The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has awarded American Farmland Trust almost $7 million to help expand its grazing work in Texas, the Southern Great Plains, and the Pacific Northwest.
The Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative will help over 370 ranchers implement conservation practices to improve grazing management, grassland restoration, water conservation, and soil health on working ranchlands across the U.S. The project will further provide both financial and technical assistance to help cattle ranchers across AFT’s grazing networks to adopt conservation strategies that enhance biodiversity, profitability, and ecological resilience across more than 300,000 acres.
“NFWF’s initiative will provide critical support for ranchers and expand the Resilient Grazing Network to advance regenerative grazing in the Southern Great Plains and Pacific Northwest,” said Sarah Fulton-Smith, Texas Regional Director for American Farmland Trust. “The Resilient Grazing Network is led by experienced ranchers and supported by grazing specialists and local partners that provide the practical, real-world support that land stewards are looking for in adopting regenerative practices. Together, we can help ranchers steward their land in ways that are profitable and protect their soil, water, and wildlife.”
NFWF’s initiative is supported by McDonald’s USA, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and some of McDonald’s USA’s key suppliers who will invest more than $200 million over the next seven years to help promote and accelerate regenerative grazing practices, habitat restoration, and wildlife conservation across 4 million acres.
The Resilient Grazing Network aims to help ranchers build resilience not only to their land and natural resources, but by supporting their operations holistically through workshops and training focused on navigating land succession, improving financial management skills, and supporting ranchers in other areas beyond their stewardship practices, according to Fulton-Smith.
“Ranchers are the committed stewards of their land, and they want to see their legacies continue,” said Fulton-Smith. “Today, many ranchers are seeking grazing practices that can help improve the resilience of their operations, particularly as drought conditions are worsening across the West. However, adopting such practices can be challenging, and many ranchers benefit by learning from others that have already adopted regenerative practices, like our mentors. The initiative will help grow the Resilient Grazing Network to enable ranchers to address the complex barriers they face in adopting these practices and provide the tailored educational and financial support they need to succeed.”
