Putting farming woes out to pasture
NORWICH – Could rotational grazing be the answer to the economic woes of local dairy farmers? Proponents of the agricultural practice, which involves rotating livestock between paddocks every 12 to 24 hours, think it can.
“Grazing has come to the top again in terms of a priority,” said Phil Metzger. The local USDA Resource Conservation and Development coordinator was among a group of local agriculture advocates and industry experts who attended a recent Chenango River Watershed meeting where rotational grazing was the topic of the day.
Presenting at the event was Dr. Jon Winsten, an agricultural economist with Winrock International. Winsten is engaged in a multi-year research project in conjunction with the University of Vermont. The project, which is funded by grant from the USDA, is focused on studying the potential effects pasture-based, management-intensive rotational grazing on agriculture in the Northeast.
While rotational grazing is currently considered a “fringe production system” in the United States, Winsten said, its implementation could have a significant economic impact on rural communities as well as increase farm viability and have long-term environmental impacts.
While some fear that moving from confinement systems of farming to grazing will decrease milk production, those who use grazing say that the decrease in production is more than offset by what they save on purchasing feed.
“Grazing saves money,” said Troy Bishop. The Madison County farmer not only practices rotational grazing, but has mentored other farmers who have decided to make the change.
Animals are healthier, too. Jeff Austin, who has implemented management-intensive rotational grazing on his family dairy farm in Coventryville, said his cows experience fewer leg and hoof problems now.
“Cows belong on the ground, not on concrete,” said Austin, who attended the meeting with his son.
What stands in the way of these practices becoming more mainstream? According to Winsten, the biggest barriers are misconceptions farmers have about rotational grazing. He and his team are in the process of refining policy and program recommendations for overcoming these barriers and increasing the number of farmers who practice rotational grazing. But it may not just be their efforts, but also other forces which provide the catalyst for change, particularly in the dairy industry.
“Times are hard now, people change when they are in pain,” Fay Benson, a grazing educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cortland County.
Chenango County may be ideally suited for this type of agricultural practice, according to Chenango County Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers, who has been a long time proponent of rotational grazing.
“It’s not an ideal area for corn production; it’s an ideal area for rotational grazing,” he explained.
“Grazing has come to the top again in terms of a priority,” said Phil Metzger. The local USDA Resource Conservation and Development coordinator was among a group of local agriculture advocates and industry experts who attended a recent Chenango River Watershed meeting where rotational grazing was the topic of the day.
Presenting at the event was Dr. Jon Winsten, an agricultural economist with Winrock International. Winsten is engaged in a multi-year research project in conjunction with the University of Vermont. The project, which is funded by grant from the USDA, is focused on studying the potential effects pasture-based, management-intensive rotational grazing on agriculture in the Northeast.
While rotational grazing is currently considered a “fringe production system” in the United States, Winsten said, its implementation could have a significant economic impact on rural communities as well as increase farm viability and have long-term environmental impacts.
While some fear that moving from confinement systems of farming to grazing will decrease milk production, those who use grazing say that the decrease in production is more than offset by what they save on purchasing feed.
“Grazing saves money,” said Troy Bishop. The Madison County farmer not only practices rotational grazing, but has mentored other farmers who have decided to make the change.
Animals are healthier, too. Jeff Austin, who has implemented management-intensive rotational grazing on his family dairy farm in Coventryville, said his cows experience fewer leg and hoof problems now.
“Cows belong on the ground, not on concrete,” said Austin, who attended the meeting with his son.
What stands in the way of these practices becoming more mainstream? According to Winsten, the biggest barriers are misconceptions farmers have about rotational grazing. He and his team are in the process of refining policy and program recommendations for overcoming these barriers and increasing the number of farmers who practice rotational grazing. But it may not just be their efforts, but also other forces which provide the catalyst for change, particularly in the dairy industry.
“Times are hard now, people change when they are in pain,” Fay Benson, a grazing educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cortland County.
Chenango County may be ideally suited for this type of agricultural practice, according to Chenango County Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers, who has been a long time proponent of rotational grazing.
“It’s not an ideal area for corn production; it’s an ideal area for rotational grazing,” he explained.
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