The River Country Resource Conservation and Development Council Inc. (RCD) will host the West Central WI Spring Grazing Conference on Saturday March 18, 2023, at the Grand Occasions Event Center at W16181 US-10, Osseo, WI.
Local grazing farmers will speak in the morning, with ecologist and project manager Steven Thomford
speaking in the afternoon. One topic on the agenda is an effort by grazing supporters to include
reauthorization of the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) in the 2023 Farm Bill. GLCI offers
crucial technical assistance, education, and peer-to-peer learning for new and established grazing
operations.
The Farm Bill is a package of legislation passed roughly every five years that sets the framework for
conservation, research, nutrition, crop insurance, commodity and many other agricultural policies and
programs. The Agriculture Committees of both houses of Congress are working to pass a new Farm Bill
in 2023, and many grazing advocates seek to include a reauthorization of GLCI as part of that process.
Congressman Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-3) is a member of the House Agriculture Committee. River
Country RCD straddles Wisconsin’s 3rd and 7th congressional districts, and strives to initiate, facilitate,
and build connections for the wise use of natural, human, and economic resources.
The Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) provides local and regional resources for farmers and
ranchers interested in best grazing management practices for livestock. GLCI includes funding for
technical assistance, education, pasture groups, and training for new grazing technical assistance
providers. In the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) agricultural appropriations bill, GLCI was funded for the first
time since 2008. In FY08, GLCI was funded at $27 million; for FY22, it was funded at $14 million.
Supporters seek to stabilize funding by authorizing it in the Farm Bill at $50 million annually.
