A Synthesis of Ranch-Level Sustainability Indicators for Land Managers and to Communicate Across the US Beef Supply Chain

Ahlering, Marissa A.; Kazanski, Clare E.; Lendrum, Patrick E.; Borrelli, Pablo; Burnidge, William; Clark, Lexi; Ellis, C. R.; Gadzia, Kirk; Gelbard, Jonathan; Gennet, Sasha; Goodwin, Douglas; Kachergis, Emily; Knapp, Corrine Nöel; Labbe, Nancy; Maczko, Kristie A.; Porzig, Elizabeth L.; Rizzo, David M.; Spiegal, Sheri; Wilson, Christopher G.

doi:10.1016/j.rama.2021.08.011

Cited by 7 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 56 publications

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“…In contrast to the multiple dimensions and interactions between them that producers collectively described (Theme 1, Table 1), sustainability in the beef industry is often evaluated in the scientific literature using a narrow set of metrics. A recent synthesis of ranch-level sustainability indicators by Ahlering et al (2021), showed that across sustainability assessments, the focus tended to be on ecological indicators, highlighting the need for the further incorporation of, and agreement on, socioeconomic indicators of sustainability [60]. In another systematic review of literature on sustainability at farm-level in beef and lamb meat production globally, Segerkvist et al (2021) found that only 40% of studies on beef cattle (and 27% of those dealing with sheep) had studied or evaluated all three sustainability dimensions.…”

Section: Sustainability Is Multidimensional and Interconnectedmentioning

confidence: 99%

U.S. beef producer perspectives on “sustainable beef” and implications for sustainability transitions

Smith,

Metcalf,

Metcalf

et al. 2024

Discov Sustain

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Beef production systems are at the center of ongoing discussion and debate on food systems sustainability. There is a growing interest among beef producers, consumers, and other beef supply chain stakeholders in achieving greater sustainability within the industry, but the relationship of this interest to general sustainability issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, food security, livelihood risks, and animal welfare concerns is unclear. Specifically, there is very little research documenting how beef producers define and view the concept of sustainability and how to achieve it. Producer perspectives are critical to identifying constraints to sustainability transitions or to help build agreement with other producers about the shared values such transitions may support. Through a secondary analysis of survey data of U.S. beef producers (n = 911) conducted in 2021 by the Trust in Food division of Farm Journal, a corporation that provides content, data, and business insights to the agricultural community (e.g., producers, processors/distributors, and retailers), we investigated what “sustainable beef” means to U.S. beef producers, highlighting the key components and constraints they perceive to achieving desirable sustainability outcomes. Leveraging the three-pillar model of sustainability as a framework for analysis, we identified key themes producers use to define “sustainable beef.” We found that producers collectively viewed sustainability as: (1) multidimensional and interconnected; (2) semi-closed and regenerative; (3) long-lasting; and (4) producer-centered, although an integrated perspective uniting these aspects was rare. We discuss how these perspectives may be the basis for sustainability efforts supported by producers and raise future research considerations toward a shared understanding of what sustainability is and what is needed for enduring sustainability solutions in the U.S. beef industry.

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Section: Sustainability Is Multidimensional and Interconnectedmentioning

confidence: 99%