Abstract
Sustainability in the livestock industry has been a significant focus in recent years, specifically in areas of environmental impact and animal welfare. However, research into how producers define sustainability or how to achieve it seems limited. Considering the amount of research and advancement in on-farm sustainable applications and management practices, it is important for Extension workers to assess the level of awareness, understanding and usage among beef producers of varied technologies, information, and practices. To align educational programming with areas of need or facilitate change in behavior and practices toward a more sustainable direction, it is important to understand producers’ willingness to interact with sustainable messaging and practices. An objective of our research study was to assess Alabama beef producers’ opinions of sustainability, sustainable practices within the industry, and their implementation rate of those practices. An IRB approved online survey with 36 questions was developed and distributed to Alabama beef producers from July to November 2024. Questions probed producer opinions on the importance of resources and their views about environmental impact and sustainability, knowledge of Climate-Smart Commodities programs, implementation of certain sustainable practices, and what tools or resources are considered necessary for their operation to adopt and/or further improve sustainability practices. Over one-hundred primarily cow-calf producers from 42 of the 67 counties in Alabama had varying implementation rates (~9-90%) of practices that can increase sustainability and resource management, specifically grazing management plans, growth promoting technologies, and animal handling and welfare training. Further research into sustainable practices and financial information are important for continuing sustainability practice implementation. Providing producers with financial information or counseling on decision making could increase adoption of sustainability practices. Extension educators may use results from this research to guide development of financial advisory programming and sustainability resource management information for producers.