Regenerative Ranching With Ross MacDonald

Vistas & Voices

In this episode, Ross shares his experiences in regenerative agriculture, focusing specifically on cattle, discussing topics including conservation easements and how his work is changing public perception of raising cattle. He touches on the humble balance between his personal life and professional career. He discusses his journey, from starting his ranch 23 years ago to getting involved in multiple projects from working with A&W to his partnership with Ducks Unlimited. Ross also discusses the importance of a systems-thinking approach and the intricacies behind regenerative agriculture, his relationships within the conservation community, the influence of his parents in strategic thinking, and the significance of naivety and pushing ahead. This episode also explores Ross's optimism for the future of regenerative agriculture, driven by increasing recognition and interest from large food production companies, indigenous perspectives, and more.

Ross is a deep thinker and has a broad perspective, I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. I wanted to cover many more topics but we ran out of time, so I’ll have to get him back on the show in the future. I appreciate you listening to Vistas and Voices and, as always, enjoy the conversation...

02:39 Balancing Competing Practices in Ranching

07:19 The Role of Conservation Easements in Ranching

08:25 The Benefits of Conservation Easements

15:20 Impacts of Relationships and Community in Ranching

24:44 Influences of Large Food Producers on Regenerative Agriculture

32:30 The Importance of Systems Thinking in Decision Making

40:24 Reflections on Success and Hope for the Future

49:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts