Roundup Record Tribune & Winnett Times -

Registration is now open for the three-day 406 Grazing Academy workshop to be held June 7-9 in central Montana. The workshop is hosted by Montana State University and its partners and is aimed at ranchers seeking to hone their grazing management skills. Classroom activities will take place at the Yogo Inn in Lewistown, and field activities will be held on working ranches near Winnett.

Workshop participants will gain practical information to help them make strategic decisions for their ranch. Topics include economic optimum stocking rates; diverse grazing strategies; range monitoring; extending the grazing season; livestock-wildlife relations; targeted grazing; and coping with drought, wildfire and poisonous plants.

Complementing the educational workshops, successful Montana ranchers and range managers from across the state will share their expertise. Workshop participants will bring information from their ranches and leave with a first draft of a grazing plan.

Registration is $150 per person or $250 for two people from the same ranch and covers educational materials, lunches and evening meals. The workshop fee also includes an optional instructor follow-up visit to the participant's ranch later in the summer or fall.

Participants are responsible for travel and lodging expenses. Registration closes May 16, with limited space available.

To register, contact Teresa Wilhelms at [email protected] or 406-599-2311, ext. 107. For more information, contact any of the following: Stacy Barta at [email protected] or 406-594-8481; Jeff Mosley at [email protected] or 406-994-5601; or Rachel Frost at [email protected] or 406-994-3724.

The event is a collaboration between MSU Extension Range Management Program, the Rangeland Resources Program in the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the Dan Scott Ranch Management Program in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences in MSU's College of Agriculture. Additional partners are the Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative and the Winnett Agricultural Community Enhancement and Sustainability group.

This story is available on the Web at: http://www.montana.edu/news/22002