2024 Annual Report
It’s all about relationships.
The mission of the Growing GRASS project is to build regenerative beef & bison byproduct supply chains that last.
In 2024, we focused on cultivating strong relationships, founded in trust and mutual benefit, with partners up and down the byproduct value chain.
Read on to learn more about our approach, our successes, and what we’re looking forward to accomplishing with our partners in the coming year.
2024 by the Numbers
Who We Are, Where We Work
Growing GRASS is an interdisciplinary research and demonstration project led by the American Sustainable Business Institute / Network and Other Half Processing, in partnership with a team of agricultural, research, community, and industry leaders.
The breadth and depth of our team’s expertise ensures we can reach and collaborate with farmers and ranchers, processors, brands, and experts.
The core focus and centering community for the Growing GRASS project is the United States’ large and diverse community of regenerative livestock producers — and the meat companies and market partners with whom they work. To find and foster relationships with them, our project team traveled to every corner of the country in 2024.
Our goal is for these partners to benefit from Growing GRASS work long after grant-specific activities have concluded.
2024 Achievements
A network of relationships
This year we invested time and energy into outreach and partnership activities, creating the components of a robust network that is well-equipped to serve the producers we are now beginning to enroll in our program.
Meaningful producer engagement
The team developed and publicly launched a producer engagement framework for the Growing GRASS project. Engagement begins with a screener survey to determine the eligibility of potential producers, followed by the first round of research to gather insights and inform strategies for future benefits.
33 cattle and bison producers in 17 states have completed the screener survey since its release to our communities in November.
Mapped the GRASS Standard
The project’s working groups finalized a comprehensive matrix that maps the GRASS standard’s relationship to all supporting standards, including American Grassfed Association, Audubon, Savory, and others. The matrix details key attributes within each supporting standard and includes the exact language used.
After a final review, the matrix will help demonstrate the GRASS standard’s foundation in these respected benchmarks and support our market partners in making accurate product claims.
Supply chain strides
Growing GRASS secured its first processing facility partnership by signing a contract with Lorentz Meats. This agreement guarantees the purchase of byproducts and establishes a collaboration to provide technical support for capturing more GRASS byproducts processed at the facility.
The first product marketed as GRASS-verified regenerative has officially hit the shelves: UGG’s Classic Ultra Mini LTHR Regen states that the “leather in this boot has been sourced from farms that practice regenerative farming and verified by Land to Market or GRASS (Generalized Regenerative Agriculture Sourcing Specification) Other Half Processing Verification.”
Who Inspires Us
Lorentz Meats
…for their patience, understanding, and bravery in being the first meat processing company to contract with Growing GRASS!
Farmraise
…for their innovation, resourcefulness, and professionalism. It’s amazing to have such a steadfast and responsive partner building our producer survey and payment platform!
Red Wing Shoe Company
…for hosting our first all-partner gathering and sharing an insider’s perspective of tanning and shoe making.
Kathryn Bedell
…with her inexhaustible contributions to the food system: On top of running her own ranch, she’s one of the first four Growing GRASS board members and a stalwart spokesperson for the project — all while launching a brand-new processing facility to serve her community!
Subawards & Contractors
…for their capacity to adapt and even have fun with the work and with each other: everything from playing pickleball and running together to attending virtual happy hours in costume.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Our strategy to build supply chains in 2025 respects, engages, and invests in people at every step of the supply chain. We are eager to get to work in 2025!
Partnering with producers on research that guides our efforts to build regenerative supply chains.
Distributing payments directly to cattle and bison producers to compensate them for sharing their information with our research team.
Publicly launching the first version of the GRASS standard.
Completing byproduct collection contracts with slaughterhouses and processors.
Providing technical assistance to processors to capture more byproducts in 2025.
Solidifying relationships with brands that use verified regenerative materials in their apparel, home goods, pet food, and ingredients products.
Seeking feedback on production and supply, processing, claims, standards, and more.
Working with Native-led efforts to keep beef and bison products in community.