It’s hard to imagine that farmers and agribusiness owners wouldn’t embrace environmental sustainability. Yet plenty of agriculture operations are just as detrimental to the health of the ecology as a plant dumping toxins directly into a river.

That’s because today’s high-yield food needs often put farmers in the position of using chemicals and growth hormones in an attempt to keep up with demand. While most farmers take great care to run their businesses responsibly, sometimes the mere process of raising herds can create biohazards and cause additional stresses to our water sources.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association outlined several ways for farmers to reduce the impact their herds have on the environment. They include:

1. Using biofuels in farm operations
2. Protecting wetlands and streams by fencing them off, creating a buffer to help control bank erosion and runoff
3. Planting trees as windbreaks to protect soil, herds, and offer wildlife shelter
4. Planting grass in erosive areas to maintain soil
5. Keeping wildlife habitats and nesting areas
6. Optimizing feed delivery to cut down on fuel consumption
7. Discouraging fire hazards by removing weeds and residue build-up
8. Feeding herds locally grown feeds to reduce fuel consumption
9. Maintaining open space grazing areas

Examine your herd maintenance and feed crop practices to see where you could reduce your farm’s impact on the environment. What is the long-term environmental impact of each chemical you use for fertilizing or weed / pest control? Are there products available that can reduce that impact while netting the same results? How is your water supply protected from herds or runoff? How are you protecting ground nesting areas or other wildlife habitats?

It behooves farmers to embrace better environmental practices. Preservation of the land that sustains our agribusiness is smart business. Check with your farm insurance broker to see if there are environmental checklists or guidelines to help you improve your environmental practices.

Flickr photo credit: strangepill

Filed under: Agribusiness by afis blogger