Report overview
A transition away from farming systems that depend on chemical fertilisers and pesticides, to those which work with the land’s natural resources and biological processes, is urgently needed if we are to address climate change, restore biodiversity, improve public health and maintain food security. This transformation will be difficult, if not impossible, without the integration of grazing livestock.
Our report, Grazing Livestock: It’s not the cow but the how, explores the multiple benefits that grazing livestock could deliver as part of a UK food system transformation. Realising these benefits will require a shift away from the consumption of intensive livestock products, towards lower-input, pasture-based farming and diets that feature smaller amounts of high-quality meat and dairy.
“I believe this report could help to resolve some of the not inconsiderable public confusion about the impact on climate change of ruminant animals in general and cows in particular. This confusion has led to a widespread view that all cattle are unsustainable, but it doesn’t have to be this way – providing we farm and eat differently.”
Lord Deben, former Chair of the Climate Change Committee
Benefits of grazing livestock
Mixed farming
A nationwide transition to biologically based farming systems that do not rely on agrochemicals, would prioritise natural soil fertility building within crop rotations. Producing food from this process – which would also help to build carbon and break pest, weed and disease cycles – generally requires the use of grazing animals.
Carbon storage and sequestration
Natural fertility building within crop rotations, alongside regenerative grazing practices and, where possible, the integration of trees, could sequester hugely significant amounts of carbon over the coming decades, helping to tackle our climate impact, whilst delivering a range of other benefits.
Biodiversity
Although agriculture has been the single greatest contributor to biodiversity loss in the UK, it also has the potential to become a key part of the solution. A transition to pasture-based grazing systems that minimise the use of agrochemicals, reduce agricultural pollution and foster a greater diversity of habitats and species will be essential to achieving this.
Nutrition and food security
Livestock that are primarily fed on grass could significantly contribute to the UK’s supply of protein, fats and several key micronutrients. Grazing animals reared largely or solely on grass, rather than on grains that could otherwise be used for human consumption, would help to relieve the pressure on the supply of plant crops, benefiting food security.
Society and culture
Grazing livestock play a central role in the social and cultural life of many rural communities and help to maintain culturally cherished grassland landscapes. A shift to lower input, pasture-based systems across the UK could build on this in various ways, for instance, by creating livestock-related jobs in areas currently dominated by arable farming.

Responding to climate concerns
Significant criticisms have been made around the climate impacts of grazing livestock, particularly with regards to land use footprint and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). While these are both important issues, a more holistic approach to measuring climate impact, alongside a shift in farming practices and diets, reveals that grazing livestock can play a central role in a food system that works for the climate as well as nature and human health.
Land use footprint
Grazing livestock are often seen as a barrier to woodland expansion, but there is significant potential for integration of trees and ruminants. The SFT’s Feeding Britain report showed that it would be possible to adopt agroforestry across 10% of the UK’s grassland area and plant almost 1 million hectares of woodland, whilst maintaining grasslands and grazing animals as a key part of the UK food system.
GHG emissions
Adopting a lower-input, pasture-based approach to rearing animals, and reducing the production of intensively farmed meat and dairy, could enable a major reduction in GHG emissions and sequester significant quantities of carbon. Fundamental to this will be understanding, measuring and communicating the climate impacts of grazing livestock in a more holistic manner and considering the issues from a whole food system perspective.

Recommendations
If we are to succeed in the transition to farming systems that benefit people and planet, action will be required across the entire food system, informed by an integrated food and farming strategy. The recommendations of this report include:
1. Joined-up Government action…
…to deliver a ‘land sharing’ approach to food production, where policies support farming practices that deliver multiple public goods, as well as a shift to healthy and sustainable diets.
2. Application of the ‘polluter pays’ principle…
…particularly in relation to nitrogen fertiliser and other fossil fuel derived inputs, to incentivise a move away from harmful farming practices.
3. Adoption of a harmonised approach to measuring…
…the climate, nature and social impacts of farming, enabling better understanding of the full picture of farming outcomes and providing clarity on how and where public money should be spent.
4. Action by retailers and food companies…
…to establish a long-term business proposition for regenerative systems, reward farmers for the transition, and create clear and accurate labelling for consumers to help differentiate between the animal products which are part of the problem, and those which are part of the solution.
5. Support from the finance and philanthropic community…
…to ‘prime the pump’ for the agricultural transition, including funding for participation in farm trials, investment in local food infrastructure and support for farmer knowledge exchange programmes.
6. More research into regenerative grazing systems…
…including around how the delivery of multiple ecosystem services can be accounted for. This would help address the evidence gap created by the historic lack of research into biologically based farming systems.
