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ANCA Represented at National Conference Grazing Specialists to Speak at National Conference Managed grazing, or grass-based agriculture, has gained in both acceptance and adoption by farmers over the last 15 to 20 years. In particular, the last five years have seen a rapid rise in the number of farms that have changed from more conventional methods to better utilization of pastures – it is being treated as a crop. This change has occurred due to a combination of factors, including tighter profit margins and more environmental awareness. New York State has benefited from a number of programs that have helped to promote and educate farmers and others about grass-based agriculture. The New York State Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (NYS-GLCI) is one such program, administered through the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service. This program helps to provide an enhanced level of technical assistance to farmers interested in grazing, as well as educational and advocacy events. Through NYS-GLCI, grazing specialists are available to provide assistance through USDA-NRCS, Resource Conservation and Development Councils (RC&D), and the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA). The specialists in New York are all exceptionally well-qualified and recognized for the quality of their work. As such, they will be sharing their knowledge at the Third National Conference on Grazing Lands to be held in St. Louis, MO in early December. Covering the 15 counties in Western New York, NRCS Area Grazing Specialist Don Wild has many years of experience with grazing land planning and outreach. Over the years, Wild has assisted farms of all types and sizes in establishing and improving their grass management. He will be on the conference agenda twice, with presentations entitled "Grazing as a Tool to Reduce the Cost of Milk Production in Dairies" and "Management Intensive Grazing on Large Confinement Dairies". Martha Pickard is the ANCA Grazing Specialist covering the 14 counties of Northern New York, where she has planned and coordinated a number of grazing education and outreach activities in addition to planning numerous grazing systems for landowners. Her presentation at the conference will cover her outreach activities aimed at helping farmers to make connections with one another across the North Country and is entitled "Grazing Networks: Tools for Ag Economic Viability". Three additional grazing specialists from New York will also be speaking at the conference, and will be highlighted in a separate article in next weekA’s issue of this newspaper. The conference is hosted by the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), a grassroots organization that works on a national, regional, and state level to promote voluntary conservation of private grazing lands through sound technical assistance to land owners. For more information about GLCI and the conference, including the agenda and registration information, visit www.glci.org or contact New York GLCI Coordinator, Karen Hoffman Sullivan, at 607-334-4632 ext. 116 or karen.sullivan@ny.usda.gov. Contact Martha Pickard, ANCA’s Grazing Specialist by calling 518-891-6200 or anca-pickard@northnet.org. The Adirondack North Country Association is committed to economically viable communities and a rural quality of life. For more information about ANCA, visit www.adirondack.org. |
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