Understanding Nutrient Increases in Beef as it Correlates with Changes in Soil Respiration, and its Commercial Implications

Commodities

• Animals: bovine

Practices

• Animal Production: feed/forage, nutrition
• Soil Management: soil quality/health

Currently, ongoing work is being done to define “nutrient density.”  The work, led by the Bionutrient Food Association, has concluded that nutrient concentration disparities, within food,  remain across different farming styles. Resulting in inability to establish one farming style over another for consistent  maximization of crop nutrition. However, through their work, one metric has consistently been found in correlation with increasing nutrition. That metric is soil respiration, as an indicator to total life within the soil, and an accurate predictor of increased nutrition in the crop. This has been consistent through their years of study, however, they still report many many years remaining of studies in which the ask for increased participation. One such study is the Beef Study, this project will participate in this study. 

Most Americans are unaware of soil respiration and its role in producing crops that have been measured to be hundreds and sometimes thousands of times more potent in certain anti-inflammatory polyphenols, vitamins and minerals than produced from relatively biologically deficient soils (the majority of the food supply.) Many farmers are also unaware of these metrics and how they may allow for precision marketing of the nutritional, ecological, and ethical, differences of their crops. Our solution, in this project, is to produce nutritionally, ethically, socially, and environmentally superior meat that is measured and quantified through analysis by the Bionutrient Food Association. In the process we will explore  how the soil respiration metric correlates with improving nutritional factors. With the information gathered we will look at the marketing problems for sustainable farms and possible solutions concerning the data acquired through this project. The intent is to leverage the data gathered so sustainable and regenerative farmers can better communicate the value of their
products.

Our approach is to increase the quantity and diversity of the soil microbiota on ours soils through seeding a diverse grouping of pasture grasses and forbs, some currently not existing in our pastures. We are very interested in the tillage radishes and deep rooted species that can assists in building topsoil and allowing for deeper penetration of the rhizosphere. In addition to adding diversity and  larger root systems we will directly inoculate the soil with the Natural Resources Group Granular Mix. Inoculation will be through cultures purchased from the Natural Resources Group
that have a mixture of microbes and fungi that have been demonstrated to assist plants in overall health and vigor. The
seeding and inoculation will be with a ‘no-till drill,” rented through our local feed store and pulled with our farm tractor.
For best results, seeding will occur twice, once in the Spring Summer and Winter perennial soil builders. Inoculation will occur once, in the Spring. 

After establishing newly seeded plants, rotational grazing of livestock will be practiced for the remainder of the project length. Livestock will be grass finished on the farm. Nearing the completion of the study, one cow will be selected that has been grazed upon the pastures, throughout the study, for sampling. The beef sample will take part in the ongoing Beef Study, at the Bionutrient Food Association. The Beef Study also collects manure, soil, and grass samples from the farm
along with the beef sample.  This data will be collected along with soil samples analyzed through our extension office. A
total of 4 soil samples will be taken. Immediately, before each seeding, 12 months after last seeding, and again with the submission of the beef sample towards the end of the project.

After quantifying the nutritional differences between our beef sample  against supermarket beef samples available at the Beef Study we will translate the data into copy that can be used for marketing. The copy will be designed as educational, highlighting the nutritional findings found in this study along with relevant ecological, social, and health implications. The project will also address insights from the 4 soil samples into the educational materials. 

Utilizing a polling company, Centiment, 500 beef consumers that live in six-figure income households or greater, will be selected to receive the copy briefing them on our project findings and relevant information pertaining to sustainable agriculture and the health of humans, ecosystems, and societies. Afterward, they will participate in a 15 question survey design to gain valuable market information and their overall valuation of sustainable beef vs conventional.   

Tosta Family Farm will use their farm blog page and social media in disseminating the findings from the study. Throughout, social media and the blog will be used to track progress in the projects.