Our mission is to expand the use of grazing-based livestock production systems that are profitable and fosterenvironmental stewardship. This will be accomplished through high quality technical assistance to owners and operators of private land, university and producer coordinated research and educational programs, all on a voluntary basis. 
 
 

About Wisconsin GLCI

Goals and Objectives

The People Involved with Wisconsin GLCI

Projects

Newsletter

Meetings

Links

Since the Wisconsin GLCI began in 1996, the technical assistanceprogram has focused on creating an infrastructure of one-on-one agency assistance to owners and operators of private grazing lands. The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service hired Brian Pillsbury as a grazing lands specialist. His job was to develop and/or coordinate an existing one-one-one agency assistance program to owners and operators of private lands by the NRCS and its conservation partners, ie. County land conservation departments, UW-Extension, WI Department of Agriculture, and the WI Department of Natural Resources. His major effort has been training. This has included training sessions or schools, both introductory and advanced for employees of the previous agencies to learn grazing management goals, techniques, hardware, and livestock husbandry.

In conjunction with improving the delivery of technical assistance the GLCI Steering Committee has worked to increase NRCS financial assistance available to farmers in adopting managed grazing systems. Members of the steering committee worked with the USDA State Technical Committee to target cost sharing funds through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP - Statewide Concerns) for Managed Grazing systems.

There has been an increased demand for technical assistance because of the availability of cost sharing assistance for grazing through EQIP and the State Priority Watershed Program. In response to this, NRCS has contracted with River Country R,C, &D for the services of a grazing lands specialist in West Central Wisconsin, to serve 11 counties in the Eau Claire area. NRCS plans on hiring a grazing lands specialist for West Central Wisconsin in late summer 2000 when its contract with River Country R,C,&D will expire.

Livestock producers have responded very positively to both technical and financial assistance in adopting managed grazing systems. So far in fiscal year 2000 (10/99 - 9/2000) NRCS and County Land Conservation Departments have assisted over 40 individuals in writing managed grazing plans on 6,700 acres. The overall goal of 10,000 acres and 40 plans will be easily attainable.

 

As the Wisconsin GLCI one of our main goals is to increase awareness among all livestock farmers that managed grazing can improve profitability, environmental condition, and quality of life.

• Promote the establishment of an annual Grazing School in Wisconsin.
•  Distribute information on profitability, environmental effects, and quality of life to all farmers in WI.

•  Establish a grazing academic curriculum/course at UW-Madison and/or other UW Campuses.

•  Make grazing sessions, workshops, conferences, an annual part of farmer education programs with UWEX and its partners.

•  Establish a new membership organization statewide for graziers or re-tool an existing organization to focus on grazing.

 

Increase the Number of Acres of Managed Grazing in Wisconsin by 10 Percent by 2005.  Managed Grazing Defined in the National Resources Inventory as Pasture Acres Not Needing Improvement or Treatment.

• Provide one-on-one assistance to livestock producers to prevent grazing land damage and help ensure that resources can remain healthy and productive.   Help producers adopt managed grazing practices to prevent overgrazing, maintain the vigor and diversity of the plant community, discourage invasion of weeds, prevent erosion, and protect streambanks and water quality.

 
•  Provide assistance to livestock producers to convert cropland to grazing land.   Promote new varieties of grass and legume species that provide multiple benefits for operators, including productivity, wildlife habitat, and water quality.   Promote rotational grazing as an extremely beneficial practice for dairy farms, beefs cattle, sheep and even hogs.

 
•  Provide assistance to livestock producers to convert cropland to grazing land.   Promote new varieties of grass and legume species that provide multiple benefits for operators, including productivity, wildlife habitat, and water quality.   Promote rotational grazing as an extremely beneficial practice for dairy farms, beefs cattle, sheep and even hogs.

 
•  Provide assistance to farmers in grazing management with the use of the nutritional analysis/fecal sampling method.   This tracks the quality of the forage and animal performance once grazing land management techniques are implemented.

 
• Train agency personnel is managed grazing and livestock production in order to provide quality technical assistance.

 

Increase the Priority of Research in Grazing-Based Livestock Production and Conservation Systems Within the WI Public and Private Research Institutions.

• Promote the establishment of a Grazing Research Center at the UW-Lancaster Research Station with a full-time faculty position dedicated to grazing-based livestock research.

• Promote more ecosystem effects research with the DNR on the environmental benefits of Managed Grazing.

• Support dissemination of grazing information on a range of communication mechanisms, including Internet, publications, and state and local media.

Wisconsin GLCI Steering Committee:

• Equity Livestock Cooperative
• Grass Works, Inc.
• Great Lakes Basin Grazing Network
• Soil & Water Conservation Soc.- Wisconsin Chapter
• The Nature Conservancy- Wisconsin Chapter
• Wisconsin Cattleman's Association
• Wsconsin Farm Bureau Federation
• WI Farmers Union
• Wisconsin Forage Council
• Wisconsin Land & Water Conserv. Association
• Wisconsin Grazing Networks
• Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Coop.