Agriculture: Why animals should be part of our food system

Created by Michael Graziano at Small-r | www.small-r.com/
This new video was filmed at our Savory Hub in Missouri -- Cabriejo Ranch -- by small-r films and made possible with support from Applegate.
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About Savory Institute:
The Savory Institute, a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, facilitates large-scale regeneration of the world’s grasslands through Holistic Management. Together with Savory’s global network of Hubs, the Savory Institute equips farmers and ranchers around the world with education, training, and implementation support to achieve success within their cultural and ecological contexts. Savory Institute also removes barriers and creates enhanced conditions for large-scale progress by informing policy, engaging the marketplace, and increasing public awareness. Savory’s long-term goal is to positively influence the management of 1 billion hectares of grasslands by 2025, thereby contributing to global climate-, water- and food-security. To learn more, visit www.savory.global.

[@juliayuan5335]

What a beautiful video, and very good script. I believe the Savory Institute can change the world, first by changing the way we see livestock and grass land management. Although the Title could be more descriptive to attract more viewers.

[@gillianmason4198]

I am reading the comments here, have a think the Indigenous people of the world lived their lives in this way. The Indigenous American Indian's followed the buffaloes moving there camps, not staying in one place. Indigenous people of the world knew how to live with nature.

[@zackscott8636]

Technology fixes that

[@waveoflight]

They also slaughtered, tourchered and turned each other into slaves. They were far from perfect.

[@xanderjakeq]

This should have more views!

[@gillianmason4198]

Good Wishes to Trent Family, this makes absolute sense thank your for your video it was so well explained in a simple non preachy way.

[@jenspetersen5865]

It is very inspirational to hear what grazing can do in restoring climate. There is huge neo-religious push towards vegetarian, vegan....agendas. The Savory Institute really need to also talk about restore, use for mono culture and restore. In olden time Scandinavian farming the standard was to rotate crops every four years, and it seems that the Holistic Land Management needs to interact with more industrialised use. GMO's and other aspects are part of the solution. The Israelis have amazing technology in drip watering and desalination, which is also a major part of how to, but it is insane that total energy consumption for desalination vary from 1 to 9000 kWh/m3, depending on the types and size of the systems, operating conditions, energy sources and recovery approaches. Countries like Saudi Arabia overuse their water resources by 20 times. While The Savory Institute has a tremendous solution for restoring grasslands, the effect of releasing wolves into ex Yellow Stone seems to be an important next step.

[@davidgough3512]

Water distillation in conjunction with solar panels and their waste heat is very efficient.. water is already involved keeping panels clean. Looks promising !

[@bobokins1839]

I understand the importance of animals in restorative agriculture but the fact is that grazing livestock requires far more land than can possibly feed the majority of people.

[@jenspetersen5865]

@@bobokins1839 How in the world did you come up with that theory? With the current world population there is 20km2 land mass per person in the world, so sorry not that much shortage of land mass! While not all land is equally productive this equals 5000 cows per year per person. I love meat - but I think I could do with 0.1% of that without risking starvation!

[@gammayin3245]

It is equally rude and wrong for you to tell people that they should eat meat and for vegans to tell people that they should not eat meat. Every. Person. Has. A. Choice.

[@barbaraforgoodness]

This is a profound and moving piece. Is there a place to connect with people who share this perspective so that there could be some kind of co-ordinated effort to introduce this reality into the public conversation? Sooo many commentators just assume animals are bad for the land and a major source of global warming influences. The graziers' organizations can't see beyond their animals for the most part. It's like the railroads going down the tubes because they were "railroad men" not "transportation" providers. There needs to be a response team to address that perspective whenever and wherever it crops up. (no pun intended) I've been challenging George Monbiot who writes for The Guardian to park his judgments and opinions and just come to The Savory Institute and report what he sees. Does anyone know an editor at The Guardian? I've subscribed to the NYTimes online and receive their Climate Change newsletter. I've messaged the Climate Change group there and also the World Economic Forum. But I have no current, powerful materials to send. Can't we pull together on this? In the 90's I was raising bison in NE Oregon and took a training with Allan, read his book and did what I could to implement it. I see where people got sidetracked on technique: rotational grazing. The winning message is "mimicking Nature." Where are you all who believe in this and would support activism? I'm your follower.

[@originofenergy]

awesome work guys:) 1/3 of the terrestrial surface is more than enough for us nourish and heal humanity. So simple and so misunderstood. Stay strong guys.

[@dude9291]

"60 harvests left" actually means maybe half that many years due to two or more harvests per year.

[@thorrin]

Keep up the good work, I'll do my best to spread the message because I believe this is the way to go.

[@rypatmackrock]

For those who watch the lion King, remember how Zazu and Sarabi describe “the herds” in a few scenes. The African Savannah, and maybe Yellowstone, are probably the most famous surviving examples of the grassland ecosystems described in the beginning of the video.

[@solarpoweredfarm8813]

Should have used @gregjudyregenerating as an example

[@courtneyheron1561]

Thank you. I am very interested in getting involved with this.

[@oceanwonders]

Gorgeously shot, well edited.

[@beeawarenessitself1056]

Thank you! Great information to share and inspire change! I listened to Alan Savory’s TedTalk awhile back and continue to share all of this much needed information... again, thank you! I was a vegan for a year and a half in my 20’s for the love of animals until I got very weak and began to eat meat again which was all I craved and it restored my health at the time... I feel if we knew more about plants and saw them in a different light, as sentient beings, we’d be more mindful of how we treat plants and consume them too... because they were possibly here before man (yes, that is debatable if you’ve read the ‘Seth Books’!) some say that they are in fact more evolved than us, and can ‘feel’ in their own way, and that they can even distinguish one person from another, and that they know who is a threat to them and who isn’t... they also get sick and heal ‘naturally’ in the same way that all animals and humans do, and this is a discovery made by Dr Hamer of German New Medicine, who says that all so-called diseases are caused by unexpected conflicts in the psyche, the severity of the illness always dependent on the intensity and length of time in conflict... I feel that we all need to remain as ‘grounded’ as possible to avoid getting sick, and eating meat is incredibly grounding as well as nourishing...

[@paxhumana2015]

Evolution is a Satanic lie.

[@la912]

Amazing video

[@kdm222]

More than 200 million animals are killed for food around the world every day - just on land. Including wild-caught and farmed fishes, we get a total closer to 3 billion animals killed daily. That comes out to 72 billion land animals and over 1.2 trillion aquatic animals killed for food around the world every year. It’s truly heartbreaking

[@maxpowers1187]

How many animals die regardless? What’s heartbreaking exactly? the fact we eat animals? Everything that has ever lived has died.

[@rypatmackrock]

While it is natural to have empathy and sympathy for those that we care about; even Mufasa of the lion King had a great reverence for the circle of life and natural ecology as portrayed in the movie in contrast to scar. As irrelevant as it may seem, (even if I would argue that it is completely relevant), the lion king is a great, poetic example of what proper reverence of a healthy ecosystem looks like vs. allowing it to fall out of balance in the context of the African savanna and adapting Shakespeare’s hamlet. Mufasa and the lion pride were proud, and capable predators, they allowed their prey to graze the grass, they knew that they would become the grass at the end of their time, the vultures could have them, and the circle of life could continue.

[@williamturner3082]

Well said

[@IdmondYannick-HortusVitae]

This soil regeneration system is really interesting. In my farm project, one part of the land is reserved for the vegetable garden and the orchard, and the other part, a little over one hectare, for two horses and one goat. If I want to apply a good rotation and optimize my land, how many plots should I make and what would be the occupation time per plot?

[@rypatmackrock]

It would depend on the feeding needs of your horses and goat, the natural ecology of your farm, the growth regeneration rate of the grass, and how that accords with the seasons. That is my basic understanding.

[@IdmondYannick-HortusVitae]

Thank you

[@rypatmackrock]

@@IdmondYannick-HortusVitae you’re welcome. I was just listening to Will Harris of White Oak pastures, a savory institute benefactor, describing his method for his ecosystem in southwestern Georgia.

[@loneforest6541]

Great info....but 99% of vegans do not know that !

[@regeneratetheland293]

I'm one of the 1%. But maybe i'm also not vegan enough 😅 I eat animals too sometimes. But vegetables mostly.

[@loneforest6541]

@Regenerate The Land Good to know u r that 1% 😍 yea the way they blame animals that animals are the coz of all deforestation is irritating, they should focus on the main culprit who destroying forest, not the poor animals controlled by human. 😀

[@susananastasiastavros1402]

God in the Old Testament teaches us about agriculture..that we should follow religiously ..Every seven years to let the land rest whether you are growing wheat or animals, probably animals should graze naturally on a divided land cyclic so it gives the land rest. Not keeping the seven-year..one year full rest commandment is not only an abomination to God but an abomination on the land.

[@microcolonel]

He instructs that particular community on grazing, but God is obviously not telling you to graze without considering the specifics of your land and climate.

[@ibuprofen17]

I cannot believe this.

[@ibuprofen17]

Nice stuff. I disagree with this because agriculture causes more pollution than vehicles and causes deforestation.

[@microcolonel]

He addresses that, maybe not clearly enough. Intensive grazing animal agriculture literally can't cause more emissions because the animals are eating the carbon that their own grassland captured. The result of this form of agriculture is a net capture of carbon into the soils. It's not just low impact, it's high *positive* impact.

[@rypatmackrock]

I am sympathetic to the deforestation argument, yet for native grassland habitat, like the American great plains, and even California’s coastal grassland hills where I’m from originally; I am very encouraged and hopeful with this model of agricultural meat ranching that honors and learns from the native grassland ecosystems. With examples like the Messi in Kenya in Eastern Africa, (and how the savory Institute’s holistic management), has led to the return of some African wild life like gazelles, impala, and warthogs; I am very hopeful that holistically managed agriculture, (with all the pieces of the ecological puzzle arranged), cannot only coexist with native wildlife unless the ecosystem can’t support such, but mutually benefit. My hope is that the savory Institute could be a valuable resource for possibly solving the economic and ecological needs of coastal California’s native tule elk versus the cattle ranchers. I have a feeling that the feeding patterns of domesticated cattle, and the native Tuli elk in addition to deer are all pieces of the ecological puzzle that need to be acknowledged in the holistic management plan that can yield the results. The savory Institute is trying to demonstrate. I am encouraged enough to possibly consider a career with the savory Institute in the long run. They give me that much hope as a reconciliatory medium between wildlife and habitat, conservation, and the demands of domesticated meat agriculture besides enjoying a good meat, meal myself. If we learn from the ecology of nature itself, reconcile with it, and work with it instead of against it; we could very hopefully possibly reimagine human society to sustain for generations more. I will add my final remark, being my only disagreement with the presenter, is his faith in big business versus the possible need for antitrust enforcement against big ag business that has likely been part of the problem that the savory institute is trying to solve.

[@janide70]

music is teribble!

[@circular17]

I am wondering though if that means we must eat meat. I suppose we can let animals grow old and die, they would still fertilize the land. And we can still live on vegetables and dairy products. Someone maybe could provide some technicalities here?

[@sunnycareboo8924]

We don't have to eat meat, but it is healthy and non-allergenic.

[@circular17]

@@sunnycareboo8924 It's a personal choice. My question here is rather if this holistic approach can be compatible with vegetarianism.

You would go broke, big-time.

[@microcolonel]

Why restrict yourself from eating meat? It is highly nutritious, and these grazing ruminants are alive because we eat them. Eating healthy animals that have lived well like this is an honour, and I wouldn't take the opportunity for granted.

[@microcolonel]

If you really really want to eat vegetables and dairy alone, the soil produced by this activity is very productive. Still, it's a bit of a waste to not eat the animals you raised because of ???

[@johncourtneidge]

Hence our concept of Co-operative Careship.

[@bumpercoach]

good but it should link that TED talk abt killing 40,000 elephants for the full explanation and impact

[@ibuprofen17]

It also harms the animals.

[@microcolonel]

Eating grass and being raised on large comfortable pastures harms the animals? It doesn't.

[@brendafosmire6519]

Although I believe in the work of The Savory Institute, I feel this video makes claims about human development which are unfounded. For example, there is little evidence that meat was a dominate part of our evolutionary diet. Was meat occasionally eaten - yes, but meat couldn’t of been daily or even weekly consumed. I deeply agree that animals are key to soil health. But modern man’s level of eating meat as much as three times a day is just not nutritionally healthy, or sustainable. I feel this video over simplifies the implied and unproven direct connection between eating meat and the man’s brain development and the planet’s health.

[@MatthewByrd]

You should do some research on the carnivore diet. Science tells us grains and sugars are horrible for our bodies and cause major issues like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Lots of people are incredibly healthy eating just meat. I'm one of them. I started the diet to help with inflammation from surgical wounds after my cancer treatment. I've never felt better and my labs were great. Meat is great for you.

[@9realitycheck9]

I don't know where you got your facts, but based on known history of Europe(Roman, Greeks), Asia(China), Mesopotani, Egypt..as well as Archeological sites of prehistoric man ... Animal protein was an integral part of the diet. At every prehistoric archeological site there are what are known as "faunal remains" which confirm the fact that hunting was a big part of life. Piles and piles of animal bones, fur, hair, claws, shells, etc. Humans simply can't get all our amino acids (proteins) and vitamins and from vegetables, grains, and fruits. We have forward looking eyes, our gut can't process cellulose, and we have canine teeth... We are omnivores.

[@cleburne-dfwseptic6843]

@@9realitycheck9 agree and ancient humans did not have the selective bred plants/grains like we do now

[@brendafosmire6519]

Ah, no. You are mis-informed. I have degrees in Nutrition and work in this field. A meat based died is highly correlated with cancer and heart disease. Humans can live for long periods of time on just meat, but shortened life span with death caused by cancer and heart disease is average response. Reference: NutritionFacts.org - website kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZCnp2qYZbmChJo How Not To Die, by Greger, M.D. - book proteinaholic.com/ - website and book How to Reverse Heart Disease - book I believe meat should be a once a month thing to safely eat it.

[@fantasyflare]

@@brendafosmire6519 Do you know how much of a modern invention 90 percent of our produce is? It's all been selectively bred to take really meager fruits and vegetables to make them larger and more palatable. For 200,000 years of our human evolution we were definitely thriving on what would often be an all meat diet. It's ludicrous to suggest that there's little evidence to suggest humans relied on meat/fish. Sure, berries, nuts, fruits, vegetables and even grains/legumes would have been consumed when found during that 200,00 years but just like if you go into nature now, you'll notice that you'll probably starve to death if you don't start eating bugs and grubs and foraging like mad. Seasonally you might not starve without meat. Brenda you'd be hunting animals in no time, just as all our ancestors did. Humans evolved as endurance runners to pursue animals until they would give up due to fatigue. These animals could outsprint us but it's very inefficient for them to try to jog. Humans developed tools and fire, often considered aids to catching and preparing meat. Humans lived near water, probably in large part because fish and sea creatures were so important. Yeah if you eat plants you will be grazing all day or eating three times day because you would need to. But really that eating habit is a very modern invention. Humans would have evolved fasting and eating more likely one meal a day. Apparently our gut evolved to be much smaller than our ape ancestors, and our brains grew due to our ability to capture and eat meat, high protein and high fat food. It's known as the cognitive trade-off hypothesis. By all means, today you can thrive and be healthy eating no meat at all. But that's a modern phenomena, and really, many people are pointing to our consumption of grains and too much carbs as the cause of all the modern health epidemics - diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, etc.

[@downbntout]

Who needs to run those sheep so hard? Stressing them like that, that's nuts, bad farming

[@zackscott8636]

Animals adapt, become conditioned. Genetics improve because of environment/behavior

[@eliabeck689]

As someone who works with animals on a regular basis: First, those don't look like sheep to me---I think they're goats. Second, those goats are *ridiculously* excited to be out munching grass in the pasture! Nothing's chasing them; they just know it's time to eat! They also look like they're still pretty young, so they haven't lost their energy yet--my family's goats bounce off the walls of their houses all the time when they're young like that! ... Sorry, I know this probably seems super out-of-the-blue, since your comment is four years old. But I figured you might like to know. :) Edit: Actually, I just watched the clip again---I might be wrong and those *are* sheep, after all. Whoops.

[@downbntout]

​@eliabeck689 So long as no one was driving them, then yes, they were full of happy anticipation. I saw them bunched up at the end of an alley, didn't see what happened next. There's a myth out there that sheep never jump, obv false