CHARITON, Iowa--The Iowa Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) will conduct a grazing conference Aug. 23-24, in West Des Moines at the Iowa Farm Bureau headquarters. The event will start at 9 a.m. on Aug. 23 and conclude by 1 p.m. on Aug. 24. Featured speakers include Mark Kennedy, Missouri Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) grasslands specialist; Rick Rasby, University of Nebraska; Steve Barnhart, Iowa State University; and Erin Herbold, ISU Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation. 

The agenda will include discussions on alternative grazing systems, beef heifer development, increasing beef cow efficiency, legal issues for livestock farmers and numerous breakout sessions on topics of interest to graziers. The program includes producer panel discussions on wildlife and grazing, direct marketing beef and choosing the grazing system that fits your operation.  A pasture walk and barbeque at the Ken Henrichsen farm near Winterset will be held on the evening of Aug. 23.

The event is sponsored by GLCI, the NRCS, Iowa Farm Bureau, ISU Extension – Iowa Beef Center, Iowa Forage and Grasslands Council, Southern Iowa Forage and Livestock Committee, Dow Agro Sciences, the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Practical Farmers of Iowa. Registration fee for the two-day event is $50 in advance (payable by Aug. 16) and $60 at the door.  For more information contact Joe Sellers at 641-203-1270, email sellers@iastate.edu, or registration information will be available at www.iowabeefcenter.org in mid-July.

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