Letter: Regenerative meat is best for planet

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Editor,

It’s not the cow; it’s the how. I’m a local farmer who has been raising pasture based meats for the past 10 years. Well managed animal impact has contributed to building topsoil and creating a more diverse and productive landscape on our small farm. The sale of those animals for food has funded our planting over 200 trees and shrubs to further increase the resilience and productivity of the farm. Animals and grasslands have worked symbiotically to create the deepest topsoils (stored carbon) in the world. There were more large ruminants in North America 500 years ago than there are today.

The path forward isn’t without animals. The path forward is regeneratively managed animal agriculture on diverse forages nationwide (where appropriate) and especially in the historic prairie ecosystems. It’s the most scalable solution to erosion (currently over two tons top soil lost per acre per year on average) by keeping the soil covered year round. It can reverse desertification, sequester carbon year after year and provide a beautiful, natural life for our animal partners. Commodity grain farming, without cover cropping and animal impact, destroys topsoil, eliminates biodiversity, is responsible for the death and displacement of millions of animals and cripples farmers’ livelihoods and rural communities.

If you want to make the best choice for the planet (and your community) find your local regenerative farmers and pay them well.

Kevin Dunham

Langley