12 Reasons to Choose Perennial Pasture Based Agriculture

In the modern world, perennial pasture based agriculture is not the norm.  Here are 10 reasons to choose perennial pasture based agriculture.  It’s better for the consumer, for the land, for the farmer and for the animals.

1. Better tasting food.  Have you ever tasted grain-finished beef without any seasoning?  No?  Neither have I.  There just isn’t any flavor to taste.  However, pasture raised meats are packed with great flavor!
2. Nutrient dense food.  Perennial plants build deep root systems allowing the plants (and animals) access to more nutrients and minerals.  This leads to food with a higher nutrient density, keeping your body healthy.
3. Chemical free food.  Properly managed perennial pastures don’t require synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and other toxic chemicals.  This results in food that is safe and healthy to eat.
4. Less runoff. Remember those deep roots we mentioned earlier?  They help water infiltrate into the soil rather than running off and sending fertility downstream.
5. Less evaporation.  With perennial pastures soils are always covered which keeps water where it’s supposed to be, in the soil.  This leads to healthier plants and prevents desertification.
6. Deeper richer soils.  Every year, properly managed perennial pastures build new topsoil.  Massive amounts of carbon are also stored in soil as new topsoil is built.
7. Increasing soil life.  Remember those chemicals that don’t need to be sprayed anymore?  It turns out the soil comes back to life when toxic sprays are removed.  All kinds of important ecology and critters can live in perennial pasture based systems.
8. More productive land.  Perennial pasture based agriculture builds soil rather than destroying it.  This leads to higher production on the same amount of land.  It’s almost like free land for farmers who protect the environment!
9. No need for constant replanting.  Farmers no longer need to replant every year since perennial pasture plants come back year after year on their own. It’s not cheap owning expensive planting equipment, buying seed and replanting each year.
10. No need for expensive harvesting equipment.  Have you ever priced out a combine?  They’re not cheap (right around half a million dollars), but you won’t need one in a perennial based system.  Your animals can do your harvesting for you.  And they love it!  Just watch a cow out on pasture some time.
11. It turns out perennial pasture based agriculture can save the farmer a lot of time and money.  In addition to the above time and money savers, the farmer no longer needs to spray and fertilize. No need to buy the sprays and fertilizer either.
12. Happier animals. Which leads to healthier animals.  Which leads to better productivity and a higher quality product.

I’m sure there are a lot of other reasons to choose perennial pasture based agriculture as well.  Feel free to leave them in the comments below.