Q&A with Jason Rowntree (animal scientist)
Michigan State University is a top 100 research university in the world. It is also a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. This association is widely regarded as one of the most research-intensive institutions in North America. The following story highlights one of the many examples of MSU’s research excellence and innovation.
Jason RowntreeAssociate Professor in the Department of Animal ScienceThe College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and a C.S. Mott Professor for Sustainable Agriculture at Michigan State University
Q: What is regenerative farming?
Jason Rowntree
A: Regenerative agriculture is about enhancing and restoring whole systems (complete versus one), and resilient systems. It relies on functional ecosystem processes, such as photosynthesis, and healthy soils in crop or grasslands. A suite of management tools that focus on soil health can help restore landscape function. This includes the creation of living roots in annual crop systems, enhancing biodiversity, and introducing grazing livestock back into cropland.
The process of improvement can take time. You may not see measurable changes in soil and water cycling for five years — it’s a long haul.
Our farmers are standing on a key solution for Michigan’s long-term resilience with actual mitigation potential of a changing climate.
Q: How can grazing livestock improve farmland?
A: Most often, cattle are synonymous with negative environmental impacts, but there is a saying, ‘It’s not the cow, it’s the how.’ At the Lake City AgBioResearch InstituteWe look at how grazing livestock can both be profitable and improve the landscape. Biomimicry is a technique that allows cattle to be grazed in smaller pastures. The grass is then allowed to rest for a while. This helps to strengthen the plant’s root systems and returns carbon dioxide from the atmosphere back to the soil. Also, deeper roots increase plant resilience and retain more water. This also increases biodiversity.
Q: How can regenerative farming provide more water for crops and animals?
A: The landscape surface is covered with litter (dead grass, and any other residues from livestock grazing). Insects, flies and other creatures break down everything (including manure), which then feeds microbes. This creates organic material that acts as a sponge, absorbing more water and preventing runoff. These improvements can result in higher productivity and lower input prices.
Q: What is the purpose of the new Center for Regenerative Agriculture (MSU)?
A: The overarching goal of the Center is to see regenerative agriculture adopted on a majority of Michigan’s crop and grassland acres. We are here to work with farmers, organizations, and stakeholders. Our goal is to promote the adoption of these principles in the state and identify any bottlenecks. Michigan’s farmers and ranchers are applying these methodologies today, and our goal is to see what works for the whole of Michigan Agriculture. Every farm is different. We too are interested in digital farming, food nutrient densities, socioeconomics, improving diversity in agriculture, and other aspects of digital agriculture.
The Center received a $19million grant from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research among other funders to measure ecological function at large scale in our nation’s grasslands. It’s an exciting project. We use the most advanced technology available today. While climate change is concerning, our focus is on our food system’s resilience. It’s going to take everything we have ecologically and technologically. Technology is often viewed as a panacea. I believe it will take as much ecology to address the resilience issues in our landscapes.
