Prescribed Grazing

Are you interested in . . .

•Increased pasture yields
•Better quality pastures
•Carrying more animals
•Feeding less hay
•Better distribution of nutrients
•Healthier livestock
•Improved income

Prescribed grazing is a conservation practice that helps you manage the forage in your pastures with grazing and/or browsing animals.

This is accomplished by a rotational or mob grazing system where pastures are divided into four or more pastures or paddocks with fencing. Cattle are moved from paddock to paddock on a prearranged schedule based on forage availability and livestock nutrition needs.

Prescribed grazing improves or maintains:
–Species composition and vigor of plant communities
–Quantity and quality of forage for grazing and browsing animal health and productivity
–Surface and subsurface water quality and quantity
–Riparian and watershed functions
–Quantity and quality of food and cover available for wildlife

Prescribed grazing also helps to reduce erosion and improve profits.

If you would like to learn more about prescribed grazing or other conservation practices that can help you improve your pastures, contact your nearest office of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Technical and financial assistance is available to eligible producers. A conservationist will discuss your goals for your land and help you determine the best course of action to achieve your goals.

From: Conservation Choices: Prescribed Grazing, https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/null/?cid=nrcseprd416064, viewed 8/31/21.

What is a pasture walk?

A pasture walk is when a group of farmers, livestock producers, and others come together on someone’s farm to walk their pastures and discuss grazing issues and concerns, soil health, and conservation practices that promote farm sustainability. Grazing specialists talk about forage, soil conservationists talk about soil health, and neighbors talk about what worked and what didn’t work. Along the walk, bits of valuable information are picked up and possibilities are discovered. A pasture walk is an open forum for everyone to share their experiences and see, first-hand, best management practices in action.

Do we have your interest? Mark your calendar for September 16, 2021, and come take a pasture walk with us.

NRCS COVID Precautions —

Due to current COVID-19 conditions, NRCS staff are working with customers through phone, mail and online communications. Field work continues with appropriate social distancing to help producers with conservation planning and financial assistance through Farm Bill programs.

NRCS Local Offices (in Trailblazer RC&D’s outreach area)

For contact information for all Louisiana offices of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service click below:

NRCS Online Services Available with eAuth Account

All USDA Service Centers, including those with NRCS field offices, are not currently accessible to customers in person. Online services are available to customers with an eAuth account, which provides access to the farmers.gov offsite link where producers can view USDA farm loan information and payments and view and track certain USDA program applications and payments. Customers who do not already have an eAuth account can enroll at farmers.gov/sign-in. Online NRCS services are available to customers through the Conservation Client Gateway link which can be found at www.nrcs.usda.gov. Customers can track payments, report completed practices, request conservation assistance and electronically sign documents.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs).  Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.  Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information  requested in the form.  To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.  Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

USDA Provides Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing up to $200 million to provide relief to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have experienced losses due to COVID-19 as part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Loggers and truckers can apply for assistance through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) July 22 through Oct. 15, 2021. The Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers program (PATHH) is administered by FSA in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.
To be eligible for payments, individuals or legal entities must be a timber harvesting or timber hauling business where 50% or more of its gross revenue is derived from one or more of the following:

• Cutting timber
• Transporting timber
• Processing of wood on-site on the forest land (chipping, grinding, converting to biochar, cutting to smaller lengths, etc.)

Payments will be based on the applicant’s gross revenue received from Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 1, 2019, minus gross revenue received from Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 1, 2020, multiplied by 80%. FSA will issue an initial payment equal to the lesser of the calculated payment amount or $2,000 as applications are approved. A second payment will be made after the signup period has ended based upon remaining PATHH funds.

The maximum amount that a person or legal entity may receive directly is $125,000.

Visit farmers.gov/pathh for more information on how to apply.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs).  Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.  Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information  requested in the form.  To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.  Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.