Vandana Shiva is an Indian scholar, environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate, and anti-globalization author. Based in Delhi, Shiva has written more than 20 books. She is a leader and board member of the International Forum on Globalization, and a figure of the anti-globalization movement. Her newest book is “Reclaiming the Commons: Biodiversity, Indigenous Knowledge, and the Rights of Mother Earth.”
Will owns and operates White Oak Pastures. It is the 150-year-old diversified and integrated farm where his family has earned their living for 6 generations.
In the last 25 years, Will has evolved the farm from a commoditized, industrialized, centralized, monoculture cattle operation to a regenerative, high animal welfare, diversified livestock farm that is rebuilding their village of Bluffton, Georgia.
White Oak Pastures pasture raises and hand butchers cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, chickens, guineas, ducks, rabbits, and turkeys. They also produce organic vegetables, pastured eggs, pet treats, leather products, and many other products that allow a nearly closed loop system.
Will will discuss the 150-year-journey of White Oak Pastures from a sustainable family focused farm, to an industrialized, commoditized, centralized operation, and back to a regenerative high animal welfare focused and diversified vertically integrated multi-species family farm.
Kelsey Ducheneaux is the 4th generation of The DX Ranch on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. She is the owner of DX Beef, which offers locally raised beef for direct sale, and serves Project H3LP!, a nonprofit organization which utilizes horses to practice their Lifemanship philosophies with youth. Kelsey also works as the Natural Resources Director and Youth Programs Coordinator for the Intertribal Agriculture Council, which presents her with a unique opportunity to support the improvement of Indian lands for Indian peoples across the nation.
Training the Next Generation of Agrarians
As part of a panel with Casey Holland, Patrick Jaramillo, Serafina Lombardi, and Dan Waldvogle, Kelsey will highlight the importance of our next generation of farmers in keeping our local traditions alive, protecting water rights, while building economic and food security for our rural communities during times of change.
Jonathan Cobb is a fourth generation steward of his family’s land in the Blackland Prairie of central Texas. After earning his business degree and spending several years away from the farm, he and his wife, Kaylyn, decided to leave the urban life and continue the farming tradition. Five years into row crop farming thousands of acres with his father, Jonathan and Kaylyn nearly left the farm because they didn’t see a future in the industrial row crop model. Thankfully before leaving, they were exposed to regenerative agriculture and learned there was hope to both regenerate their land and enhance profitability. In addition to stewarding their pasture-based farm, Jonathan provides soil health consulting and serves on the boards for The Grassfed Exchange and Holistic Management International.
Nicole Masters, is an independent agroecologist, systems thinker and educator. She has a formal background in ecology, soil science and organizational learning. She has been providing agricultural consulting and extension services since 2003. Nicole is recognized as a knowledgeable and dynamic speaker on the topic of soil health.
Her team of soil coaches at Integrity Soils work alongside producers in the U.S., Canada and across Australasia. Supporting producers in taking their operations to the next level in nutrient density, profitability and environmental outcomes.
She is one of a growing number of people who are facilitating a rapidly expanding world of quality food production and biological economies.
Soil functions as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans, but understanding how it does this, and the impact our practices and consumer choices have on its ability to absorb water, grow food, feed us, and sequester carbon can be more complicated to understand. Join us for a conversation about the connections between agriculture, conservation, soil health, and gut health. Panelists are Christine Su, Nicole Masters, and Betsy Ross. This powerhouse panel of experts will discuss their work in science, ranching, medicine, technology, conservation, and much more.
Richard Teague is Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Texas A&M University. The purpose of his research is to conduct a ranch-scale, multi-county assessment that addresses objectives in the context of improving Soil Health and ecosystem services in grazing ecosystems as the foundation to improving ranch-based livelihoods and as they relate to Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. This involves determining: 1) the extent that grazing strategies influence key ecosystem services in the Southern Plains of the USA; and 2) the extent that different grazing management strategies can be used by livestock producers to mitigate and adapt to alternative climate change scenarios.
Adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing is regenerating soils, watersheds, critical ecosystem services and livelihoods in North America. Early data shows soil carbon is the essential currency for this vibrancy. We are building on these early results with multi-disciplinary research conducted with regenerative ranchers in different regions of US. We will present our latest interim data and have open dialogue relating to our research and future plans. This is a panel with Peter Byck.