Nebraska Grazing Conference is August 12-14 in Kearney

Nebraska Grazing Conference is August 12-14 in Kearney

Cattle in a field
Plan to attend the 19th annual Nebraska Grazing Conference August 12-14 in Kearney. Photo credit Troy Walz.

Beginning and experienced grazers, land managers, policy makers, and those concerned with the utilization and conservation of our grazing lands are encouraged to register for the 19th annual Nebraska Grazing Conference Aug. 12-14 at the Ramada by Wyndham, 301 2nd Ave., Kearney. The conference is hosted by the Center for Grassland Studies at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln

“The information delivered by our speakers this year has a two-fold purpose,” said Daren Redfearn, associate professor of agronomy and horticulture and chair of the conference steering committee. “Our goals are to build on enhancing traditional grazing lands management practices, and provide insight on implementation of practices that support the stewardship of grasslands and grazing lands resources throughout Nebraska and the Great Plains.”

Chris Helzer, director of Science in Nebraska of The Nature Conservancy, will conduct a half-day field tour to kick off the conference on Aug. 12. This will include a hands-on plant identification tour of different plant communities—sandhills, floodplain grasslands, and wetlands, including unplowed grasslands and some restored crop lands, all managed by the Nature Conservancy. Those registering for the pre-conference tour will receive dinner and a brief presentation by The Nature Conservancy staff.

Conference sessions on Aug. 13 include a rangeland health presentation from Patrick Shaver, from the University of Oregon, and Dana Larsen of Broken Heart Livestock. The grazing lands management session will feature information on an 8-year project at the Barta Brothers Ranch in the eastern Sandhills, which includes animal, vegetation, insect, and soil responses to different grazing strategies. Additional topics covered will be soil health, management for soil health and soil health applications. An extended evening social on Aug. 13 will allow attendees to network and visit exhibit booths to learn about new services and products.

The final day of the conference begins with a producer panel on winter forage strategies as part of the art and science of winter grazing session. James O’Rourke, 2018 Leopold Award recipient, will deliver a presentation on conservation, followed by the final session on rangeland resilience. Forage Extension Specialist, Bruce Anderson will close out the conference by providing a reflection of conference insights and relevance.

To register online, visit https://grassland.unl.edu/nebraska-grazing-conference-registration. For assistance with online registration, call (402) 472-8747.