Animals in Agroecosystems - Agroecology: The Ecology of Sustainable Food Systems - page 285

The Savory Center is an international not-for-
profit organization established in 1984 to
coordinate the development of holistic man-
agement, of which holistic resource manage-
ment is a part.

Information on tallgrass prairie and bison con-
servation in the Great Plains of the Midwest.

World Wildlife Fund wild places: Northern Great
Plains
www.worldwildlife.org/wildplaces/ngp/
Describes the conservation importance of the
Northern Great Plains, and the WWF's
conservation projects in this area. Current
projects include the American Prairie Resto-
ration project, which aims to restore the
prairie so it can support large herds of bison
and other native wildlife.

American Forage and Grassland Council
www.afgc.org.
American Grassfed Association
www.americangrassfed.org
Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, Uni-
versity of Wisconsin-Madison
www.cias.wisc.edu
Dedicated to the study of the relationships be-
tween farming practices, farm profitability,
the environment, and rural vitality.

RECOMMENDED READING

Eat Wild
www.eatwild.com
Information on pasture-based farming; lists
farmers and ranchers who raise livestock on
pasture and sell directly to consumers.

Cheeke, Peter R. 1999. Contemporary Issues in Animal Agricul-
ture 2nd ed. Danville, IL: Interstate Publishers, Inc. Cov-
ers a wide range of ethical, environmental, and health
issues related to animal agriculture.
de Haan, C., H. Steinfeld, and H. Blackburn. 1997. Livestock
and the Environment: Finding a Balance . FAO/World
Bank/USAID: Rome. An international assessment of the
negative impacts of livestock production systems on the
environment and an exploration on how to overcome
them.
Furuno, T. 2001. The Power of Duck . Tagari Publications: Tasmania,
Australia. A very readable and applicable example of how
one animal in particular has played a critical role in
sustainable agroecosystem design and management.
Hodgson, J. and A.W. Illius. 1996. The Ecology and Manage-
ment of Grazing Systems . CAB International: Walling-
ford, UK. A unique look at our understanding and
management of land resources used by grazing animals,
combining perspectives from ecology, plant science, and
animal science.
Little, D.C. and P. Edwards. 2003. Integrated Livestock-Fish
Farming Systems. FAO: Rome. Describes the dynamic
set of practices that constitutes integrated fish-livestock
farming systems in Asia.
Nierenberg, D. 2005. Happier Meals: rethinking the global meat
industry. WorldWatch Paper 171. WorldWatch Institute:
Washington, D.C. A concise examination of the damag-
ing effects of industrial animal agriculture, or factory
farming, as well as proposals for alternative ways that
farmers, processors, and consumers can help ensure that
meat is made better for people, the environment, and the
animals themselves.
Oltjen, J.W. and J.L. Beckett. 1996. The role of ruminant livestock
in sustainable agricultural systems. Journal of Animal
Science 74(6): 1406. Full text available online at
jas.fass.org. Presents the argument that ruminants serve a
valuable role in sustainable agricultural systems, and that
they should be integrated in sustainable farming systems.
Schlosser, E. 2002. Fast Food Nation . Harper Collins Publishers:
New York. An eye-opening exposé of the downside of
the fast food industry and its dependence on the factory
farm animal production model.

Heifer International
www.heifer.org
A nonprofit organization that helps communi-
ties in rural areas around the world integrate
appropriate livestock technology, self-reliance,
and sustainable development.

Livestock, Environment and Development (LEAD)
www.virtualcentre.org/en/frame.htm
Targets the protection and enhancement of
natural resources that are affected by live-
stock production and processing; also focuses
on poverty reduction and public health
enhancement through appropriate forms of
livestock development.

National Sustainable Agriculture Information
Service, livestock section
www.attra.org/livestock.html
A project of the National Center for Appro-
priate Technology (NCAT).

Proceedings of the International Symposium on
Silvopastoral Systems and Second Congress on
Agroforestry and Livestock Production in Latin
America
www.fao.org/WAIR
OCS/LEAD/X6109E/x6109e00.htm
Research focusing on the theme of silvopastoral
systems for restoration of degraded tropical
pasture ecosystems.

The Nature Conservancy: Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
nature.org/wherewework/northameri
a/states/oklahoma/preserves/tallgrass.html