From large corporations to small, independent businesses, it is hard to find a modern business that does not have a pledge to become more environmentally sustainable. Businesses concentrating on sustainability are typically lavished with praise while those perceived to not be doing their part may be met with harsh criticism. Today’s media has a tendency to portray agriculture as a major player in greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems. This bad reputation is unwarranted and not supported by scientific data.  

Over the years, producers have improved the sustainability of raising animals in a variety of ways, long before it was trendy to do so. One of ways farmers have worked to improve sustainability is by adopting the land-management practice of planting cover crops and using them as feed. According to the 2017 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Census of Agriculture, 15.4 million acres of cover crops were planted in the U.S., an almost 50 percent increase from 2012. Cover crops are commonly planted to reduce soil erosion and improve soil health, but they can also be used as a feedstuff for cattle. One family of cover crops commonly planted in the upper Midwest are known as brassicas, which are planted because of their cold hardiness. This ability to withstand the late fall temperatures of the Great Plains can extend the grazing season beyond traditional grass pasture, resulting in reduced need for producers to haul feed to their cattle. This reduces labor and farm equipment emissions.