The Pasture-Based Beef Systems for Appalachia (PBBSA) project is a multi-year collaboration, with the participation of (and under the project leadership of) the USDA-ARS Appalachian Farming Systems Research Center (William Clapham), West Virginia University, Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences (William Bryan) and Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (Joseph Fontenot). 

For many farmers raising beef is a way of life.  In addition, keeping hill land open and productive provides benefits for both rural and urban society. These include aesthetic attributes, wildlife habitat, and more. 

The goal of the PBBSA Project is development of practices to produce market-ready beef entirely on pasture and forage in the Appalachian Region.  The focus is on sustainable forage-beef cattle systems, with emphasis on economic and environmental aspects. 

Current Progress and Activities:

USDA-ARS - PBBSA Progress and Activities  

WVU - PBBSA Progress and Activities

Virginia Tech - PBBSA Progress and Activities

June 2002