Press release
July 20, 2006
Barriers to managed grazing limit grass-based farming in Wisconsin, report finds. State action needed.
SAUK COUNTY, WISCONSIN -- Managed grazing1 is a modern, innovative technology that keeps dairy and livestock farmers profitable, promotes good land stewardship, and can save taxpayers money. A new report by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI) finds barriers to managed grazing for Wisconsin's conventional and beginning dairy farmers. The report, The Future of Managed Grazing: Barriers to managed grazing in Wisconsin and how to overcome them, includes recommendations for state government, the University of Wisconsin, and others to better support managed grazing in Wisconsin.
"At a time when Wisconsin is losing dairy farmers, managed grazing offers a successful strategy to keep dairy farmers on the land and financially profitable," said Jeanne Merrill, MFAI Policy Organizer and report author. "More must be done to help eliminate barriers to managed grazing for Wisconsin dairy farmers."
The report finds that, for a few conventional dairy farmers, high debt load and increasing land prices may limit their ability to make the transition to managed grazing. But how conventional dairy farmers perceive managed grazing may act as the biggest barrier to farmers making the transition. Financial studies find that managed grazing farms are more profitable per cow and per hundredweight equivalent than their confinement counterparts2, but few conventional dairy farmers may be aware of managed grazing's financial benefits.
"Managed grazing offers a win-win situation -- it's good for farmers financially and it's good for the land," said John Hall, MFAI Agronomist. "Better support for managed grazing in Wisconsin just makes sense for our economy and our environment."
The report also shows that, although managed grazing can be low capital approach to start farming, beginning graziers may have a harder time than other beginning farmers in finding the land, capital, and experience they need. The report finds that retiring farmers are often hesitant to rent their farms to beginning graziers; some bankers remain skeptical of managed grazing; and it can be difficult to find on-farm internships on managed grazing farms.
Among the report's recommendations are: creation of financial transitions teams to work with farmers; increased university research in managed grazing; expansion of on-farm internships; and secured funding for the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative.
Download the full report
For more information, please contact:
Jeanne Merrill
MFAI Associate Policy Director
Telephone: 608-239-2161
E-mail: jeannemerrill@earthlink.net
1Managed grazing is the practice of rotating cows through pasture for their primary forage.
2Kriegl, T. and McNair, R. February 2005. Pastures of plenty: Financial performance of Wisconsin grazing dairy farms. University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture photo archive