Filling the sustainability gap: what beef industry stakeholders can learn from ranchers on new practice adoption, grazing management plans, and sustainability

Livestock's environmental footprint has become a pivotal concern for consumers and food corporations alike. To stay competitive in the sustainable foods movement and reduce Scope 3 emissions, the beef industry has sought to improve sustainability within their own value chains. However, before system sustainability can be achieved, sustainability practices must be adopted and implemented by the foundation of the beef system, cow-calf operations. Therefore, to gain insight into ranchers' motivations for adopting new sustainable practices we administered an online multi-state survey to cattle ranchers in collaboration with state cattlemen's associations. The survey objectives were to: 1) identify where ranchers obtain educational information, 2) identify ranching priorities and reasons for new practice adoption, 3) determine factors influencing grazing management plan adoption, and 4) assess what sustainability means to the ranching community. Of the survey participants who fully completed the survey (n=706), when asked what made them trust in a ranching educational program, 64% of ranchers selected science, 55% selected programs partnered with cattlemen associations, and 32% trusted the program if other ranchers they knew were enrolled in the program. Increased profitability (79%), animal health (78%), and expected benefits would outweigh costs (51%) were key drivers for ranchers adopting a new practice. A top priority/principal concern for ranchers was improving ranch public image (n= 551), likely influenced by public rhetoric and concerns around beef's environmental impact. In terms of grazing management plans, 77% of producers stated they had a grazing management plan and 38% of ranchers indicated their plan was written. The likelihood of having a grazing management plan increased with rancher age, presence of a succession plan, and participation in a land assistantship program (<i>P</i> < 0.01). In total, 114 survey participants answered the open-ended question, "What does sustainable ranching mean to you." Based on responses, ranchers' definition of sustainability was a multifaceted concept balancing environmental health, profitability, family, and animal welfare, with many viewing these elements as interconnected and critical for the future of their operations. In conclusion, the information accrued in this survey provided guidance to beef industry stakeholders on how to effectively engage ranchers and encourage the broader adoption of sustainable management practices and programs.