Sustainability Fun Facts
In the United States, 98 percent of farms are family farms.
Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture decreased 4.2 percent from 2001 to
2006.
From 1990 to 2005, overall methane emissions decreased 11.5 percent.
Most large feedlot owners have a dedicated environmental engineer either on
staff or on contract who ensures the operation is in compliance with strict
government regulations.
This year, 46,000 upland acres of private land, mostly on working farms and
ranches, were restored to benefit the grizzly bear.
U.S. consumers spend a smaller percent of their disposable income on
groceries than consumers any where else in the world.
This year, 120,000 acres of private land, mostly on working farms and
ranches, were restored to benefit the bald eagle.
In the Eastern and Central United States, wildlife is almost entirely
dependent on ranch, farm and other private lands; so, ranchers play an
important role in the survival of native species.
Grazing cattle can minimize the invasion of non-native plant species.
Farmers’ and ranchers’ landowner agreements restored or enhanced 445,000
acres and 885 river miles of habitat for fish and wildlife.
Today’s American farmer feeds about 144 people worldwide.
Today versus 1960: 1.8 million less farms are feeding a U.S. population that
has increased 61 percent.
Controlling dust has been a priority land-management practice on cattle
operations for generations.
Agricultural productivity in the United States has more than doubled in the
past 50 years.
Grazing cattle reduces the risk of wildfires by decreasing the amount of
flammable material on the land.
Because 85 percent of U.S. grazing lands are unsuitable for producing crops,
grazing animals more than doubles the area that can be used to produce food.
Rangelands and pastures provide forage and habitat for numerous wildlife
species, including 20 million deer, 500,000 pronghorn antelope, 400,000 elk
and 55,000 feral horses and burros.
Cattle serve a valuable role in the ecosystem by converting the forages
humans cannot consume into a nutrient-dense food.
Last year, more than 2,000 ranchers and farmers entered into landowner
agreements with the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program.
About a billion acres, or 55 percent of the total land surface in the United
States, is rangeland, pasture and forages.
Calculate your personal greenhouse gas emissions using EPA’s calculator:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html.
EPA’s Clean Water Act sets forth requirements for protecting our nation’s
water resources. Animal manures are a valuable fertilizer and soil
conditioner.
Beef producers consider the rate of growth and consumption of plants in a
given area when deciding how to rotate cattle to new pastures.
Cattle grazing plays an important role in maintaining the wetland habitat
necessary for some endangered species.
The United States has 16 million more acres of forestland than it did in
1920.
