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 By Chad Ellis, NatGLC Chairman
As ranchers we are always thinking of the economic impact of our management plan and the practices we implement. If our decisions are not economical, we won’t be in business long. This consideration for managers of natural resources is impactful whether the resource we are caring for is public, private or a mixed ownership parcels.
I’ve always wondered what the impact and the economic value of the residual forage I leave behind in my grazing management is worth to me from an environmental benefit (water quality) and a risk management (drought) perspective. I know that I’m not alone in this thought. NatGLC is conducting a three-year outreach/education/demonstration project (titled Outreach on Grazing Lands to Enhance Economic Analysis (Cost & Benefits) for Conservation Changes) evaluating how prescribed grazing impacts pasture and range productivity, economics, and conservation.
The effort will focus on seven regional groups around the country comprised of around 20 producers each. The cornerstone of the project will be the analysis of how grazing management systems and the kind/class of animals influence economic performance at the enterprise level. The projects 2017 workshops will focus on establishing baseline data, identifying management and conservation practices, understanding data needs and project systems. The workshops in 2018 and 2019 will include data updates and will be combined with trainings on topics including soil health, rangeland monitoring, pasture condition scoring and financial management.
NatGLC is excited about this project and sharing our findings to help you make better decisions on your operation. So, please join us at our 7th National Conference on Grazing Lands in Reno, NV, in December 2018 to hear from select ranchers on their success stories.
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Summer flies by, and it’s time to look ahead to start planning attendance at fall and winter meetings and conferences. Here’s a round-up of several upcoming events worth saving a space for on your calendar!
Aug. 8-9, 2017 – The Nebraska Grazing Conference is considered one of the “can’t miss” events among Nebraska grazing devotees. Held in Kearney, the two-day conference features great speakers and vendors. Jim Gerrish and Peter Ballerstedt are the headline speakers. View the schedule and registration info here.
Sept.
27-29, 2017 – Plans are underway for the popular Grassfed
Exchange conference which will be held in Albany, NY. Learn more about the
event here.
Oct. 23-26, 2017 – Annual meeting of the North American Invasive Species Management Association to be held in conjunction with the Nevada Weed Management Association. The event will be at the Nugget Hotel and Casino in Sparks, NV. More than 400 invasive species managers, researchers and federal, state and local agency land managers are expected to attend. Find a full schedule and registration info at www.naisma.org/annual-conference.
Jan. 28-Feb. 2, 2018 – The Society for Range Management’s 71st Annual Meeting, Technical Training and Trade Show will be held at the Nugget Hotel in Sparks, Nevada. The theme for the 2018 conference is Empowerment through Applied Science. Ryan Shane, Conservation Specialist, Nevada Division of Forestry, and Mark Freese, Habitat Biologist, Nevada Department of Wildlife are the conference co-chairs. Abstracts for contributed papers and posters will be due September 22, 2017. Questions regarding the conference program may be addressed to Program Chair Sherm Swanson (sswanson@cabnr.unr.edu). The SRM 2018 meeting website is currently being developed; watch for updates at http://rangelands.org/.
Further out on the calendar:
- The 7th National Grazing Lands Conference is being planned for 2018. It will be held in Reno, Nevada, Dec. 2-5, 2018. A call for papers will begin in November 2017. More information will be shared as plans come together over the next year.
- The Joint XXIV International Grassland Congress (IGC) and International Rangeland Congress (IRC) 2020 will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, October 25-30, 2020. The theme of the Congress is “Sustainable Use of Grassland/Rangeland Resources for Improved Livelihoods.’ The aim of the congress will be to promote the interchange of scientific and technical information on all aspects of grasslands and rangelands: including grassland/rangeland ecology; forage production and utilization; livestock production systems; wildlife, tourism and multi-facets of grassland/rangeland; drought management and climate change in rangelands; pastoralism, social, gender and policy issues and capacity building, extension and governance. For more information visit: http://www.internationalgrasslands.org/
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As the grazing season hits mid-season, are you evaluating how your land management is working? Are you making notes to make some adaptations and changes for next year? A recent Angus Journal article suggests that the traditional approach of “take half- leave half” may not always be the best choice. Range scientist Justin Derner says in the article, “The problem with always stocking grazing lands on the basis of average forage production is that so few years actually match the average. When growing conditions are most favorable — plenty of timely precipitation — forage production is higher. When rainfall amounts are low or are not timely, forage production will be less than average. Few people complain about abundance, but a drought-induced scarcity of forage can force a manager to make hard decisions.” How can you adjust and implement adaptive management to such conditions? Read more of Derner’s suggestions here.
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Ranch tours provide a great opportunity to see and learn firsthand – and return home with a head full of new ideas. Respected ranch manager Burke Teickert recently wrote in a BEEF magazine article of a trip he took to tour several ranches, and said, “One of the best parts about being a life-long learner is taking advantage of the knowledge and wisdom of others.” Read on to learn about the “7 Takeaways” that Burke gleaned from his visit to the operations of several leading grazing managers, click here.
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