Fighting climate change with cattle…
A scientist-rancher’s view of a new landscape.
Allen Williams is a sixth-generation farmer and rancher from South Carolina, where he grew up around a multitude of farm animals and fresh, homegrown fruits and vegetables. His academic education taught him industrial agriculture methods, but over time he has come full circle and returned to an ecosystem-based view of food production, in which grazing animals actually restore land and live in cooperation with wildlife in rich polyculture landscapes. In this program he explains how he came to his vision, where it’s being done successfully around the world, and why it’s urgent that we move away from industrial agriculture as quickly as possible.
He is based at Joyce Farms in Mississippi, and works with the Grassfed Exchange. He is author of the book, Before You Have A Cow, which is for people going into cattle growing. He will be a speaker at the upcoming Quivira Coalition Conference in November.
More Episodes
Episode 181 – Animal Welfare is Good for Everyone — Including Farmers
Animal Welfare is Good for Everyone — Including Farmers Adam Mason is senior manager of Farm Animal Welfare and Environmental Policy at the ASPCA, the American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In our conversation, he talks about their multi-pronged...
Episode 180 – 1000 Farms Initiative: A New Paradigm of Science in Service of Farmers
1000 Farms Initiative: A New Paradigm of Science in Service of Farmers Entomologist, agroecologist, farmer, rancher, and beekeeper, Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, was a scientist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service for 11 years. He left to undertake regenerative...
Episode 179 – Virtual Fencing: New Technology that Benefits Ranching and Land Conservation
Virtual Fencing: New Technology that Benefits Ranching and Land Conservation The Nature Conservancy partners with ranchers on virtual fencing, a new technology that keeps animals in delimited areas through GPS collars — resulting in labor saving, wildlife...
Episode 178 – Regenerating a Desert Wetland Oasis
Regenerating a Desert Wetland Oasis Don Boyd spent a year on the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico, photographing, living, and finding a deep connection to land, water, and animals — including the many migrating birds that live part-time...
Episode 177 – The Awe-inspiring Beauty Hidden in our Food
The Awe-inspiring Beauty Hidden in our Food Robert Dash‘s new book, "Food Planet Future: The Art of Turning Food and Climate Perils into Possibilities," features photo collages of foods from all over the planet. Combining images from a scanning electron microscope...
Episode 176 – Painterland Sisters Yogurt: Regeneration at Every Step from Farmer to Consumer
Painterland Sisters Yogurt: Regeneration at Every Step from Farmer to Consumer Hayley and Stephanie Painter saved their farm by creating a national yogurt brand — and they’re committed to fostering not only nutrient dense, regenerative food, but also health at every...
Episode 175 – Agave, Mesquite, and a Carbon Drawdown Game-Changer
Agave, Mesquite, and a Carbon Drawdown Game-Changer André Leu knows what it takes to take massive amounts of carbon out of the atmosphere and put it into the soil permanently. We talk about his new book, The Regenerative Agriculture Solution. André Leu is co-founder...
Episode 174 – Commerce, the Destruction of Nature, and the Uphill Path to Sustainability
Commerce, the Destruction of Nature, and the Uphill Path to Sustainability Sara Dant‘s book, "Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West," covers the long history of human habitation on the North American continent — from the time that megafauna like...
Episode 173 – Colorado Peaches: Delicious for the Eaters, Fair for the Workers
Colorado Peaches: Delicious for the Eaters, Fair for the Workers Gwen Cameron grew up on Rancho Durazno, her family's peach farm. She was pursuing a career in journalism when her father asked her if she wanted to come back and take over the farm. She agreed and never...
Episode 172 – Black Farmers Regenerating Land in the Face of Historical — and Current — Racism
Black Farmers Regenerating Land in the Face of Historical — and Current — Racism P. Wade Ross‘s great grandfather was a runaway slave who bought land in Texas. His descendants founded Texas Small Farmers and Ranchers Community Based Organization, a non-profit that...