NatGLC Secures Several Million Dollars to Benefit Grazing Lands and Their Producers
Washington, D.C., August 7, 2024- The National Grazing Lands Coalition (NatGLC) is thrilled to announce the successful procurement of funding through the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) cooperative agreements Fiscal Year 2024. This significant achievement includes NatGLC’s own proposal providing services to help state coalition programs, as well as successful applications from NatGLC partners including the California Grazing Lands Coalition, Georgia Forage and Grasslands Lands Council, Hawaii Grazing Lands Coalition, Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition, Montana Grazing Lands Coalition, Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition, Texas A&M Center for Grazing Lands and Ranch Management, Texas Grazing Lands Coalition, and a new Utah Grazing Lands Coalition. Collectively, these efforts have garnered over $6 million in funded proposals out of the $22 million of funding allocated, with 29 projects funded in total. This investment from the USDA NRCS is going directly to on-the-ground grazing lands improvement, which will ultimately benefit operations across the United States.
GLCI agreements equip producer-focused organizations by funding projects directly accessible to landowners, land managers, and the next generation of producers. Examples of funded deliverables include a technical service hotline for producers to consult on grazing management questions, youth range camps, video resources demonstrating grazing management practices and approaches, and printed pocket guides. The spectrum of funded work will positively impact our grazing lands by building organizational capacity, creating opportunities for education and networking, and ensuring that high-quality technical assistance is provided through events and publications. These funds are critical in promoting practices that enhance the ecological health of grazing lands, improve water quality, and bolster the economic viability of agricultural producers.
NatGLC is proud to be part of this collaborative effort, which underscores the importance of maintaining, increasing, and continuing the appropriation of GLCI funds by our lawmakers through the Farm Bill. This funding not only supports conservation efforts, but also helps ensure that farmers and ranchers receive local technical support, education, and networking opportunities from their state coalitions and like-minded organizations. NatGLC believes that conservation is best applied at the local level. In order for NatGLC’s mission to be most effective, partnerships with state coalitions is paramount to the efficient and effective use of these conservation dollars.
For more information on the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative and the recent funding announcement, please reference the Fiscal Year 2024 Announcement.
About the National Grazing Lands Coalition. NatGLC is dedicated to the conservation and sustainable management of grazing lands across the United States. Through collaborative efforts with state coalitions, producers, and other stakeholders, NatGLC promotes practices that ensure the long-term health and productivity of these vital landscapes.
Contact: Ellen Harrell
Director of Marketing and Communications
National Grazing Lands Coalition
225-328-2445
ellen@grazinglands.org
