Beginning Grazier Handbook
Download a PDF version of the handbook here.
Contents
Training and Technical Assistance
Additional Education Resources
Introduction
Designed to assist the beginning grazier in designing and implementing a grazing system, this handbook is a starting place for you to quickly and easily find pertinent information. Most of the resources listed include website links – explore these links to find additional grazing information that is specific to your interests.
Linked at the end of this guide are lists of businesses that supply equipment and seeds for grazing systems. Use this list to find suppliers and negotiate the best value when purchasing. The goal of the handbook was to provide information; listing does not mean we endorse any of these suppliers.
This handbook was compiled in 2015 and updated in Summer 2021 by the Sustainable Farming Association with support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Other support for the handbook came from Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), Minnesota Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Pasture Project.
Training and Technical Assistance
Sustainable Farming Association
A Minnesota nonprofit organization that focuses on sustainable agriculture education, networking, demonstration and research, SFA has had a strong focus on soil health and good grazing practices for over 20 years.
Kent Solberg, Grazing and Livestock Specialist, kent@sfa-mn.org Tyler Carlson, Silvopasture & Agroforestry Project Lead, tyler@sfa-mn.org Doug Voss, Grazing Lead, doug@sfa-mn.org Wayne Monsen, Special Projects Coordinator, wayne@sfa-mn.org Angie Walter, Dairy Grazing Education Coordinator, angie@sfa-mn.org Jerry Ford, Network Coordinator, jerry@sfa-mn.org
Programs
Soil Health Silvopasture and Agroforestry Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship
Events
Midwest Soil Health Summit, annually in March SFA Annual Conference, annually in February Field Days, Cafe Chats and Workshops
Resources There are numerous print and video resources on the SFA website and YouTube Channel
Natural Resources Conservation Service
NRCS is a division of the US Department of Agriculture with regional offices in Minnesota that provides funding and technical assistance to farmers who want to improve the conservation practices. One of their focus areas is permanent pasture with rotational grazing.
Service Centers Each state in the Upper Midwest has a state NRCS office, though individual graziers will find most of their interactions are with their local Service Centers, and these are a good place to start.
Minnesota Local Service Centers Iowa Local Service Centers Wisconsin Local Service Centers South Dakota Service Centers North Dakota Service Centers
Technical Support and Grazing Specialists
NRCS offers technical support, advice, and resources in on numerous topics related to conservation and water quality (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/mn/technical/), with a particular emphasis on grazing (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/mn/technical/grazing/)
NRCS has staff and contractor Grazing Specialists to advise beginning and experienced graziers. Contact you local Service Center (above) to connect with a Grazing Specialist in your area.
Programs for Graziers NRCS offers voluntary programs to eligible landowners and agricultural producers to provide financial and technical assistance to help manage natural resources in a sustainable manner.
Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) EQIP “promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals” is the most commonly utilized NRCS program to help graziers with establishing new permanent pasture. More information specific to Minnesota here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/mn/programs/financial/eqip/nrcs142p2_023506/
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) CSP is a “conservation program that encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by undertaking additional conservation activities; and improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities.” Whereas CSP is more focused such items as improving wildlife habitat, controlling soil erosion and water quality, many of these “enhancements” can be beneficial to grazing operations. More information specific to Minnesota here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/mn/programs/financial/csp/
Again, the place to start is with your local Service Center – listed above.
Land Stewardship Project (LSP) Farm Beginnings
®
The Farm Beginnings® Program works to get more successful farmers on the land and organize for a system in which family farmers can flourish. Farm Beginnings provides wide range of trainings, including Farm Dreams, Farm Beginnings, and the Journeyperson Course.
Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA)
Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship links experienced dairy graziers with those who want to farm and provides a guided pathway to independent farm ownership. Sustainable Farming Association manages a DGA program specific to Minnesota: www.sfa-mn.org/dairy-grazing-apprenticeship
South Dakota Grasslands Coalition
SD Grasslands Coalition serves and enhances grasslands by educating grassland managers to adopt sustainable and profitable management. Mentoring Network: www.sdgrass.org/mentoring-network Grazing School: www.sdgrass.org/grazing-schools
North Dakota Grazing Lands Coalition
The North Dakota Grazing Lands Coalition has established a grassroots based guidance and council to interested ranchers on grassland management. The advice the mentors provide is based upon knowledge and experience gained on their operations and the interaction they have with other ranchers across the region.
GrassWorks
GrassWorks is a grassroots membership organization that provides leadership and education to farmers and consumers for the advancement of managed grass-based agriculture to benefit present and future generations.
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Practical Farmers of Iowa is an open, supportive and diverse organization of farmers and friends of farmers, advancing profitable, ecologically sound and community-enhancing approaches to agriculture through farmer-to-farmer networking, farmer-led investigation and information sharing.
Pasture Project
The Pasture Project works in the Upper Mississippi River Basin to increase the number of acres of farmland that are sustainably managed. Long-term commitment to sustainable management requires an alignment of economic and environmental interests. We accomplish this by expanding grass-based systems of livestock production and introducing cover-crops and periodic livestock grazing into row crop farming, all of which both increase profits and rebuild soils and water cycles.
Production Resources
SFA Publications
Silvopasture Handbook: designed to assist land managers and technical support staff on designing and implementing a Silvopasture system in woodlands.
Online Version Print/PDF Version
Cover Crop Fact Sheet This Cover Crop Fact Sheet is a concise resource for new and experienced farmers.
Soil Health Videos Bale Grazing, outwintering, grazing cover crops, fencing and more.
Soil Health Resources Savanna restoration for pasture, grassfed beef, bison and more.
Videos
Intro to Small Ruminant Pasture Management Basic Stockmanship & Livestock Handling Winter Bale Grazing at Cloverleaf Grass Farm
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Website with links to numerous publications on grazing. Including:
- The Cropland Grazing Exchange (CGE) matches livestock farmers with crop farmers who have forage (crop residues, cover crops, etc.) to harvest.
- and more.
MN Natural Resources Conservation Service Publications
Grazing and forage management publications, including:
- Guide to Pasture Condition Scoring
- Maximizing Cool Season Forage Production on Pastures
- Managing Grasslands for Profit
- Working Trees for Livestock
- and more.
University of Minnesota Extension
Numerous articles and videos on grazing-related topics, including:
- Grazing and pasture management for cattle
- Research: Cover crops for grazing systems
- Farmbytes: watering system design for rotational grazing
- and more
There are a number of good resources on contract grazing on the Green Lands Blue Waters website.
Pasture Project
Watering Systems for Grazing Tutorial (video)
Fence Building Tutorial (video)
Land Stewardship Project
Grazing & Soil Health Resources
Renewing the Countryside
The Farmland Access Hub is a consortium of partners including non-profits, government agencies, local companies, and private citizens dedicated to assisting beginning farmers with their quest for land tenure.
Premier One
This is a commercial fencing supply company that has some excellent fact sheets for beginning graziers. SFA does not endorse their products. This page on their website includes instructions and charts on fencing systems and equipment for multiple types of livestock.
Pasture Pro
Another commercial fencing supply company that has some excellent articles for beginning graziers. SFA does not endorse their products.
Periodicals
Graze “The magazine that’s by graziers, for graziers”
Graze is a print magazine devoted to promoting management-intensive rotational grazing and family-scale livestock farms. If you want to start a livestock farm or ranch, if you are looking to reduce costs and labor, if you’re organic-certified or thinking of transitioning to organic, then Graze is for you.
The Stockman Grass Farmer – The Grazier’s Edge
The Stockman Grass Farmer has been a grazing publication since 1947 devoted solely to the art and science of making profit from grassland agriculture. Each month it brings its readers the latest information on high profit grassland ideas from all over the world.
On Pasture is a subscriber and sponsor supported weekly, online magazine for graziers. Each week we publish 5 to 7 articles, translating research and experience into practices farmers and ranchers can use right away.
Farm Business Planning
Sustainable Farming Association
Sustainable Farming Association Adjust 2015: New Farm Reality Check
SFA’s Adjust 2015 project reviewed the key difficulties experienced farmers faced early in their farming careers. The New Farm Reality Check curriculum gives farmers tools to help avoid the most common of those pitfalls, which will strengthen business plans and ultimately improve chances of long-term success – financial benchmarks you should be incorporating into your plan, considerations for business plan assumptions, dealing with and planning for changes in family structure and function, and tools for building a team of experts to help you launch your business.
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
The purpose of The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) is to bring together the diverse interests of the agricultural community with interests from across the University community in a cooperative effort to develop and promote sustainable agriculture in Minnesota and beyond. their Beginning Farmers webpage has the Whole Farm Planning book & the Goal-Setting Handbook and the Building a Sustainable Business book.
Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service
This resource is packed with instructions, tips and tools for setting up and managing a farm’s financial system, and includes real-life examples from successful farmers, with sample data to show how forms and records should look.
Cornell University Small Farms Program
The Cornell Small Farms Program offers a suite of more than 20 online courses, primarily taught by Cornell Cooperative Extension educators, to help farmers improve their technical and business skills.
Additional Education Resources
Pasture Water Systems
University of Minnesota Extension – watering system design for rotational grazing. The Cattle Site – Alberta Agriculture and Food and Agriculture Stewardship Division. Grass Fed Solutions – How to Build a Mobile Cattle Water System for your Pasture Rotation.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
This website provides information on the effects of grazing on natural resources. The USFWS has Waterfowl Production Areas and National Wildlife Refuges that are available for grazing.
Greg Judy from Green Pastures Farm
Greg Judy is from Rucker, Missouri and rotationally grazes livestock on rented lands. Greg has written how-to books as well as gives on-farm tours and presentations.
Joel Salatin, Polyface Farm
Books, videos and more from this icon of multi-species grazing.
Neil Dennis on Mob Grazing
Neal Dennis was an experienced mob grazier from Saskatchewan. He was a well-known presenter and loved to share his experiences with mob grazing.
Brown’s Ranch, Bismarck, N.D.
Gabe Brown is one of the pioneers of the current soil health movement that focuses on regenerating our resources.
Funding: Loans and Grants
NRCS Programs (see above)
Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
Livestock Investment Grants (MDA)
AGRI Livestock Investment Grant (MDA)
These grants encourage long-term industry development for Minnesota livestock farmers and ranchers by helping them improve, update, and modernize their livestock operation’s infrastructure and equipment.
Beginning Farmer Loan Program (MDA)
This program was established to help people who want to farm in Minnesota, and offers affordable financing, a reasonable down payment and built-in safeguards, such as farm management training and financial planning to help minimize the risk all farmers face.
Agricultural Improvement Loan Program (MDA)
A loan participation program to assist eligible farmers to finance capital improvements to their farming operation.
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Microloan Program
These loans focus on the financing needs of small, beginning farmers, niche and non-traditional farm operations, such as truck farms, farms participating in direct marketing and sales such as farmers’ markets, CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture), restaurants and grocery stores, or those using hydroponic, aquaponic, organic and vertical growing methods.
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Financial Assistance For Family Farmers (PDF):
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) has loans for farmers and ranchers that are unable to obtain credit elsewhere. Contact your local FSA office for information.
Dairy Business Planning Grant (MDA)
This program covers 50 percent of the cost of completing a business plan for a dairy operation. Producers who have applied for this grant are exploring the feasibility of expansion, environmental upgrades, stray voltage testing or transferring the operation to the next generation producer. Applications are funded on a first come first serve basis.
Dairy Profitability and Enhancement Teams Grant and Minnesota Dairy Initiative:
These grants encourage business planning and modernization activities and other improvements on Minnesota dairy farms.
North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Grants
NCR-SARE’s Farmer Rancher Grant Program is a competitive grants program for farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects.
Lakewinds Organic Field Fund
A grant program dedicated to making an impact on local farming and organic food by furthering the development and sustainability of farms in the region.
Appendices
This list of resources is not intended to be all inclusive and does not constitute an endorsement. It is simply offered as a service to aid the producer in finding available resources; there may be other sources out there for some of these products and services.
Scroll through below, or click these links to download a printable list:
GRAZING SYSTEMS VENDOR LIST (updated June 2021)
Portable windbreak vendor list (updated June 2021)
FENCE CONTRACTORS/INSTALLERS/DESIGNERS
Southwest Minnesota K Fence, Daniel and Therese Hall, Butterfield, MN 507-956-2657 tereseh77@gmail.com
Grassland Solutions, Matt Schafer, Cokato, MN 320-286-2196
K-Fence, Zumbro Falls, MN (507) 753-2706 (507) 753-2943 info@kfence.com
Dana Melius, Ashton, SD C-605-216-4410
Grant Breitkreutz, Redwood Falls, MN 507-430-0607 gdbreitkreutz@hotmail.com
Mohr’s Fencing, Aberdeen, SD (605) 225-9633
Rausch Fencing, Onaka, SD 605-380-5311
Ludemann Fencing, Shane Ludemann. Fort Pierre, SD (877) 472-0776
Olson Fencing LLC, Mike Olson, Winona, MN 507-421-6934 mike@olsonfencingllc.com
Deutschlander Fencing, Brian Deutschlander. Pine City, MN 320-629-1288
Seven Pines Farm & Fence, Kent and Linda Solberg, Verndale, MN 218-445-7580 sevenpinesfarmandfence@gmail.com
Horsman Fence Co., Kevin Horsman, Utica, MN 507-281-4420 507-259-6312
FENCING SUPPLIES
Many local feed/farm and big-box “fleet farm” stores carry fencing supplies.
Premier1Supplies, Washington, Iowa 52353 www.premier1supplies.com
Seven Pines Farm & Fence, Kent and Linda Solberg, Verndale, MN 218-445-7580 sevenpinesfarmandfence@gmail.com
Cammack Ranch Supply, Union Center, SD 605-985-5591 cammackranchsupply.com
Gallagher Catalog 800-531-5908 gallagherusa.com
Jeffers Livestock 800-533-3377 jefferslivestock.com
Kencove Catalog 800-536-2683 www.kencove.com
Grassland Solutions, Cokato, MN 320-286-2196 www.grasslandsolutions.com
Common Sense Fence, Geotek, Inc, Stewartville, MN 800-533-1680 geotekinc.com
K-Fence, Zumbro Falls, MN 507-753-2943 www.kfence.com
Kiwi Fence Products, Blairsville PA 800-536-2683 kiwifence.com
Southwest K Fence, Daniel and Teresa Hall, Butterfield, MN 507-956-2657
Hutchison Incorporated, Grinnell, IA 800-588-6155 hutchison-inc.com
PASTURE SEED AND NATIVE GRASS SEED
Albert Lea Seed House Albert Lea, MN (800) 352-5247 www.alseed.com
Minnesota Native Landscapes, Otsego, MN 763-295-0010 mnnativelandscapes.com
Agassiz Seed and Supply, Locations in ND, SD and MN www.agassizseed.com
Behm Seed Company Atwater, MN 320-974-3003
Paul Hamann, Fountain, MN 507-268-4980
Millborn Seeds, Brookings, SD 888-498-7333 www.millbornseeds.com
Sharp Bros Seed Co., Healy, KS (620)398-2231 https://sharpseed.com
Prairie Restorations, Inc., Several Locations in MN 1-800-837-5986 www.prairieresto.com
WATERING SYSTEM CONTRACTORS
K-Fence, Zumbro Falls, MN (507) 753-2706 (507) 753-2943 info@kfence.com www.kfence.com
Southwest Minnesota K Fence, Daniel & Terese Hall, Butterfield, MN 507-956-2657
Grassland Solutions, Cokato, MN 320-286-2196 www.grasslandsolutions.com
WATERING SYSTEM MATERIALS
Many local feed/farm and big-box “fleet farm” stores carry watering system supplies.
Cammack Ranch Supply, Union Center, SD 605-985-5591 cammackranchsupply.com
Jacobsen, Inc., Adair, IA 800-243-7473 jacobseninc.com
K-Fence, Zumbro Falls, MN (507) 753-2943 www.kfence.com
Jobe Valves jobevalves.com
Hutchison Incorporated, Grinnell, IA (800) 588-6155 hutchison-inc.com
Agri Supply www.agrisupply.com/tanks-tubs-stock-tank/c/2800028/
Gallagher Catalog 800-531-5908 www.gallagherusa.com
Frost Free Nose Pumps www.frostfreenosepumps.com
JUG Livestock Waterer 800-584-6675 thejugwaterer.com
Rural Mfg. Co., Inc., Freeman, SD 800-477-7135 ruralmfg.com
Carlson Wholesale, Inc., Rochester, MN 877-700-2694 carlsonwholesale.net
Cobett Company, E. Peru, IA 888-699-4722 cobett.com