Restoration and conservation of habitats essential in managing US asset profitably

Impact Ag Partners global footprint in asset management now reaches the US with the recent purchase of two ranches covering 380,000 acres, one of which was recently voted 2021 Ranchland Deal of the Year. Six months in the making, putting together the due diligence and investment cases for these two deals, acquiring land for our investors in a pristine corner of Montana.

Impact Ag Partners assets under management in Montana.

The Montana ranches are rich in history and are primarily a cattle breeding operation with 15,000 head, with the long-term goal of producing carbon-neutral beef. These ranches are important environmental assets and have significant wetland areas and are surrounded by land which is under conservation easement. The ranch will work with Government departments and other interested parties on a range of environmental and conservation projects to protect the ranch’s natural beauty, including three projects related to managing fish stocks.

These ranch stewardship programs target the restoration and conservation of habitats essential for the local and migratory mammal, bird, and fish species led by our very experienced US team, including Pam Lyford, Impact Ag Partners US Natural Capital Specialist.

Protecting the natural beauty of the ranch and preserving its fauna and flora is imperative to the way the land will be managed.

We are also proud to be working on two carbon projects. The first, partnering with the University of California, Davis as part of a methane reduction trial using asparagopsis seaweed. The seaweed is a natural digestive aid that helps cows derive more nutritional value, especially energy, from their feed, and burp less. The cows get more energy and the planet less carbon.

As reported in the recent Washington Post article, a study published last spring by the University of California, Davis researchers found that introducing seaweed into cattle feed can reduce methane emissions from beef cattle by as much as 82%.

“We now have sound evidence that seaweed in cattle diet is effective at reducing greenhouse gases and that the efficacy does not diminish over time.” Ermias Kebreab, Professor & Chairman of the Dept. of Animal Science and Director of the World Food Center.

The second project is the ranch’s first soil carbon project. The 8000ha project under the Vera methodology is ready to commence baselining in August 2022. Impact Ag Partners Natural Capital Specialist, Sara Schmude, said “a project of this magnitude needs skilled collaborators. Our team in the US have been instrumental in sourcing a high standard of service providers from soil samplers to accredited testings laboratories.”

Our team in the US have been instrumental in sourcing a high standard of service providers from soil samplers to accredited testings laboratories.

Impact Ag Partners Managing Director, Bert Glover’s aim is to have the ranches working to standard by the year’s end and in the process, he will have achieved the triple benefits of nurturing the land, having better-fed cattle, and adding value through carbon credits. Bert said, “Managing natural capital as a climate solution is in its infancy. We have been able to pilot projects with our partners in Australia with promising results. To be able to take this profitable approach to a larger scale in such a pristine special part of the US is a significant step forward in combining quality agricultural practices and food production with land stewardship for all our futures.”

Links to related articles:

Australian Firm appointed to Murdoch’s US$200m ranch
Impact Ag’s Bert Glover on a mission to cut carbon on the cattle ranch

#naturebasedsolutions #biodiversity #soilhealth #soilcarbon #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativeag #agriculture #naturepositive