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Livestock Agriculture can address multiple sustainability goals
Sediment losses from
Breneman farm outwintering
pastures
Pasture & Grazing in the Upper Midwest2007 Census of Agriculture
Illinois Iowa Minnesota Wisconsin
# of farms using MiG 7165 10,267 8855 11,469
Percent of all livestock farms using MiG
39% 35% 36% 33%
Total pasture acres 1,195,533 2,744,708 2,195,219 1,457,542
Long-term change in pasture and hay acreage
IL IA MN WI IL IA MN WITotal pasture acres Total harvested forage
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
3,500,000
4,000,000
1997 2002 2007 2012
Perennial Forage Working Group
• Mission: – To increase acreage of pasture and perennial forage crops
in the Upper Midwest– To encourage best management practices in existing
pastures.• We work to:
– Identify obstacles currently facing grazing operations and perennial forage production
– Develop & support economically sustainable strategies, tools &services to increase pasturelands and perennial forages.
Perennial Forage Working Group• Current Membership:
– Richard Cates, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, University of Wisconsin-Madison
– Cara Carper, Southwest Badger RC&D– Vance Haugen, University of Wisconsin Extension– Jane Jewett, GLBW/U Minnesota – Andrew Larson, Iowa State University Extension & Outreach– Richard Ness, Land Stewardship Project– Bob Olson, Cooperative Development Services– Laura Paine, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade,
and Consumer Protection (DATCP) – Jim Paulson, University of Minnesota Extension– Troy Salzer, University of Minnesota Extension– H. Joe Sellers, Iowa State University Extension & Outreach– Terry VanDerPol, Land Stewardship Project *Co-Chair
Perennial Forage OpportunitiesCategories from last year’s conference
• Networking producers and grasslands:– Corn stalk grazing– Public grasslands– Land rehabilitation and invasive species control.
• Demonstrate opportunities for young farmers.
• Outreach to non-farming landowners.• Value of perennial forages in crop rotations.
Current focus: Contract Grazing A model for livestock production partnerships
LandownerLivestock Owner
Manager
ManagerLandownerLivestock Owner
Livestock owner
LandownerManager
Livestock ownerManagerLandowner
ManagerLivestock
OwnerLandowner
2014 SARE Pre-Proposal• Title: Brokering relationships between livestock producers,
non-farming landowners, and beginning farmers• Goals:
– Beginning livestock farmers will gain knowledge of contract grazing as a means of getting started farming.
– Non-farming landowners will gain awareness of additional choices for land management decisions.
– Livestock producers will learn about how to use contract grazing to improve the resilience and economic performance of their operations by gaining access to additional grassland acreage.
• Activities:– A regional contract grazing conference.– One or more local workshop series in each state. – A mentoring program for beginning graziers by experienced
livestock producers. – Research on and outreach to non-farming landowners.
• $198,637 requested
Perennial Forage OpportunitiesCategories from last year’s conference
• Networking producers and grasslands:– Corn stalk grazing– Public grasslands– Land rehabilitation and invasive species
control.• Demonstrate opportunities for young
farmers.• Outreach to non-farming landowners.• Value of perennial forages in crop
rotations.
• Networking producers and grasslands:– LSP’s Chippewa Watershed project networks producers
& landowners with >3000 acres.– WI Grazing Broker project seeks to connect non-farming
landowners with livestock producers.– Minnesota DNR grazing initiative
Perennial Forage OpportunitiesCategories from last year’s conference
• Demonstrate opportunities for beginning farmers. Beginning farmer programs:– Farm Beginnings Program from LSP.– WI School for Beginning Dairy & Livestock Farmers– WI Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Program– Iowa State University Greenhorn Grazing project.
Perennial Forage OpportunitiesCategories from last year’s conference
An estimated 60% of land in the region is owned by non-farming landowners
• Research and reach out to non-farming landowners.– Land Stewardship Project’s women landowners groups
(Chippewa and Root River watersheds).– SW Badger’s WI Grazing Broker project.– SARE Contract Grazing Proposal.
Perennial Forage OpportunitiesCategories from last year’s conference
• Perennial forages in rotation boost annual crop yields and reduces input costs.– Livestock agriculture makes perennial forages a potential
enterprise for not only livestock producers but also cash grain producers
– Losing livestock farming infrastructure has broad implications for agricultural economies, environmental performance, and rural communities.
Perennial Forage OpportunitiesCategories from last year’s conference