Roots So Deep (you can see the devil down there) is a four-part documentary series that follows adaptive cattle farmers and a group of scientists conducting ground-breaking research to analyse the costs and benefits of grazing in harmony with nature.
The series is guided by director and wrangler of scientists, Peter Byck, as he meets farmers on both sides of the fence – the farmers practising an adaptive way to graze, and their neighbours set in their family’s generations-old method of doing things. Byck’s team of scientists are measuring what’s happening on both sides of the fences – exploring if this adaptive grazing could help create soil health and farmer wealth.
ffinlo Costain, editor of 8.9ha, said, “Roots So Deep is one of the most important documentaries for a generation. It showcases compelling new data that demonstrates the enormous regenerative capacity of cattle in Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) systems.
“Every person who works in food, farming or land use policy should stop what they’re doing right now, and make time to watch Roots So Deep.”
One question looms over the whole series: even if the science shows that the adaptive way to graze is better for the land and the farmers’ back pockets will the traditional farmers be open to adopting a different method?
Peter Byck said, “When I was hunting for solutions to climate change, I kept hearing about the soils. Treat them well and they absorb carbon, treat them poorly and they emit carbon. So I decided to focus on this one solution, and I learned about cattle farmers who were rebuilding their soils faster than anyone thought possible. Were they solving climate change? There was virtually no science. So I got to help form a research team to find out. That’s the story behind Roots So Deep.”
Costain said, “Roots So Deep is warm, compassionate and precise. It shows that cow power is one of the greatest forces that humanity can harness to rapidly address global warming – to draw down carbon dioxide, while restoring nature and adapting to the impacts of the climate crisis.”