There is growing interest in producing more beef from cattle raised in pasture-based systems, rather than grain-finishing feedlot systems in the USA. Given the availability of high-quality forage, pastureland, and markets in the northeastern USA, an expansion of beef production in the region contributes to a gradual shift toward grass-based finishing systems. However, the existing capacity of slaughter and processing facilities in the region is not sufficient to meet the service demand as grass-finished beef cattle production expands. This article examines slaughter and processing bottleneck problems under three scenarios of grass-finished beef production expansion. Through modeling the optimal utilization and expansion of currently existing plant capacity in the region, this study identifies capacity expansion solutions to overcome the emerging bottleneck problems. The plant utilization and expansion problem is formulated as an optimization model with the objective of minimizing total costs associated with cattle assembly, slaughter, processing, and distribution. Our results suggest that slaughter bottlenecks in New York State coincide with underutilized slaughter capacity in New England. Reducing plant numbers while increasing plant utilization rates or expanding the capacity of the remaining plants, would likely lead to greater cost savings.

The EAT-Lancet Commission recommends increasing the consumption of nut trees worldwide as part of a sustainable diet. Integrating more nut tree species in urban gardening initiatives could provide members access to locally grown nuts and provide ecosystem services to urban landscapes. This study investigated the reported presence and diversity of nut tree species in urban community gardens, as well as the motivations and challenges for adopting and expanding those trees. Based on an online survey with 111 responding projects from the urban community gardening network in Germany as our case study, we found that nut tree species exist in almost half of all responding projects surveyed, albeit in a few numbers of individual trees and producing low yields. Projects are motivated by the provisioning, regulating, and cultural ecosystem services they provide, such as the nutritional value of nuts, the provision of food for animals, and the potential for education of members about agroforestry and nut use. Yet projects are hindered by limited space, local laws and regulations, and the interaction of nut trees with other species in the garden. Although only 50% of projects plan to incorporate more nut tree species in the future, most recognize the importance of nuts as part of a healthy diet. Governmental leadership is necessary to secure long-term contracts for urban gardens, so that more nut trees can be planted, and city residents can exploit the benefits of the ecosystem services they provide.

Despite its recent history as a controlled substance, hemp holds promise in contributing to more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems in the United States. Due to reclassification in the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp grown for fiber, grain, and cannabidiol has become an intriguing new crop for many farmers. However, the introduction of hemp into an established agricultural landscape has been met with challenges. This qualitative study explores the experiences of 15 first-year hemp producers in Nebraska, United States. The producers in this study describe the complexities they encountered, including navigating stringent state and federal regulations, securing insurance and loans, and overcoming the public and political stigma associated with cannabis. Additionally, gaps in research and development have contributed to producers' difficulties in accessing credible information, high production costs, and labor shortages. Lastly, farmers expressed having a lack of control options to combat the presence of weeds and insects. Based on these findings, we conclude that, although challenges are to be expected with any new crop, many of the issues encountered by the farmers in the study could be overcome or lessened by research, agricultural extension, and government support. We recommend continued research in hemp production, both in crop production and processing, along with dissemination of meaningful results, to aid producers in building their knowledge base. Additionally, government agencies that oversee hemp production could improve accessibility through revisions to regulations and financial resources for producers.

One hundred percent pasture-fed beef production has been suggested as a promising approach for sustainable ruminant farming, due to the potential benefits that can accrue across a range of sustainability domains. This study aimed to investigate the impacts across the four domains of sustainability of a wholesale switch from conventional to 100% pasture-fed beef production in the UK. We used fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) as a method for extracting knowledge from multiple stakeholders to create representative systems models of both conventional and pasture-based beef production systems. We then conducted a scenario analysis to assess how a switch to a pasture-fed system could affect components of sustainability in the UK beef sector. The FCMs indicated that vegetation quality, grass use efficiency, and soil health were central components of the pasture-fed approach, while economic and regulatory aspects, and climate change targets were more central to mainstream production approaches. The most marked changes under the 100% conversion scenario were an increase in income from subsidies (27.3%) in line with ‘public money for public goods’, a decrease in ability to export beef (unless advice to reduce consumption of animal protein is followed) (23.5%), a decrease in land used for farming vs other uses (e.g., natural capital) (11.23%), and a decrease in the use of feed from agricultural co/byproducts (7.5%), freeing up these feed sources for more sustainable monogastric production. Therefore, the mapping and scenario analysis suggests that while upscaling the pasture-fed approach may reduce productivity, it would likely increase public goods provision and reduce feed–food competition in the UK.