Fostering a Healthier Future with Regenerative Practices
As the snow begins to meltΒ and theΒ smell of springtime fills the air here in Michigan, dairy farmers in our communitiesΒ are rollingΒ up barn curtains andΒ preparingΒ their fieldsΒ to be planted again.Β Β
While the season usually bringsΒ aΒ focus on the health of our planet,Β MichiganβsΒ nearlyΒ 1,200 dairy farm families are committedΒ toΒ a holistic approach to sustainable farmingΒ year-round.Β ThisΒ approach is known as regenerative agriculture.Β ItΒ incorporates practices that restore natural ecosystems, nurtureΒ aΒ diversity ofΒ speciesΒ andΒ ensureΒ animals receive the best care.Β Β
Dairy farmers are fellowΒ neighborsΒ whoΒ wantΒ to leave their community and thisΒ EarthΒ better for future generations.Β It is in their best interest to give calves the best care possible,Β as they are the future of their milking herd.Β Healthy cows are also essential in the regeneration of dairy farms,Β producingΒ high-quality milkΒ thatΒ feeds people around the world.Β
James Weber of Weber Family DairyΒ in Vassar, Michigan,Β believes inΒ regenerativeΒ practicesΒ including:Β
- FollowingΒ aΒ manureΒ management plan
- ResponsiblyΒ compostingΒ andΒ applyingΒ nutrients to theΒ soilΒ
- Feeding hisΒ animalsΒ aΒ quality dietΒ
- KeepingΒ surroundingΒ waterΒ cleanΒ
βManure on our farmΒ is managed in a complete cycle. After using components such as strawΒ andΒ compostΒ asΒ bedding for our animals, we take theΒ wasteΒ productsΒ to nourish the soil. The organic fertilizer helps grow more nutrient-rich feed for our cows,β said James.Β
Following proper spreading protocols preventsΒ air and waterΒ contamination.Β Farmers make sure they applyΒ theΒ appropriateΒ amountΒ of nutrients inΒ the correctΒ place,Β duringΒ the right time of year.Β This includesΒ implementing buffer zones between fieldsΒ and waterways, testing the soil to apply only the nutrientsΒ it needsΒ andΒ keeping accurate records.Β
Weber Family DairyΒ does notΒ stop looking for ways toΒ further theirΒ conservationΒ and land restoration effortsΒ there. James added, βWe continue to double our acreage ofΒ cover cropsΒ each year,Β in 2020Β planting more acresΒ ofΒ than every yearΒ priorΒ combined.βΒ Cover crops include plants likeΒ legumes and grassesΒ thatΒ areΒ usuallyΒ plantedΒ while primaryΒ crops are notΒ growing and help to suppress weeds.Β Β Β
He alsoΒ aimsΒ to make his operationΒ no-till. ThisΒ meansΒ growingΒ crops onΒ soilΒ that has not been disturbed throughΒ theΒ conventionalΒ tillageΒ practice.
TheseΒ combinedΒ practicesΒ reduce soil erosion, add biomass and nutrientsΒ toΒ the soil and makes itΒ betterΒ able to hold water.Β It alsoΒ holdsΒ carbon to lessen the farmβs carbon footprint.Β Β
Dairy is an environmental solution, comprised ofΒ people whoΒ striveΒ to make environmentally conscious decisionsΒ every day on their farms. WithoutΒ clean air and water, or productive land,Β local nutrient-richΒ dairyΒ foodsΒ could not get to your table.Β Β
VisitΒ ourΒ YouTube ChannelΒ toΒ watchΒ JamesΒ show how he manages manure on Weber FamilyΒ Dairy.Β Β
Learn more about Michigan dairy farmerβs commitment to sustainabilityβ―here.Β Β
