Texas ranchers are restoring grasslands, storing carbon, and raising grass-fed cattle to reverse climate change. With 40% of America dedicated to livestock production, the implications could be bigger than TEXAS. Grassroots Carbon tech helps regenerative ranchers cash in on carbon credits.

Come on down to South Texas, where 7th generation rancher Travis Krause is helping fellow ranchers manage their lands with smart regenerative practices like holistic grazing. Tired of the unpredictable business of family farming, Travis launched Grazing Lands to build a regenerative beef supply chain for all of America. “We’ve got to get beyond the farmers market mentality and build something that scales.”

Speaking of scale, Grassroots Carbon, a San Antonio-based startup, is helping regenerative ranchers connect with carbon buyers to cash in on their good practices. EVP of Nature-Based Solutions, Lauren Miller grew up on a ranch just down the road from Travis, and she’s passionate about helping ranchers use regenerative agriculture to restore their land and make good money doing it. “I have a nine month old son; he'll probably be driving a tractor before he really should be. If we restore just half of the U.S. grasslands, we can sequester half to over a billion tons of co2 per year. For my son and for future generations, that's a massive difference. That's getting back to that natural carbon sink, that's working with nature, improving rural areas, improving the food supply. I was in Houston during Harvey, I know what happens when you pave over a grassland.”

Grassroots Carbon provides ranchers with PastureMap software to manage livestock, restore grasslands, and track carbon storage. And now, Rice University is developing industry-wide standards to measure carbon capture credits, ensuring quality transactions for buyers and transparency for all.

It’s not just about the money. Practicing regenerative agriculture builds healthy soil, supports biodiversity, provides larger yields in both crops and livestock, and perhaps most importantly today, improves water retention. Regenerative ranches store up to 10 times more water in their soil. In times of intense drought, this can mean the difference between selling the family ranch and maintaining a successful business.

Directed by Jessie English

Created by Conor Gaughan and Kate Tucker

Written and hosted by Kate Tucker

Produced by Consensus Digital Media in partnership with Remedial Media

Executive Producer - Kate Tucker

Executive Producer - Jessie English

Executive Producer - Eric Feigenbaum

Executive Producer - Conor Gaughan

Featuring:

Dr. Henk Mooiweer - CEO & Co-Founder, Grassroots Carbon

Lauren Miller - EVP Nature-Based Solutions, Grassroots Carbon

Travis Krause - CEO, Grazing Lands

Frates Seeligson - Owner, Pajarito Ranch

Kevin Rothe - Ranch Consultant

Filmed at Rice University in Houston, Texas, and Pajarito Ranch in Pandora, Texas.

"The Quest for Better Beef" appears courtesy of Texas Monthly and photographer Jamie Chung.

Supervising Producer - Geoff Rock

Editor - Nick Nazmi

Assistant Editor - Dustin Waldman

Director of Photography - Isaac Rosenthal

Camera Operator - Eddie Bernard

Gaffer / Drone Operator - Fletcher Anstis

Sound Engineer - Tom Eichler

Production Coordinator - John Ryan Gage

PA - Josiah Shaw

Makeup & Hair - Tracy Fettig and Amber Asher

Wardrobe - Hollie Van Osenbruggen

Audio Mixer / Sound Design - Dillon Terry

Color Grading - Ind3x

Motion Graphics - Yuriy Netrebyuk

Graphic Design - Stephen Lepsch