Soil and Grazing Management Workshops Set for Livestock Producers

SAN ANGELO, TX — Livestock producers in and around Tom Green County have an opportunity to enhance their knowledge of soil health and grazing management.

A series of free workshops beginning in April, dubbed the "Principles Before Practices," aims to equip producers with the knowledge to implement sustainable practices while taking advantage of federal conservation funding.

These workshops, hosted by the Texas Grazing Land Coalition, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, and the Texas A&M Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management, are made possible through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

The workshops, scheduled to take place at various locations, including a session in Christoval, are designed to offer livestock producers insights into soil health principles, effective grazing management strategies, and how to leverage federal cost-share conservation programs for their operations.

Workshop Details and Registration Information:

• The Christoval workshop will be held on April 16 at the Christoval Community Center, 20022 Main St., from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Additional sessions will be held in Bruni on April 3 and Jourdanton on May 9.
• Interested participants are encouraged to register online at https://tx.ag/Principles.

These educational sessions provide a platform for learning and offer attendees one general continuing education unit (CEU) for Texas Department of Agriculture license holders. 

Completing the course also qualifies participants for priority points in the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) ranking for 2025, a program assisting landowners in integrating conservation practices into their land management strategies.

The workshops will feature both indoor and outdoor sessions, led by experts such as Jenny Pluhar, executive director of the Texas Grazing Land Coalition; Morgan Treadwell, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension range specialist in San Angelo; and Jeff Goodwin, Ph.D., director of the Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management. 

Additionally, local ranchers will share their experiences applying these principles effectively on their properties.

"These workshops are an important step towards direct technical assistance for landowners, encouraging the adoption of best practices for addressing resource concerns like soil health," Treadwell stated.

For further information, interested individuals can contact Morgan Treadwell at [email protected] or Casey Matzke, AgriLife Extension program manager, at [email protected].