Silvopasture Creates Profitable and Resilient Food Systems

Livestock producers face increasing threats to farm viability from thin profit margins to extreme weather, and shifting consumer demand. Fortunately, there are regenerative agricultural practices proven to mitigate these threats which support profitability and long-term resilience.

Silvopasture, a form of agroforestry, is one tool in our regenerative toolkit that provides a host of benefits to producers, consumers, and the planet simultaneously.

Silvopasture is a practice that deliberately incorporates trees, forage, and grazing animals on the same land for mutual benefit to each other.

We’ll review the case for silvopasture from an economic, environmental and consumer health standpoint. Then we’ll outline how to get started and highlight examples in practice today.

Economic Benefits for Producers

American farms face increasing costs and market consolidation. Silvopasture gets to the root of the problem by creating more resilience in existing operations. Producers can minimize dependance on external resources, create jobs, and improve livelihood in their communities.

Propagate recently published a study in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy , Silvopasture offers climate change mitigation and profit potential for farmers in the eastern United States, which found that silvopasture has a 6-14% 10-year Internal Rate of Return (IRR) compared to traditional grazing.

Several factors make up these returns, which vary case by case:

Reduction of Heat Stress: One shade study in Florida showed that the average daily gain of heifers increased 0.47 lbs/day compared to those in direct sun.

Reduced Feed Costs: Tree fodder, can be both edible and nutrient dense, depending on the species chosen. This will offset feed costs and reduce dependency on external resources.

Diversified Income Streams: Silvopasture can generate new income from the harvest of fruits, nuts, or timber, depending on the species chosen. These additional revenue streams can help stabilize income, especially during market fluctuations.

Unmet Market Demand: Consumer demand for sustainably produced, environmentally friendly agricultural products is growing. Silvopasture aligns with these trends and can provide producers with a competitive advantage in the marketplace, potentially commanding premium prices for products.

Additional incentives can apply, but are not factored into the 6-14% returns mentioned previously. For example, farms may be eligible for carbon credits from trees planted in a silvopasture system.

Environmental Benefits

Silvopasture is a ecosystems multi-tool, capable of delivering a host of benefits depending on the details of system design:

Enhanced Animal Welfare: Silvopasture systems prioritize animal welfare by providing livestock with more space, natural forage, and protection from extreme weather conditions. This leads to healthier, less stressed animals and, subsequently, improved meat and dairy quality.

Improved Soil Health: Silvopasture systems often feature deep-rooted trees and perennial forage crops. These plants help prevent soil erosion, enhance soil structure, and increase organic matter content. Improved soil health leads to better water retention, nutrient cycling, and overall soil fertility.

Carbon Sequestration: New trees planted in pastures act as carbon sinks, absorbing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This helps mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas levels. Check out our recently published paper for more on the specific capture rates by tree species.

Enhanced Biodiversity: The combination of trees and pasture creates a diverse habitat that supports various wildlife species. Silvopasture systems can host a wide range of birds, insects, and mammals, contributing to local biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Water Quality & Management: Silvopasture improves water quality by reducing runoff and filtering pollutants. Tree roots stabilize soil, preventing sedimentation in water bodies. This practice also reduces the leaching of nutrients and chemicals into groundwater.

Consumer Health Benefits

Silvopasture has benefits that make it all the way to our tables. It starts with the growth of diverse forage species like nutrient-rich grasses and legumes which become feed for livestock. This variety of vegetation provides a well-rounded diet, leading to the production of more nutrient-dense meat and dairy products.

Reduced Risk of Disease: Research shows that livestock who forage on biodiverse mixtures vs monocultures have more nutritional value and can reduce risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Reduced Chemical Inputs: Compared to conventional farming practices, silvopasture typically requires fewer synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. As a result, the risk of chemical residues in meat and dairy products is reduced, contributing to healthier and safer food choices.

Lower Antibiotic Use: In intensively managed livestock systems, antibiotics are needed in greater quantity because animals are kept in closer proximity for greater lengths of time. Silvopasture encourages more time spent in open air, reducing the need for antibiotics for animals.

Diverse and Local Food Sources: Silvopasture systems can support the local production of diverse foods, such as specialty meats, nuts, fruits, and berries. This diversity allows consumers to access a broader range of locally sourced, fresh, and unique products, promoting a more diverse and healthy diet.

By choosing products from silvopasture systems, consumers can make more health-conscious decisions for themselves and their families while also supporting environmentally responsible agricultural practices.

Getting Started with Silvopasture

Research suggests there are between 14 million and 62 million acres of potential opportunity to expand silvopasture practices in the eastern United States. Silvopasture can be established in existing pastures, or by planting forage in existing forests.

Our team’s work focuses on bringing trees to pastures, which requires three components: a comprehensive project design, technical expertise to implement and manage those systems, and financing to fund the transition.

DESIGN KEY PRINCIPALS

When thinking about designing an agroforestry system like silvopasture, we must focus on being intentional, interactive, and integrated.

Intentional: Choosing combinations of trees, crops, and animals to be managed as a whole unit, rather than as individual enterprises.

Interactive: We’re seeking to enhance the production of all components, while also providing ecosystem benefits.

Integrated: The various components are structurally and functionally combined into a single, integrated unit with holistic management in mind.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TREES

Selecting the right tree species depends on climate, soil type, and compatibility with livestock. Start by assessing your local conditions, considering factors like USDA hardiness zone, annual precipitation levels and soil composition.

We can help determine if your land is suitable using our design software, Overyield. Here’s an example of what that looks like:

Make sure to consider both tall and short tree species, as they may serve different purposes in your silvopasture. These are examples of tree species we have seen integrated into silvopasture by region:

For Temperate Regions (USDA Zones 4-8):

• Black Locust
• Honey Locust
• Chestnut
• Mulberry
• Walnut
• Willow

For More Humid Regions (USDA Zones 9-11):

• Pecan
• Black Cherry
• Southern Pine

Be sure to plan the long-term management of your silvopasture system. Some tree species require more maintenance, such as pruning and pest control, while others are relatively low-maintenance.

Once your options are narrowed down by suitability, consider livestock compatibility and any desired products to market from the system or environmental outcomes. For example:

If the priority is reducing heat stress: Black locust is a fast-growing shade tree which produces timber as a secondary marketable product. It is suitable for producing cattle fodder as well, but may be toxic to other animals. It can also be considered invasive in certain regions.

If the priority is emissions reduction: Research has shown that forages from grazing willow contain condensed tannins and other secondary compounds that have demonstrated positive outcomes for methane mitigation in some instances.

GRAZING MANAGEMENT

It’s important to note: Silvopasture cannot be implemented successfully without some form of rotational grazing. Transitioning from set-stock grazing to rotational grazing can be a significant change in management practice. Even for those already rotating, there are changes that will have to be made in the first few years of the trees live to protect initial growth.

Because rotational grazing can be the biggest management hurdle, those interested in silvopasture should be cautioned — animals should not be placed in tree-based systems if they will not be managed through rotational grazing.

Barriers to Adoption

Regardless of the available land and numerous economic and ecological benefits of silvopasture, producers cite a lack of information and financing are the biggest barriers to adoption.

Establishing a silvopasture system often requires an upfront investment in tree planting, fencing, and other infrastructure. Some landowners may be hesitant to make this investment, especially if they are unsure about the long-term returns. Other barriers include:

Lack of Information: The United States doesn’t have the same level of foundational know-how from generations of practitioners compared to other countries like Europe, Latin America, or Southeast Asia who have been using silvopasture for centuries.

Perceived Risks: Transitioning from conventional practices to silvopasture may be perceived as risky, especially if producers are concerned about potential disruptions to their existing operations or markets.

Land Tenure and Ownership: Land ownership issues, including short-term leases or uncertainty about land tenure, can deter long-term investments like silvopasture.

Lack of Technical Support: Silvopasture implementation can be complex, requiring expertise in livestock, agriculture, and forestry. Some farmers may lack access to technical support and guidance.

Market Demand: Producers are concerned about market demand for products from silvopasture systems, and often bear the risk alone. Building markets for these higher-value products can take time, and requires partnerships across the food supply web.

Policy and Regulations: While programs are being piloted today, the existing agricultural policies and regulations do not always incentivize silvopasture adoption at the scale of other practices like cover cropping.

Despite these challenges, there is growing interest in silvopasture and agroforestry practices as producers recognize the potential for more profitable and sustainable land use. There are efforts being made to promote silvopasture including technical assistance, financial incentives, and policy support. As awareness and support continue to grow, we can expect to see increased adoption of silvopasture as a sustainable agricultural practice.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PUBLIC FUNDING OPTIONS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has several programs that producers may qualify for. Propagate is proud to be part of the partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities grant which covers strategies like alley cropping, silvopasture, and windbreaks.

Learn more about the program, what’s involved, and how to apply here.

Examples in Practice

Silvopasture has been used for centuries in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia, but is less common in the United States where there has historically been an emphasis on clearing land for agriculture and maximizing open grazing areas for livestock.

That said, there is a growing interest in Silvopasture in the U.S. and there are mature systems in place today that we can learn from:

In Georgia, White Oak Pastures is developing silvopasture systems based on the Spanish Dehesa model with Iberian and heritage hogs and oak, pecan, fig, pear and olive trees. They use an 80/20 tree density where 20% is shaded. This is not a dense canopy and will allow sunshine to filter through so that their livestock can forage a pasture understory.

In Minnesota, Tree Range Farms raises chickens in silvopasture featuring hazelnut trees and other species in a “jungle-like” habitat that honors the true natural environment of chickens. They have created a support network for small farmers to enroll, providing training, and access to production facilities to prioritize farmer well-being.

In Western New York, Angus Glen Farms has an operation that practices grazing using silvopasture with timber and livestock on the same land. There are 80 cow-calf pairs of Angus cattle grown for seed-stock and grass-fed beef production on this 300 acre farm.

We Make Silvopasture Easy

Silvopasture is shown to be a wise investment, economically and ecologically. It offers a path to a more stable food system through farmer profitability, climate benefits, and improved nutrition for consumers.

Although there is ample opportunity for silvopasture in the United States, a lack of information and financial resources has held back adoption to-date.

Our team is here to help producers establish profitable, resilient and restorative silvopasture systems. We provide project design knowledge, on-site development services, and financing resources to overcome the cost of setup. By aligning a revenue-generating opportunities with positive ecosystem outcomes, we can create a path to regenerative practices that scale.

If you’re ready to see what silvopasture could look like, contact our team.

Mark Phillips is helping scale agroforestry as a natural climate solution at Propagate, an agroforestry investments & project development platform focused on bridging the capital and operational needs for the integration of tree crops to farmland. He partners with companies, non-profits, and government across the agricultural value chain to scale regenerative agriculture and heal the planet. A member of the 2021 Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Fellowship, Mark joined Propagate from Berkshire Agricultural Ventures where he worked directly with farmers on grants, loans, and business technical assistance.