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Enhancing carbon sequestration in western U.S. rangelands through responsible wool standard and regenerative sheep farming practices
Author
Prado-Tarango, DE
Valliere, S
Moore, J
Mata-Gonzalez, R
Talbott, J
Ates, S
Publisher
XII International Rangeland Congress
Publication Year
2025
Body

Little is known about soil carbon dynamics and the effects of regenerative grazing practices on sheep ranches in the United States. To address this knowledge gap, we established a soil carbon monitoring program across ten sheep ranches spanning over 1 million hectares of private and federal rangelands in the Western United States. Collectively, these operations manage over 47,000 sheep for meat and wool production. By adopting the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), these ranches have implemented practices to improve grazing management, land health, and animal and social welfare. From 2020 to 202 3, soil carbon levels were measured at a depth of 20 cm. Greenhouse gas emissions, including CO 2, CH 4, and N 2O, were also estimated using the COMET-Farm model at both individual and aggregate levels. Preliminary results indicate that one ranch showed an increase in soil organic carbon (SOC), while SOC levels on the remaining ranches remained relatively stable. COMET-Farm modeling estimates that these ranches have the potential to offset 91,444 metric tons of CO2 equivalents annually. This study provides a crucial baseline for understanding soil carbon dynamics on sheep ranches and highlights the potential of regenerative grazing and conservation practices to enhance carbon sequestration. It emphasizes the role sustainable sheep grazing systems can play in promoting ecological health while maintaining agricultural productivity.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Additional Information
This paper is part of the larger XII International Rangelands Congress Proceedings. Page Numbers: 1546-1550. Theme: Theme 6 / Carbon sinks in grazing systems
ISSN
978-0-646-72121-7
Conference Name
International Rangeland Congress
Collection
International Rangelands Congress
Keywords
soils
carbon sequestration
rangelands
sheep farmers