USC Grazing Initiative

A primary USC goal is to support “Environmental and Economically Sustainable Agriculture”. We define this as documenting farm statistics and BMPs, developing watershed and site specific agricultural plans and implementing and evaluating practices. We use the NY Agricultural Environmental Management Program approach for evaluating our farms and follow the Chesapeake Bay Program's approach for Best Management Practice information that helps determine the status of nutrient loading from the agricultural sector. We believe data collection and support of less “structural” practices (such as rotational grazing) is a good regional approach that directly addresses water quality, stream sediment and farm viability issues. It also provides support for member counties who take the lead for the construction projects such as manure storages or barnyard renovations.

Well-managed pasture systems not only provide feed for livestock and wildlife, retain valuable topsoil, and improve water infiltration but are aesthetically pleasing to residents of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Goals of the USC Grazing Initiative:

To support grazing in the USC Basin by helping to facilitate existing grazing programs (i.e., GrazeNY, GLCI) and to fill niches and support projects that are not necessarily covered by other funding sources.

• Grazing system planning
• Provide technical assistance, in-field support and follow-up with the intent to improve quantity and quality of forage, while improving water quality and maximizing a farm's successful adoption to grazing.
• Installation of grazing system infrastructure, fencing and related buffers
• Organize and establish county grazing steering committees
• Hold farm based pasture walks and grazing educational events for farmers and the public
• Develop on-farm mentoring support and facilitate internship opportunities
• Provide training to build capacity within conservation and environmental agencies
• Promote and market managed grazing techniques and practices
• Support statewide and regional grazing initiatives
• Look for programs and funding that facilitate conservation on the ground with a multi-programmatic approach
• Work with youth and community groups on special projects that implement “wall to wall” buffers
• Create a unique holistic approach to pasture management, stream bank stabilization, buffer establishment and wetland development
• Monitor and measure on-farm pasture conditions and economic indicators with grass-based systems
• Document and promote the unique partnership and direct reduction of nutrients and sediment to the Chesapeake Bay, through “Grazing the USC way”, to local, state and federal governmental agencies and NGO's.