Winter Grazing Updates

Now that the weather has turned and the grazing is winding down for the season, it’s a great time to crack open a book (or a PDF!).  Check out the Cornell Small Farms Program Guide “Green Grass, Green Jobs; Increasing Livestock Production on Underutilized Grasslands in NYS!”  Below is an excerpt from the text, with a link to view the entire document.

There are over 3 million acres of grasslands in New York State that are not currently being used for agricultural production.  This presents an opportunity for the state to encourage economic development on these lands that will lead to job creation, enhance regional and local food security, and contribute to sustainable agriculture enterprises. Beef and dairy cattle farms return $2.40 of every $1.00 in sales to their local communities in purchases, taxes, and payroll.  In addition, promoting agriculture as available use for grasslands reduces development pressure and lessens the impact residential development can have on communities.

green grass, green jobs cropClick here to read the full text.

 

On a grazing side note, did you miss the “2014 Grasstravaganza?”  Enjoy this short clip highlighting our main speakers, Jim Gerrish, a grazing consultant, author, speaker, and rancher from Idaho; Jerry Brunetti speaker, author, and founder of Agri-Dynamics;  and Ray Archuleta, “the Soil Guy” from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Enjoy and happy grazing!

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