TUCSON, AZ – Farmers from around the East Coast fed their animals, put another log on the fire, packed their bags and took to the friendly skies, joining over 540 farmers and ranchers at the sold out ninth National Grazing Lands Coalition (NatGLC) Conference Dec. 4 – 6. The journey suggested “The sky is not the limit, it’s just the beginning.”
The theme of “Expanding Grazing Horizons” served as the foundation for science-based advocates and practitioners in the field of grazing management to share innovative ideas and best practices from the ground up; connect and renew bonds with producers, partners and other stakeholders from across the nation; and progress toward the common goal of caring for and sustaining grazing lands.
NatGLC Chair Rob Cook emphasized, “What makes this venue truly special is that the majority of our sessions are led by practical farmers and ranchers who live and work on the land every day. Their experiences highlight real-world opportunities and challenges which help guide future decision-making and applying research priorities. The lifelong connections we make here are a testament to the power of collaboration and shared vision.”
The diverse group of East Coast farmers representing dairy, beef, small ruminants, pastured poultry and multi-species operations joined peers from 36 states and six countries, including 244 first-time participants and 145 expert speakers. They attended 75 educational sessions, two keynote addresses, a grant writing workshop, five professional development and certification opportunities and 39 trade show booths over the course of the three-day event.
The East Region farmers attend the 9th NatGLC Grazing Conference in Tucson, AZ. Photos by Troy Bishopp
Engaging Southwest tours included visiting Santa Rita Experimental Range and the neighboring Santa Rita 62,000-acre ranch with a trip farther south to third-generation rancher Dan Bell’s 40,000-acre ranch and ZZ Cattle Corporation’s approximately 10 miles of border wall and surveillance to learn about grazing federal lands on the U.S. border.
Another group visited the Tohono O’odham Nation, the second largest Native reservation in Arizona in both population and geographical size (4,453.307 square miles) and experienced Indigenous culture, ranching approaches, traditions and food.
The group of 35 East Coast farmers gathered to provide an important grazing practitioner “needs assessment” for the region facilitated by NatGLC Board Member-at-Large Jenn Colby of the Northeast Pasture Consortium, to guide grazing initiatives and activities for the future. Many were also guest speakers and moderators on the topics of multi-species grazing management, solar grazing, getting started in the business of grazing, marketing, mental health, equine grazing, mindfulness on the farm, virtual fencing and building grazing networks.
Building community across the nation for grassland stewardship was universal and left guests feeling inspired as they boarded their planes home.
NatGLC Board Member Jenn Colby moderates a session on lessons learned for first-generation farmers.
Nick Weinstock of BOTL Farm in Ashford, CT, commented, “I took away a stronger connection with my regional and national farming peers. I realized that we do things differently here in the Northeast and that’s okay. We have a very different climate and marketplace that sets us apart from the rest. We should embrace the regional community we have and help customers understand the merits of grass farming all around the country because we’re all connected.”
Jessica Newman and Jess Aeppli from SouthView Station Farm in Athens, PA, chimed in, “The opportunity to network with experienced and other first-generation farmers was worth the ticket. We met folks right in our own region who could help us, especially on the topic of solar grazing logistics. We left with inspiration for the future.”
“I had several deep conversations with peers about how easy it is to talk about cows and grass, and how hard it is to talk about personal things … but talking about the personal things and making connections with other people doing what we do is what keeps us – and our land – healthy, whole and alive,” said Jenn Colby of Howling Wolf Farm and the “Choosing to Farm” podcast. “I walked away from the conference driven to find more ways to talk about the deep and important issues that farmers and ranchers grapple with – and I was inspired to find out that I wasn’t the only one thinking along these lines.”
Carly Bass from the University of Vermont’s Center for Sustainable Agriculture said, “It was great to explore a new part of the country and learn about what grazing in New England looks like compared to other states. While we in the Northeast have experienced higher levels of rainfall, a lot of the country has been experiencing drought, so it was interesting to hear speakers talk about the same soil health principles we use to prevent surface runoff but in the perspective of retaining water in the soil.”
Many of the Eastern farmers’ travel expenses benefited from scholarships provided by the Northeast Pasture Consortium using USDA-NRCS GLCI funds and the New England Grazing Network through funding from the Cedar Tree Foundation.
Look for the NatGLC Grazing Conference sessions that were recorded at youtube.com/@TheNatGLC.
For questions regarding this experience, visit NatGLC at grazinglands.org or the Northeast Pasture Consortium at grazingguide.net.
by Troy Bishopp, NatGLC Northeast
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