The University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is pioneering sustainable agriculture research by exploring the benefits of rotational grazing (RG) on ecosystem services. This approach, which aligns with Canada’s federal Sustainable Agriculture Strategy, is seen as a promising practice to enhance soil health and curb climate change by sequestering carbon.
Graduate student Lucia Sanguinetti, supervised by Dr. Guillaume Lhermie and supported by the Simpson Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy, recently shared her findings at the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB). Her research compares RG with other grazing methods in cow-calf operations across Canada, evaluating its impacts on soil health, greenhouse gas emissions, and plant diversity.
Sanguinetti’s review suggests that RG can improve plant productivity and some soil health parameters, though economic incentives for producers remain limited and require further policy support. RG’s infrastructure costs, including fencing and water systems, are a challenge, though government incentives are available to help offset these expenses. As the next step, Sanguinetti’s team will explore the feasibility of a “true cost accounting” approach to capture RG’s environmental benefits within economic evaluations of food production.
The CRSB, a key player in promoting sustainable beef practices, brings together producers, researchers, and industry stakeholders to reinforce responsible sourcing. By ensuring that practices like RG are both environmentally and economically viable, UCalgary’s research supports a resilient agricultural sector that prioritizes soil health, biodiversity, and long-term sustainability for Canadian producers and ecosystems alike.
