Jason Rowntree

Jason Rowntree is the C.S. Mott Professor of Sustainable Agriculture in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University. He serves as Director of MSU’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture and coordinates the Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center and Lake City Research Center. He holds a BS from Texas A&M University, MS from Mississippi State University, and PhD from Michigan State University.

His research focuses on identifying metrics and management practices that reflect ecological improvement in grazing land systems, with emphasis on regenerative agriculture, soil health, and sustainable beef production. He has developed Ecological Outcome Verification protocols adopted globally and directs a $19.2M project on pasture and rangeland soil health.

Recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on sustainable livestock systems, with research trends spanning metabolomics in beef quality assessment, soil carbon modeling under grazing management, climate neutrality pathways for livestock, and advanced spectroscopic methods for agricultural analysis. His work integrates field-scale experiments with policy-relevant sustainability frameworks.

Honors:

• Charles Stewart Mott Distinguished Professorship for Sustainable Agriculture

Leadership:

• Project Director for $19.2M USDA-funded soil health initiative
• Advisor to Savory Institute's global grassland verification program
• Appointed to USDA advisory council for carbon credit markets