406 Grazing Academy

View the project report

Commodities

Practices

• Animal Production: grazing management, grazing - continuous, grazing - multispecies, grazing - rotational, range improvement, rangeland/pasture management, stocking rate, winter forage
• Education and Training: farmer to farmer, mentoring, networking

Approximately 70 percent of Montana is made up of rangeland and pasturelands, making grazing lands Montana's largest natural resource; of this 70 percent more than 40 million acres are privately-owned grazing lands. To help
protect and promote the importance of this resource, the Rangeland Resource Program (RRP) was created by the Montana Legislature in 1979. Housed within the Conservation and Resource Development Division at the Montana Department of Natural Resources, the mission of the RRP is to assure that sustainable rangelands support people, wildlife, recreation, clean water, and the natural scenic beauty of Montana.  

The RRP has a multifaceted purpose which includes advocating for the balanced use of rangeland resources and the promotion of responsible rangeland stewardship; one of the educational opportunities the RRP provides to a diverse audience is the 406 Grazing Academy. The 406 is a three-day hands-on learning experience followed up with an
optional ranch visit that provides attendees the opportunity to learn about sustainable grazing management techniques and practices specific to their land/operation. Since its inception in 2021, 83 ranch managers, producers, and various professionals serving in the agriculture industry have attended the academy and increased their knowledge of grazing practices for livestock and wildlife, plant identification, soil health, invasive plant management, and rangeland monitoring techniques. 

The objectives and curricula of the 406 Grazing Academy align perfectly with the SARE Grant. The 406 teaches attendees about the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainable agriculture. The 406 is a multi-organizational effort that brings together respected professionals and ranchers that are well-known as innovators in conservation and sustainable agriculture practices to educate others about the importance of sustainably grazed and managed rangelands.

In addition to the in-class sessions, attendees also spend time at various field sites performing hands-on rangeland monitoring techniques, improving their plant identification skills, and learning about soils. The teaching team of the 406 is comprised of university faculty, experienced agency personnel, and innovative local producers; all of which bring varied knowledge and experience to share with attendees. The 406 provides an interfacing opportunity for networking, relationship building and collaboration on a grassroots level. Due to the structure of the curricula and teaching team, attendees are encouraged to build relationships and collaborative networking opportunities with teaching staff during the hands-on field portions of the academy and through the optional ranch visit that can be scheduled after the academy.