|
By Chad Ellis, Oklahoma
As fast as the year has flown by, I cannot help but stop and reflect on where we have been as an organization and where we are going.
In 2012, the NatGLC took a leap of faith and hosted its 5th National Grazing Lands Conference on its own. It was a resounding success. In 2014, we submitted and received our first ever Conservation Innovation Grant with the USDA NRCS, to showcase soil health and how good grazing management can have a positive impact. Rainfall simulator trailers were utilized to demonstrate these results. Feedback received from those attending has been profoundly positive. We have since held a 6th National Conference on Grazing Lands and received a second Conservation Innovation Grant, but the NatGLC isn’t allowing the grass to grow under our feet!
We have an active and engaged board of directors and recently welcomed several new board members to our ranks. I’d like to introduce them:
- Michael Vance, The Noble Research Institute
- Ted Miller, The Dairy Industry
- Don Jackson, National Association of Conservation Districts
- Regional at Large Positions:
- Buzz Eaves, Ft. Pierce, FL
- Lynn Myers, Lewellen, NE
- Dr. Kraig Stemme, Alba, TX
Looking ahead, on December 2, 2018, the NatGLC will host its 7th National Grazing Lands Conference in Reno, Nevada, at the Peppermill Resort, Casino and Spa. Program highlights include 6 different producer panels with topics ranging from transition planning, ag water rights, reducing winter feeding, diversified livestock watering systems, fire resiliency, leases, and grass finishing beef. Jim Gerrish and Fred Provenza have given verbal commitments to speak, and we have a host of other exciting presentations planned.
The official Call for Papers will be released before the end of 2017, and abstracts will be accepted beginning January 1, 2018. If you are a producer who has a success story, we encourage you to break out of the mold and share it with other producers at our conference. Submit an abstract. Help others learn from your example. Our producer speakers are what set us apart from other conferences.
Like nearly all of agriculture, we cannot be successful without partnerships. It’s what makes us strong and resilient. Be sure and stay tuned to our newsletter, the Grazing Lands eNetwork, our grazinglands.org website and our NatGLC’s Facebook page for details about the call for papers release and abstract submission website.
Conference registration will also open on January 1, 2018. If you are looking to get retro-pricing on our conference’s registration, be sure and register early. We are honoring past conference registration pricing, $295 for a full conference registration, until March 31, 2018. Please contact Monti Golla, our NatGLC Executive Director, at monti@grazinglands.org should you have any questions.
We hope to see you in Reno in 2018!
|
|
From Progressive Dairyman
Joe Borgerding of Belgrade, Minnesota, says he turned into a “reluctant grazier” about 20 years ago. There are not many grazing herds milked with robotics, but Andy Jaworski of Green Bay, Wisconsin, is making it work. “Produce good grass and then look to the cows to utilize that grass,” that’s the philosophy of Andy Bures of Deerbrook, Wisconsin. Rob Moore operates a 100 percent grass-fed organic farm near Owego, New York. Learn more about each of these producers’ experiences with grazing management on their operations here.
Then, ponder the future. What are the “grand challenges” ahead for the dairy industry, and how are they being addressed? Mark Boggess shares his perspective in a futuristic article. One concept he suggests: “…there will come a time in the future when dairymen in the U.S. will no longer be paid for pounds produced, but rather will be paid based on their resources use efficiency.” Read more here.
|
|
|
From Angus Journal Extra
As both a cattleman and manager of one of the country’s largest fish farms, Matt Flynt is responsible for hundreds of cattle, millions of fish, thousands of acres of water and miles of levees in central Arkansas. His livelihood relies on water quality. So when it comes time to let the cows drink, he can’t afford to muddy the waters.
“I’m in the business to raise fish, so I’m definitely not going to do anything with the cattle to jeopardize the water,” says the owner of Fly’n“T” Cattle Co. and manager of Pool Fisheries in Lonoke, Ark. “My situation is unique, but in general, I think it’s a really good idea to fence off the ponds and restrict livestock access.” Flynn has restricted pond access, and constructed an access point with a sloped gravel entry for livestock to water at the pond. Read more about Flynn’s strategies here.
|