by Matteo Cavallito<\/p>\n
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Livestock farming poses no threat to either the soil or the climate as long as it complies with the principles of agroecology<\/strong>, as opposed to conventional methods that are considered environmentally unsustainable. This is the message of the Soil Association, a nongovernmental organization based in Edinburgh, Scotland. “On organic farms, crops are often grown in rotation<\/strong> with a fertility building phase of grass and clover, which may be grazed by cows and sheep, and grasslands are used for extensive grazing,” the association explains<\/a>.<\/p>\n Moreover “When carefully managed, organic manures also help nurture soil microbiology<\/strong>, improving soil structure and providing resilience against drought and flooding. While no farming system is perfect \u2013 and conventional and agroecological farmers are working hard to make improvements \u2013 the evidence<\/a> suggests that livestock can be part of the solution.”<\/p>\n