April 14, 2023

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

Regenerative farming has shifted into the daily lexicon of growers and investors alike, but the term isn’t mentioned often yet in relation to animal agriculture or ranching. UK-based agtech startup Pastoral is here to transform the narrative. 

Co-founded by CEO Josh Thomas, who has more than a decade of experience in developmental innovation and field engineering as a UN consultant, and CFO Shea McManigal, with more than a decade’s experience in accounting and finance, Pastoral’s platform is designed to help livestock farmers and ranchers transition toward regenerative practices by offering actionable insights based on real-time data. 

Originally developed in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Pastoral’s unique offering was provided with catalytic grant funding, support, and guidance as it grew, and has recently graduated from the UNDP’s Cultiv@te Incubate for Innovation in Sustainable Agriculture.

“We are thrilled to have the continued support of the UNDP as we work to revolutionize the livestock farming and ranching industry,” said Shea McManigal, co-founder & CFO, Pastoral. “Our goal is to make regenerative farming accessible to everyone, and we believe we can make that a reality.” 

The environmental impacts of livestock agriculture, and how to mitigate the effects, are complex. Nearly 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by livestock and their production, however, this is just the beginning. There’s also the loss of biodiversity, water usage and pollution, soil degradation, monoculture agriculture to produce enough feed, among others.

An assessment released in 2021 by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition determined that reducing farming-generated methane levels is of high priority for fighting climate change.

Livestock emissions from both gastrointestinal release and manure account for about 32 percent of all methane emissions caused by human activity, such as farming. But why is methane so harmful? The aforementioned report explains that methane is the primary cause of the formation of ground-level ozone – a dangerous pollutant and greenhouse gas responsible for 1 million premature deaths each year. Furthermore, as a greenhouse gas, methane is 80 times more potent at causing global warming compared to CO2, over a 20-year period. 

Although many livestock farmers and ranchers are aware of the impacts, and are willing to take measures to mitigate the effects, many looking to adopt regenerative practices are finding it difficult to source the necessary support for the transition, which can be a complex and extensive undertaking. 

However, a key goal of Pastoral is to make the transition to sustainable livestock farming easy and affordable. 

“The Pastoral platform allows us to remove the traditional barriers to introducing sustainable, regenerative farming and ranching, focusing on rewarding farmers for deploying regenerative farming practices and accelerating a transition to Net Zero,” said McManigal.

To accomplish this, the startup’s platform uses real-time data and analytics that enable farmers and ranchers to monitor the health and wellbeing of their livestock, giving them the ability to make informed decisions that foster sustainability. It also provides insights into the environmental impacts of livestock farming, allowing farmers and managers to make adjustments that will minimize any negative effects. 

With this funding in-hand, the team at Pastoral stated that they intend to make new hires, and to continue to develop its technology platform. Indeed, the platform is already having a significant impact for farmers and ranchers in the U.S. and Central Asia, and now newly funded, Pastoral has its sights set on expanding its core audience. 

“The next 12 months are all about taking our existing product and getting it into the hands of farmers and ranchers across North America, Europe, and Central Asia,” said Thomas. “We’re excited to see an explosion of users who can finally track their animals, introduce sustainable farming practices, and collect better data about their farm.”

Adding, “With the support of our investors and partners, we are confident that we can make a real difference in the world.” 

~ Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor in chief with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, as well as HighQuest Group’s Unconventional Ag. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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