Agriculture takes up about one fifth of the land in the United States. Due to its natural resources and land conditions, the US is one of the world’s leading agricultural producers and suppliers.

In North America, reduced tillage is the most widely adopted practice that seeks the ideals of CA and adoption rates are increasing. Cover crops are used on a low percentage of cultivated land in North America, but recent efforts to promote the value of cover cropping have resulted in increased adoption rates. Developing cropping systems that use biomass for biofuel systems has potential for expanding the cultivation of cover crops.

Between 1982 and 2007, soil erosion on U.S. cropland decreased 43%. Water erosion on cropland in 2007 declined from 1.68 billion tons per year to 960 million tons per year, and erosion due to wind declined from 1.38 billion tons per year to 765 million tons per year.

Majority crop grown by region:

● Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota: Corn, soybean, barley, oats

● Wyoming: Barley

● Washington: Barley

● Wisconsin: Oats

● Iowa: Corn, soybean, oats

● Montana: Barley, durum wheat

● Ohio, Illinois, Indiana: Soft red winter wheat

● Maine: Potatoes

Forage, grasslands, and grazing lands constitute more than two-thirds of all agricultural land in the USA. There are 48.5 Mha of pastureland in the USA and 25.1 Mha of land used for production of hay and other conserved forage (except row crops for silage). Cool-season temperate forage and grasslands occupy much of the northeastern USA, the lake states, Midwest, and parts of the northern Great Plains.

Mismanagement of pasture and hayland can reduce production and profit and harm the environment. Grazing management that exceeds sustainable carrying capacity can degrade vegetation, enhance runoff, and impair water quality. There are an estimated 30 M ha of pasture and hayland in the USA that would provide greater environmental benefits from some form of conservation treatment, such as prescribed grazing, pasture/hayland planting, and nutrient management. Conservation practices to protect soil and water resources are a critical part of pasture and hayland management because much of this land is sloping, is classified as marginal for cropland, and has a small margin for error in management.

Cattle production is the most important agricultural industry in the United States, consistently accounting for the largest share of total cash receipts for agricultural commodities. In 2021, cattle production is forecasted to represent about 17% of the $391 billion in total cash receipts for agricultural commodities.

Drought, tight forage supplies, and macroeconomic factors are forcing producers to cull deeper in their herds. Therefore, higher beef cow slaughter pushed non fed cattle slaughter to the highest.

New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona:

Rainfed and runoff agriculture have been practiced for centuries by the Zuni and other peoples in the arid southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Archaeological and historical evidence documents Zuni dryland and irrigated fields that are at least 1000–3000 years old and maize has been grown in the region for about 4000 years. Traditional agriculture at Zuni and other Southwestern Indian communities provides models of diverse and enduring systems. Expanded understanding of their adapted cultivars and the agroecological structure and function of these systems can contribute to the development of sustainable agricultural strategies to successfully meet the challenges of increased water demands in arid regions.

Rangelands in the Southwest (CO, AZ, NV, UT and NM) are vulnerable to climate change, facing issues such as reduced long-term livestock grazing capacities, self-sustained degradation that allow invasive grasses to take over, thus increasing fires and reducing values for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Reduced ground cover will lead to further degradation of soil by wind and water erosion.

It was estimated that forestry and agricultural soil management have the potential to achieve ~ 15% of an overall greenhouse gas (GHG) management strategy to stabilize climate over the next 50 years. Current knowledge of Carbon fluxes in rangeland systems indicates that policies and programs should focus on long-term strategies to protect existing Carbon pools, rather than attempt to enhance future sequestration. Agroforestry can help with this.

Cattle-calf operations are predominantly in the Southwest USA. A shift in the breed, class, or species of livestock is one of the more readily implemented adaptation strategies available to rangeland managers.

According to the last USDA 2018 Agriculture Census of the +8 million acres of harvested cropland in California, less than 2.5% practices no-till and only 4% practice cover cropping. The future of crop production in Arizona will depend on regenerative and sustainable on-farm practices, resource use efficiencies, and practices which maximize ecosystem benefits and reduce the impact of extreme climate events such as drought and heat.

Current Major Crops

● CA, NV, AZ, NM: Hay, alfalfa, cotton, rice, wheat, corn, barley, safflower, oats

● OK, AR, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC: Corn, soybean, wheat

Forage, grasslands, and grazing lands constitute more than two-thirds of all agricultural land in the USA. Pasture and hayland account for 73 million ha in the USA and provide several ecosystem goods and services. Pastureland is “land devoted to the production of indigenous or introduced forage for harvest by grazing, cutting, or both.” There are 48.5 million ha of pastureland in the USA and 25.1 million ha of land used for production of hay and other conserved forage (except row crops for silage).

Nevada: 82.78% are primarily engaged in raising livestock; 12.85% of Nevada farms and ranches are engaged in crop production while the remaining 4.37% are land within farms designated for other usage. Nevada agriculture is directed primarily toward range livestock production. Cattle and calves are the leading agricultural industry. Cow-calf operations predominate. Dairy, sheep and lambs and hogs are among Nevada's other livestock enterprises. The largest dairies are in the south.

CA,NV: Rocky mountain forest Agroforestry has been historically utilized as a means of land management and also serves as a diversified means of nutrition for livestock while foraging. Animals are moved around to control foraging locations to increase diversity. Continuous year long grazing is practiced on lower elevations of the Southern region. Sierra coniferous forests: Utilization of 40 % of sustained production growth provides a sustained level of livestock production on good quality rangeland. Opportunities are emerging that suggest agroforestry may be able to play a larger role in the Southwest as other technologies come on line (more efficient and/or recycled water irrigation systems) and as the Southwest faces more pressing climate condition.

Current Major Fodder:

Southeast OK, AR, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC: Warm-season grasses such as bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum), along with cool-season annual legumes and grasses like arrowleaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) to fill forage gaps in autumn and winter.

Southeast OK, AR, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC: Warm-season grasses such as bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum), along with cool-season annual legumes and grasses like arrowleaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) to fill forage gaps in autumn and winter.

Similar to other arid landscapes worldwide, range pastures of the American Southwest tend to be large and heterogeneous. Frequent use of particular locations by cattle can result in perennial grass loss, soil degradation, and increased dust emissions – all of which diminish cattle weight gains. Manipulating fencing, water locations, and timing of use are common approaches to improving livestock distribution in rangelands. These interventions, however, can be cost-prohibitive to establish and maintain in arid systems.

Current Major Livestock:

Cattle - In Southeast, Breeds with Bos Indicus influence, principally American Brahman, Brangus (Brahman + Angus), Red Brangus, Beefmaster and Santa Gertrudis.

In Southwest, Brahman, Angus, Hereford breeds are dominant.

Over the past century, farming and agriculture production in the United States has shifted from highly diversified low-input systems to highly specialized operations largely dependent on external non-renewable resources. Farm size has increased dramatically, along with an erosion of farm and crop diversity. Need exists to provide farmers with economically viable alternatives that harness ecological processes which will improve soil health and crop diversity. Most of the state’s soils possess little organic matter (<2%) and exhibit poor water and nutrient retention capacity, especially those experiencing regular disturbances through tillage and low inputs of organic matter.

Current Major Crops:

● FL: Citrus, tomatoes, sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), sweetcorn (Zea mays L.), cotton, hay and peanuts

● NM: Maize, potatoes, pumpkins, corn, beans, wheat

● TX: Cotton, corn, rice, wheat

Major crops also include Oats and Wheat.

Soil management is the foundation of agriculture and essential to sustainable forage and beef production. Most pastures in the Southeastern United States are established on marginal areas usually associated with poor soil fertility conditions.

In the United States, rangeland livestock production is important to local economies throughout the Great Plains, Intermountain West, and Southwest.

Along with the above, grazing managers often adjust the timing and intensity of grazing, length of graze and rest periods, and livestock distribution to achieve production and environmental goals.

Alaska is the only Arctic region in the United States. For much of the state, average annual temperatures are below freezing. Due to the state’s high northern latitude, food production is limited and contributes only to a very small part of the economy. Alaska’s top agriculture commodities include greenhouse and nursery products, hay, potatoes, dairy products and cattle are also reared. The quality of soil plays a crucial role in crop productivity. The native soils of some regions, including Alaska, are not always naturally well-suited for agriculture. Another constraining factor in Alaskan agriculture is the minimal microbial activities in seasonally frozen soils. The release of available nutrients from these processes occurs for only a few months per year in many high-latitude areas. This results in lower natural fertility and a higher fertilization requirement.

Many elements of sustainability can be captured in greenhouse production. As Alaskan produce growers depend on plants started in greenhouses for many crops, improvements in the efficiency and sustainability of the nursery industry would affect the agriculture industry as a whole.

The vast majority of this land is used as pastureland; areas of land covered with grass or other plants suitable for the grazing of livestock.

Many ecosystems in Alaska are well suited to grazing. The North American subarctic supports some of the largest wild herds of grazing ungulates on the continent yet livestock production in Alaska remains relatively undeveloped. In 2012, it was estimated that there were less than 17,000 head of livestock in the state. Despite the enormous size of Alaska, the land area currently in pasture is small at less than 299,000 ha. This constraint of space, along with extreme climatic conditions, a short growing season, expensive imported farm inputs, and competition from other markets, makes maximizing land resources and understanding the potential impacts of grazing livestock in the subarctic environment crucial. The goal of this research was to examine the relative and combined role of grazing mechanisms; herbivory, trampling, and manure/urine deposition on forage yield and soil health in sub-arctic pastures within a simulated intensively managed rotational grazing (IMRG) framework.

The most valuable livestock commodity produced in Alaska is milk, followed by eggs and beef cattle. Alaskan farmers also raise chickens, hogs, sheep, and lambs. Native Alaskan Inuit maintain herds of reindeer as a source of meat and hides.

Livestock production in Alaska does however have the potential to contribute to a sustainable agricultural industry. Provided the animals have access to basic shelter from rain and wind, and are able to escape from the extreme cold in winter, traditional livestock can do well in Alaska. Livestock farming in Alaska is often more limited by non-climatic factors, such as availability of processing facilities, rather than directly by climate. One major constraint to animal agriculture at high latitudes is the availability and production of reliable, inexpensive feeds. According to research, only a small 2% of all red meat consumed in Alaska originates from Alaska-raised beef and pork. In the long term, the potential for livestock production in Alaska could be improved, if adequate precipitation or irrigation occurs, allowing for forage and grain production. Another possibility is to assess the potential of reindeer meat for consumption, as many native communities herd reindeer and these animals are well adapted to cold temperatures. Historic herding numbers of Alaskan reindeer, particularly from the first part of the 20th century, suggest that a much larger percentage of Alaska’s red meat demand could be met with in state production.

In the search for alternative practices to chemical soil fumigation (CSF), anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) has proven to be a promising tool for soil-borne pest management and crop production improvement.

Since sugarcane is no longer grown in leeward Oahu (Hawaii) solutions for temporary ground covers, green manures, and forage are needed to keep the land productive and prevent soil erosion from intense winter rainfall.

Current Major Fodder:

● In Florida: Cool season - Alfalfa

● In Florida: Warm Season - Common Aeschynomene – Aeschynomene americana

● In Hawaii: Sorghum-sudangrass hybrid grass, bana grass is hybrid of napier (Pennisetum purpureum) and Babala (Pennisetum americanum) grass.

A major concern of all cattle operations is maintaining an effective feeding program. Since feed accounts for over 50% of the cost of production, both limited resource and large cattle producers are challenged with utilizing cost efficient feeding programs to raise cattle to target weights. Traditional small producers will raise cattle relying on pasture in a cow-calf or stocker herd. An established practice of supplementing cattle feed with subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics and anthelmintic have long been practiced as an aid in weight gain. However, there is empirical evidence that the strategy of feeding medicated feed may be contraindicated. The use of these substances could possibly have an impact that could lead to antibiotic and/or parasite resistance.