The Pasture Project, in partnership with the Regenerative Ag Idea Network (REGAIN), is excited to offer a free introductory training series on regenerative grazing for ag educators and advocates based in the Upper Midwest (applicants from other states are also invited to apply, however please note that the content is most relevant to Upper Midwest). The series will be held over ten weeks, starting the week of November 6th, and wrapping up the week of January 22, 2024.
Questions? Let us know at REGAINInfo@winrock.org.
Background
Agricultural educators, technical service providers, and advocates play a crucial role in building awareness of regenerative practices and supporting farmers who are interested in implementing them. However, many of these professionals lack the basic exposure, knowledge, and experience to encourage successful regenerative grazing in their areas. The Pasture Project is offering a free education series for agriculture educators, technical service providers, and advocates focused on building their basic knowledge and support of regenerative grazing.
This educational series will increase regenerative grazing awareness and knowledge among participants. The goal of the series is to strengthen the community of people who can advocate for regenerative grazing and support farmers in navigating opportunities to implement these practices. Additionally, many educators and advocates who serve farmers operate in relative isolation. This series is designed to build a stronger and a more interconnected network of regenerative grazing advocates in the Upper Midwest.
Training Structure
The series will be held over ten weeks, starting the week of November 6th, and wrapping up the week of January 22, 2024. Participants will have between three to five hours of content to review each week at their own pace, in addition to a weekly office hour on the topic of that week, featuring a technical expert and a Q&A session.
The series will be offered entirely online via REGAIN’s online platform. Participants will have access to the “Regenerative Grazing for Soil Health” curriculum, which employs a module-based format that integrates webinars, video tutorials, quizzes, and more to deliver content. The curriculum content will be largely self-guided, with a recommended week-by-week schedule from the series facilitator.
Participants will also be able to engage with each other via an online discussion group on the platform and weekly office hour calls with technical experts. Participants are expected to attend as many of these calls as possible.
Training participants will also have the opportunity to apply their grazing knowledge to an optional project! Possible projects include (but are not limited to):
- Grazing plan
- Grazing business plan
- Field day or other grazing education event curriculum
- Grazing educational materials
Training Facilitator
We are delighted to welcome back Nadia Alber as our training facilitator! Nadia holds an M.S. in Environment & Resources from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at UW-Madison. Since 2011, Nadia has been employed by UW-Madison as an Outreach Specialist. From 2018 to 2023, she was the Director of the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy & Livestock Farmers (WSBDF), part of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Farm & Industry Short Course program at UW-Madison. Additionally, Nadia owns and manages a diversified pasture-based farm in Iowa County, Wisconsin with her husband and two young children and is passionate about management-intensive rotational grazing.
Training Schedule
- Week 1 | Monday, November 6 to Friday, November 10
- November 8 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM CT | Kickoff Call & Course Platform Overview
- Week 2 | Monday, November 13 to Friday, November 17
- Modules: Introduction to Impacts of Agriculture, Equity and Justice in Agriculture
- Expert Call: November 15 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM CT | Speaker: Dr. Erin Lowe | Agroecologist
- Holiday Break | Week of November 20
- Week 3 | Monday, November 27 to Friday, December 1
- Module: Regenerative Grazing in Context, Healthy Soil
- Expert Call: November 29 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM CT
- Speaker: Allen Philo | Goat, Sheep, and Horse Grazier | Chief Agronomist at BioStar Renewables
- Week 4 | Monday, December 4 to Friday, December 7
- Module: Healthy Forage
- Expert Call: December 6 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM CT
- Speaker: Dr. Geoff Brink | Retired SUDA DFRC Forage Agronomist
- Week 5 | Monday, December 11 to Friday, December 15
- Modules: Infrastructure: Fencing Systems & Infrastructure: Watering Systems
- Expert Call: December 13 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM CT
- Speaker: Vance Haugen | Dairy Grazier | Former University of Wisconsin Extension Agent
- Week 6 | Monday, December 18 to Friday, December 22
- Modules: Healthy Herd & Adaptive Grazing in Practice
- Expert Call: December 20 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM CT
- Speaker: Dr. Greg Brickner | Sheep Grazier | Staff Veterinarian with Organic Valley
- Holiday Break | Week of December 25
- Week 7 | Tuesday, January 2 to Friday, January 5
- Module: Business Planning & Financial Management
- Expert Call: January 3 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM CT
- Speaker: Jim Munsch | Beef Grazier | Ag Business Development Consultant
- Week 8 | Monday, January 8 to Friday, January 12
- Module: Row Crops, Cover Crops, & Livestock
- Expert Call: January 10 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM CT
- Speaker: Jason Cavadini | Beef Grazier | UW Extension Grazing Specialist
- Week 9 | Monday, January 15 to Friday, January 19
- Module: Grazing Planning
- Expert Call: January 17 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM CT
- Speaker: Serge Koenig | Land and Resources Scientist | Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Department
- Week 10 | Monday, January 22 to Friday, January 26
- January 24 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM CT | Final Wrap Up and Course Evaluations
Live sessions will be held weekly on Wednesday mornings.
Who Should Apply?
Consider applying for this training if you have any of the following roles:
- University Extension educators and other staff
- County, state and federal government agriculture and conservation staff
- Nonprofit agricultural educators and technical assistance providers
- Farmer networks
- Non-profit conservation organization staff
Applicants who are based in the Upper Midwest or serve producers and other agricultural stakeholders in those states will be prioritized, but applicants from other states are also invited to apply. Applications are due by October 22 (extended deadline!), and selected applicants will be notified within one week of the application deadline.
Application Requirements
- Applicants must be members of the Regenerative Ag Idea Network (REGAIN) – make an account here if you haven’t already—it’s that simple! And free!
- Complete a short (> 15 min) application