Restoring our grasslands is great for stopping erosion as well as encouraging biodiversity within the ecosystem. This article will take a look at a 2,000 acre farm that not only restored grasslands, but made a decent profit along the way.
In New South Wales there are two farmers named Colin Seis and Darryl Cluff who own a 2,000 acre farm. To feed their livestock they rotate between growing cereals (grain) and perennial grasses, which naturally have alternating growth cycles. The two crops don't compete, rather as one dies, it provides mulch and nutrients for the next crop to grow. In addition to the nutrients provided by the dead crop, livestock trample their dung into the ground providing the soil with even more nutrients. The livestock also act as an herbicide by eating all the weeds. Because of these effects, over the years Seis and Cluff have been able to totally eliminate the use of herbicides and ploughing.
Profit
Over the years, the health of the soil has greatly improved. Because of this, Seis says every year operating the farm becomes less labor intensive and more profitable. They achieve this profit by being able to charge a premium for the high quality of their livestock as well as becoming more efficient at gaining weight in their livestock. Additionally, they have minimal chemical inputs, which traditional farms spend a large chunk of profit on as mentioned in other articles. Overall, Seis and Cluff urge to other farmers that if they were able to make profit in such a large scale more farmers currently practicing conventional farming methods should make the switch to regenerative farming methods.
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