CCA PUSHING CNRA TO EXPAND GRAZING AS A ‘NATURE-BASED SOLUTION’

by CCA Vice President of Government Affairs Kirk Wilbur

Last month, California Cattle Councilfunded research was published in the journal Sustainability which examines the role of cattle grazing in mitigating greenhouse gas and particulate matter emissions from grasslands when those grasslands burn in wildfires.

The study, titled “Cattle Grazing Moderates Greenhouse Gas and Particulate Matter Emissions from California Grassland Wildfires,” concluded that “After accounting for the production of methane and nitrous oxide emitted by cattle consuming…forage, there is a modest reduction in [carbon dioxide equivalents] associated with grazing in grasslands that burn.” In short, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions on burned grasslands achieved by grazing cattle on those grasslands outweigh emissions of greenhouse gases via cattle manure and ‘cow burps’ (enteric fermentation).

Beyond grazing’s benefits for wildfire resilience and greenhouse gas emissions savings, the study also found that “cattle grazing can mitigate [fine particulate matter] emissions associated with grassland wildfires,” benefiting public health.

These benefits of cattle grazing are enhanced by the role cattle grazing plays in preventing encroachment of shrubs, as burned shrubland emits far greater quantities of greenhouse gases and fine particulate matter than burned grassland.

The newly-published research on the emissions-reduction benefits of cattle grazing builds upon last year’s publication in California Agriculture of a study finding that cattle grazing in California reduces fire fuels and results in more manageable fire behavior when fires are sparked on grazed rangelands.

The studies deepen our understanding of what we already know: grazing can preserve our natural and working landscapes and propel California toward realizing its ambitious climate goals (the State has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2045).

The California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) has also taken note of grazing’s ecological benefits, particularly in the years following California’s historically-catastrophic 2020 wildfire season, with CNRA Secretary Wade Crowfoot remarking earlier this year that “grazing is one of the…single best things we can do for wildfire resilience across the state” and noting that the practice is what the agency refers to as a “nature-based solution.”

CCA has wasted no time working to ensure that CNRA puts those words into action based on the best-available science regarding the ecological benefits of grazing.

Last month, CNRA solicited public input regarding “an ambitious range of targets for nature-based climate solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions to support state goals to achieve carbon neutrality.” This exercise is required by Assembly Bill 1757 (C. Garcia, 2022). AB 1757 requires various state agencies to examine targets for the years 2030, 2038, and 2045 “that reduce greenhouse gas emissions…to support state goals to achieve carbon neutrality and foster climate adaptation and resilience.” Under the legislation, CNRA will also be required to update its Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy to incorporate these targets and strategies.

After meeting with CNRA leadership to discuss the issue, CCA filed formal comments with the agency in mid-September. CCA’s suggestions focused primarily on expanding livestock grazing as a tool for conserving and enhancing the state’s natural and working landscapes, specifically by seeking to expand grazing as a management tool to an additional 2 million acres of California rangelands by 2040.

CCA’s filing highlighted the benefits of grazing for rangeland carbon sequestration and for avoiding greenhouse gas emissions which may otherwise result from wildfires on unmanaged rangelands.

CCA also provided targeted suggestions for how CNRA – which oversees state land management agencies like the California Department of Fish & Wildlife and California State Parks – could implement the strategy, suggesting that the agency should pursue policy which promotes “support and funding for rangeland infrastructure, agricultural conservation easements, and research in rangeland carbon sequestration,” adding that “California should also support grazing as a management tool on other public and private land, specifically on State Parks.”

CCA will continue to collaborate with CNRA ahead of the agency’s Jan. 1, 2024 deadline to ...CONTINUED ON PAGE

...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 set ambitious 2030, 2038 and 2045 targets for nature-based solutions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and as the agency works to revise its Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy one year later. Fortunately, as Secretary Crowfoot’s comments about grazing demonstrate, there is a receptive audience for CCA’s advocacy at the Natural Resources Agency.

One additional avenue for CCA to elevate the discussion around grazing as a conservation tool was revealed on Sept. 12, when CNRA announced that Secretary Crowfoot had selected CCA Vice President of Government Affairs Kirk Wilbur as one of 17 members of the agency’s 2023-2024 30x30 Partnership Coordinating Committee.

The Coordinating Committee, chaired by CNRA Deputy Secretary for Biodiversity and Habitat Jennifer Norris, aims to “enable effective communication and coordination among all groups that participate in the” state’s goal of conserving 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.

The Coordinating Committee does not decide state 30x30 policy or implementation, but works to identify opportunities for stakeholders to “leverage funding and other resources, maximize opportunities to expand and improve conservation, and build capacity of local and regional groups to meet their conservation objectives.”

While CCA will not be empowered to dictate 30x30 policy, representation on the Coordinating Committee should afford CCA the opportunity to educate 30x30 stakeholders about the value of livestock grazing for achieving the state’s ambitious conservation goals. CCA will also be better positioned to assist ranchers in identifying funding and other resources made available in furtherance of the 30x30 initiative. Finally, membership will elevate the voice of cattle producers among 30x30 participants and will ensure that CCA can provide greater information and transparency about the initiative to ranchers.

CCA will join with other members of the 30x30 Partnership Coordinating Committee this month during the 30x30 Partnership 2023 Gathering in Riverside on Oct. 11 and 12. Contact Kirk Wilbur in the CCA office with any comments, questions or other feedback.