cattle producers. The program aims to create more grazing opportunities, particularly for young farmers and ranchers, who often struggle to enter the industry due to high capital costs and limited access to land.
As discussions around the Ranch Act progress, Munger highlights the importance of grassroots support and community engagement to ensure its success. He encourages producers and stakeholders to advocate for the bill, emphasizing that a more abundant cattle industry could benefit rural communities and enhance food security. The initiative represents a significant step toward addressing the structural issues within the cattle industry and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
Show Notes
The deck has been stacked against grass and specifically grazing animals for a while now. The RANCH Act seeks to help alleviate these challenges by creating a working lands payment structure that encourages marginal crop acres to come out of row crop production and open them again for grazing acres. AJ Munger has been involved in the development of this legislation. He joins me to discuss the process of bringing this legislation as well as what it seeks to accomplish and how it could help grow the cow herd in the United States.
Sponsors: Big Country Genetics Ranch Right Graze! Magazine Seven Weeks Coffee
Relevant Links: South Dakota Grassland Coalition South Dakota Grasslands Initiative Central Grasslands Roadmap RANCH Act
More from Working Cows - Regenerative Ranching to Maximize Profitability and Soil Health
Jimmy and ShayLe Stewart of Big Country Genetics have scaled their operation from scratch. This December they will sell 130 forage developed bulls and 100 bred heifers. They started in 2019. The ability to scale that quickly intrigued me. I invited them on to talk about their mindset, how profitable cows helped this growth, and the values that have shaped their business over time.
Luke Perman helps me think better. He has recently been sharing some challenging articles and perspectives on X. He joins me to discuss those ideas today. We talk about indicators of a peak in the cattle market, how to remain profitable no matter where the market goes, and where to make strategic investments to help mitigate our tax burden.
The team at Vision Flight has helped many people hone their vision through their various consulting and educational roles. The problem was this wasn't scalable. They could only help one family at a time. Today we talk to Melinda Sims, John Locke, Shanon Sims, and Emilie Hopson about how they put their years of experience together and develop a tool to help people develop a great vision for the future of their business and life.
Stan Oller and his family have been making intentional pivots not only so they can generate greater profitability, but also to bring the business more into alignment with their passions. This includes pivoting away from direct marketing, pivoting to sheep, and now a desire to move West from Arkansas to fulfill their desire to steward vast landscapes.
In a previous conversation with Luke Jones he told me that healthy soil has room for air, light, and water. That got me thinking about the similarities to the conditions that help make for a healthy soul. I have had this sermon percolating for a long time and finally got a chance to share it at the Cowboys for Christ kickoff to the Newell, SD Labor Day Celebration.