ABOUT THE KICKAPOO GRAZING INITIATIVE
The Kickapoo Grazing Initiative (KGI) is a partnership of Trout Unlimited, Valley Stewardship Network, Vernon County Land and Water Conservation (Ben Wojahn), and UW-Extension:Crawford County (Vance Haugen) begun in June of 2012. The newest partner to join KGI in 2013 is the Mississippi Valley Conservancy land trust based in La Crosse. The Kickapoo Grazing Initiative (KGI) believes the grass-fed beef market provides a powerful incentive to implement more sustainable land management practices. In addition, KGI is now working directly with the Mississippi Valley Conservancy through funding from the McKnight Foundation.
The Trout Unlimited-Driftless Area Restoration Effort (DARE) is also providing additional funding for farmer outreach through Natural Resources Conservation Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Valley Stewardship Network is taking the lead on water quality monitoring for KGI through help from the Department of Natural Resources’ River Planning Grant.
Now in its sixth year, the Kickapoo Grazing Initiative is an exciting new public/private conservation partnership that focuses on promoting economic and environmental incentives for farmers and landowners to adopt managed grazing of Grass-fed Beef in the Kickapoo Valley in southwest Wisconsin. “Because of the benefits of increased soil organic matter, reduced runoff, and value-added healthy food production, the KGI believes that managed rotational grazing can help protect water quality while sustaining our small farmers in the area,” remarked Cynthia Olmstead, KGI Project Director. Not surprisingly , this promotion of a healthier food alternative has been welcomed by consumers and commercial food buyers as well—with help from local marketing initiatives like the Wisconsin Grass-Fed Beef Cooperative.
In 2017-18, KGI is also working on a new project within the Kickapoo Boots on the Ground Collaboration with Southwest Badger RC&D and the Valley Stewardship Network. This collaboration is focused on promoting a wide variety of conservation practices that will conserve soil and reduce runoff on your land and in your watershed. Our staff from Southwest Badger RC&D, the Kickapoo Grazing Initiative and Valley Stewardship Network will evaluate the resources on your land and help you access programs you need to make it happen. We have information about the new NRCS Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) funding within the Kickapoo as well as general Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding. Funding for this collaboration is through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (under number 54599) and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.
The Kickapoo Grazing Initiative will be working on additional outreach through pasture walks and events with partner organizations as well as direct technical assistance through our grazing specialists. KGI’s funding will help farmers and landowners develop managed rotational grazing plans with one of our grazing specialists as well as work with Natural Resource Conservation Service’s EQIP program to help offset the costs of implementing grazing management practices such as fencing and providing water sources.
The Trout Unlimited-Driftless Area Restoration Effort (DARE) is also providing additional funding for farmer outreach through Natural Resources Conservation Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Valley Stewardship Network is taking the lead on water quality monitoring for KGI through help from the Department of Natural Resources’ River Planning Grant.
Now in its sixth year, the Kickapoo Grazing Initiative is an exciting new public/private conservation partnership that focuses on promoting economic and environmental incentives for farmers and landowners to adopt managed grazing of Grass-fed Beef in the Kickapoo Valley in southwest Wisconsin. “Because of the benefits of increased soil organic matter, reduced runoff, and value-added healthy food production, the KGI believes that managed rotational grazing can help protect water quality while sustaining our small farmers in the area,” remarked Cynthia Olmstead, KGI Project Director. Not surprisingly , this promotion of a healthier food alternative has been welcomed by consumers and commercial food buyers as well—with help from local marketing initiatives like the Wisconsin Grass-Fed Beef Cooperative.
In 2017-18, KGI is also working on a new project within the Kickapoo Boots on the Ground Collaboration with Southwest Badger RC&D and the Valley Stewardship Network. This collaboration is focused on promoting a wide variety of conservation practices that will conserve soil and reduce runoff on your land and in your watershed. Our staff from Southwest Badger RC&D, the Kickapoo Grazing Initiative and Valley Stewardship Network will evaluate the resources on your land and help you access programs you need to make it happen. We have information about the new NRCS Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) funding within the Kickapoo as well as general Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding. Funding for this collaboration is through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (under number 54599) and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.
The Kickapoo Grazing Initiative will be working on additional outreach through pasture walks and events with partner organizations as well as direct technical assistance through our grazing specialists. KGI’s funding will help farmers and landowners develop managed rotational grazing plans with one of our grazing specialists as well as work with Natural Resource Conservation Service’s EQIP program to help offset the costs of implementing grazing management practices such as fencing and providing water sources.