Project Overview

View the project final report

Commodities

• Agronomic: grass (misc. perennial), hay

• Additional Plants: native plants, trees

• Animals: bovine, poultry, sheep

Practices

• Animal Production: grazing - continuous, free-range, manure management, grazing - multispecies, pasture fertility, pasture renovation, range improvement, grazing - rotational, housing, stockpiled forages, watering systems, winter forage, feed/forage

• Crop Production: windbreaks

• Education and Training: demonstration, extension, farmer to farmer, technical assistance

• Farm Business Management: whole farm planning, marketing management, value added

• Natural Resources/Environment: afforestation, biodiversity, indicators, riverbank protection, wildlife

• Pest Management: biological control, chemical control

• Production Systems: agroecosystems, holistic management

• Soil Management: organic matter, soil quality/health

• Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life, sustainability measures

PROJECT BACKGROUND
This grant was used to help fund a three day bus tour to four grazing demonstration sites located across South Dakota. The demo sites are part of the Grassland Management Planning Project sponsored by the South Dakota Grasslands Coalition. This EPA 319 funded 5 year project provides technical assistance to producers willing to open their ranchers to anyone wanting to visit, see what they are doing and ask questions. The tour participants were able to walk through pastures with the hosts rancher and listen to him tell about successes as well as failures on their grazing plans.

The coalition has a long history of promoting and sponsoring pasture walks throughout South Dakota as well as other sustainable activities.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND RESULTS
The main goal of the coalition is to improve grazing management education in South Dakota.

Process – the grazing tour was established as an ongoing outreach by the Coalition to give producers a firsthand look at improved grazing management. Our goal is for the attendees to take home and implement some of the practices seen on the tour.

People – the Coalition applied for and received a grant from NRCS to help pay for the costs of putting on this tour. NRCS personnel attended the tour as well as helped with organizing the tour. Dave Schmidt is the state NRCS grazing specialist and was the moderator of the producer panel held the evening of the first day. State conservation district sent people to attend the tour. The State extension service sent people to attend the tour. The majority of attendees are producers.

Results – everyone on the tour was exposed to new ideas and new people involved in the same business as they are.