< Back to Main Blog Posted: Aug 2025
What's the beef?
Of all forms of animal farming, beef has the biggest carbon footprint. Fact. So how can it possibly be nature-friendly? Well, it depends on how it’s farmed.
Most intensive beef systems work against nature, pursuing yields at the cost of the soil, water, biodiversity and climate (aka carbon). Grassroots is a pioneering network of British beef farmers putting the health of natural ecosystems first. They farm with nature, not against it; shaping their systems around the landscape, not forcing the land to fit the system.
Each farmer has their own bespoke Regenerative Farm Plan, to revive nature on their farm not just maintain it at the current levels. It covers:
1. soil health
2. water quality
3. air quality
4. biodiversity (soil, plants, insects and mammals)
5. animal welfare
6. family, workers and community
The results show in the numbers. Grassroots beef produces around 17kg of carbon dioxide equivalents per kilo, less than half the UK average for farmed beef. For a family eating beef weekly, that’s a saving of around two tonnes of carbon a year, equivalent to cutting household energy emissions by half.
But the impact Grassroots farmers have is bigger than lower emissions. They commit to practical measures to restore ecosystems by planting and maintaining hedgerows to provide habitats for birds and pollinators; managing permanent pasture to improve soil structure and water retention; and using planned rotational grazing to mirror the natural movement of wild herbivores. These actions reduce flood risk, support biodiversity, and help build healthier, more resilient landscapes.
Where conventional beef often relies on grain-based feed (including soya, that can be linked to deforestation), Grassroots farmers let cows graze on what grows naturally, guided by the rhythm of seasons and the needs of the land. Each farm adapts to its context - upland or lowland, wet or dry - not by imposing uniform systems, but by listening to what the soil and wildlife are telling them.
More farmers working in this way will only be good for nature. Developing a more sustainable market for their beef is therefore essential and it’s why we’re thrilled to be partnering with Grassroots for our Recipes for Change Lasagne.
Check out the Grassroots website for more info - https://www.grassrootsfarming.co/
Explore the rest of our blog...
< Back to Main Blog Posted: Aug 2025