Promoting Sustainable, Regenerative Practices in California’s Meat Production

Since 1967, seven thousand meat processing plants have closed in the United States. Only 3,000 remain and of those, many small and mid-scaled independent plants are on the verge of financial collapse. Today, three multi-national industrial meat companies control over 80% of the US meat supply. These near monopolies force down prices paid to farmers and ranchers and force up prices paid by chefs, food service and eaters. The droughts and wildfires of the last 25 years have only exacerbated the challenges.

Regenerative ranching offers a sustainable, attainable alternative, resulting in meat products that are sourced and produced in ways that rebuild soil health, reduce carbon emissions and promote biodiversity. Additionally, grass-fed beef has higher levels of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in comparison to grain-fed beef, potentially exerting protective effects against several diseases ranging from cancer to cardiovascular disease.

Since 2009, PHI’s Roots of Change (ROC) has advanced the regenerative ranching model by bringing together hundreds of partners and stakeholders including meat producers, processors, advocates, chefs and others; researching the longstanding challenges in the meat supply chain, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic; and more. By fostering collaboration and innovation within the food industry, ROC strives to create a more resilient and equitable food system for all.

Thanks in part to these efforts, in 2022 the University of California committed to supporting regenerative farming and local agriculture. The institution is now adopting a regenerative meat supply chain for its 10 campuses and five medical systems—which serves 600,000 meals per day during the academic year.

2024 Regional Regenerative Meat Summit

In March 2024, Roots of Change and partners from the UC Davis Institute of the Environment and IC-FOODS brought together a diverse array of stakeholders from Northern California for the second Regional Regenerative Meat Summit. In total, 130 participants joined for an all-day workshop and dinner, designed to form new connections and explore sustainable and regenerative practices in meat production. Attendees included animal producers, processors, butchers, buyers and brands along with direct-to-consumer marketing and regenerative agriculture experts.

The event also featured Virginia Jameson, deputy secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), who participated in a panel discussion on Defining Regenerative Agriculture. The CDFA is currently in the process of defining regenerative agriculture for the state of California.

This event was part of ROC’s three-year effort, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, to support small and mid-scale regenerative livestock farmers and ranchers to become a source of healthy meat for the University of California system, as well as California’s regionally owned grocers, butchers, and restaurants.

Versions of this impact were first published in newsletters from PHI’s Roots of Change and Center for Wellness and Nutrition.