August 7, 2016

The Iowa Cattlemen's Association announced last week it has received a grant from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service for a project focused on improving grazing management by farmers. The new funding source is a 2016 Conservation Collaboration Grant.
According to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, when grasslands are managed with a focus on the regenerative crop, cattle not only reduce overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but also facilitate increased soil carbon sequestration, reduce environmental damage, and create habitat for various wildlife and pollinator species.
ICA to hire a grazing adviser to help improve grazing practices

FOCUS ON GRASSLAND: An NRCS grant will enable the Iowa Cattlemen's Association to hire a grazing adviser to help farmers make positive changes on their farms, such as enhancing current grassland management practices and transitioning crop ground and expiring CRP contract acres into working grasslands.
This grant will enable the Iowa Cattlemen's Association to hire a grazing adviser who will help farmers and ranchers make positive changes on their farm, such as enhancing current grassland management practices and transitioning current crop ground and expiring CRP contract acres into working grasslands. According to the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, perennial cover and grazed pastures are estimated to reduce nitrate loss by 85% and phosphorus loss by 60%.
The 2016 Conservation Collaboration Grants were awarded to projects that leverage NRCS resources, address local natural resource issues, encourage collaboration and develop state- and community-level conservation leadership. ICA’s Conservation Collaboration Grant will be used to facilitate ICA’s Stewards of the Land project.
Project will help farmers make positive changes on their farm
In an effort to restore Iowa’s grasslands, the Stewards of the Land project will help farmers and ranchers make positive changes on their farm, such as enhancing current grassland management practices and transitioning current crop ground and expiring CRP contract acres into working grasslands.
Allocating additional acres to grasslands requires financial investment and technical expertise. Through the Stewards of the Land project, ICA will hire a grazing adviser who will work to educate Iowa cattlemen and encourage environmentally conscious decisions when it comes to land management. Through technical assistance, the ICA grazing adviser will work with area cattlemen to increase the productivity of current grasslands, while encouraging transformation of additional acres.
Apply by August 30 if you are interested in this new position
At this time the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is seeking applicants for the ICA grazing adviser position. Those who are interested should contact the ICA office at 515-296-2266, or view the job application on the ICA website at iacattlemen.org. Applications are due August 30.
The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is the lead organization for the Stewards of the Land project and sincerely appreciates the support of project partners including the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation and Prairie Creek Seeds.
About the Iowa Cattlemen's Association: The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association represents more than 10,000 beef-producing families and associated companies dedicated to the future of Iowa’s beef industry. ICA’s mission is “Grow Iowa’s beef business through advocacy, leadership and education.”
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