Grasslands, Communicating the Benefits

The multiple benefits of perennial agriculture , including forages and grasslands, for building soil quality, protection of natural resources, enhancement of biodiversity and wildlife, are well known to us, but little understood by the public. This is not a situation where “more education” would necessarily increase recognition. Rather, we must build in the public a desire for the enhancement of green space, clean water and air, and diverse landscapes that multiple purpose agriculture can bring. We seek such environments intuitively and now that much of the world’s people are “trapped” in urban settings of steel and concrete, this desire is even more apparent. Yet other forces continually work against using agriculture for such uses. Economic motives are at the base of the conflict. Grasslands seldom produce recognizable returns. It is important for grassland scientists to bring to the public forum the benefits of their unique approach, even while the agricultural world seems to be moving toward a grain-based economy. Such recognition is necessary if public support of conservation incentives are to become a part of agriculture. Rotational grazing offers one way around the economic issue, and will be discussed in detail. Other economic approaches involve government leasing and government recognition of environmental benefits (Conservation Reserve Program). A concept gaining support involves carbon trading. This is payment to the land owner by public or private entities for conservation practices that sequester carbon, thereby reducing the carbon dioxide load in the atmosphere and slowing global climate change. Carbon trading could ultimately be endorsed in the Kyoto treaty, making carbon sequestration a part of national policies and a new way to support multifuctional agriculture. The paper will discuss pros and cons of several management options that will require the use of perennial crops, grasslands in particular. Ways are also discussed to engage the public in the decision making process. The bottom line, however, is that in some way or the other grasslands systems often must be subsidized in the United States