Grazing in Illinois
Grazing Features
Good grazing Makes Good $ense!
Grassland Reserve Program
EVENTS
NEW
Publications & other information
Computer based grazing programs and Excel workbooks
NRCS Grass Land Contacts
Features
NRCS Knows Grazing
Illinois NRCS values the benefits good grazing management offers Illinois
producers and their natural resources. We offer conservation programs and
practices specifically designed to help graziers find success in sustainable and
profitable operations. NRCS grazing assistance is targeted to all types of
livestock operation s—beef, dairy, sheep, goats, bison, etc.
NRCS works alongside many Illinois partners committed to grazing—The
Illinois Grazing
Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), University of Illinois Extension
specialists, and others who value grass and forage production, good grazing
management techniques, and planning. NRCS has support staff—two Grass Lands
Specialists—who work with all county level Field Office staff, partners and
clients to create quality grazing systems.
Grazing Programs & Practices
NRCS programs most relevant to graziers include the Environmental Quality
Incentives Program (EQIP), the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP), the Conservation
Stewardship Program (CSP), and the Organic EQIP options. In addition, NRCS
offers valuable resources and guidance such as the Illinois Grazing Manual (see
information and link below).
“Good Grazing Makes Good $ense!”
For 2010, NRCS and GLCI launched an effort to promote the art and science of
good grazing management through a campaign called “Good Grazing Makes Good $ense!”
To learn more about these new educational materials or to speak to someone about
using these materials to promote grazing at a local field day, demonstration
site or workshop, please contact your local NRCS District Conservationist.
 With feed costs always on the rise, Illinois livestock operators might be
ready to consider the benefits of a GRAZING MANAGEMENT PLAN. “Good Grazing Makes
Good $ense!” is Illinois NRCS’ newest information campaign. These materials
detail benefits and options of sustainable and profitable grazing systems and
they tell you how to make it work on your ground.
Below are grazing resources and helpful information. For more information
contact your local NRCS county office.
The following
documents require either
Adobe Acrobat
6.0 or higher, Microsoft WORD,
and Microsoft
PowerPoint.
For 2010, Illinois NRCS has made technical assistance and funding available
for Illinois producers interested in the easement option for grasslands. To
learn more and view the payment cap map, visit the
GRP web page.
Follow this link to
Planned Events (PDF, 183 kb)
Publications on Grazing
Illinois Grazing Manual -Pages from Illinois
Grazing Manual are available to downloaded as a PDF
Extending Grazing and Reducing Stored Feed Needs (PDF, 3.66 MB) Requires
Acrobat Reader
2012 Grazing Planner (PDF, 5.4 MB) - full of photos and tips on good grazing
practices.
Other Grazing Information Web Sites and Organizations
The following
worksheet requires
Microsoft Word.
Pasture/Hayland/Livestock Inventory Worksheet
528-1 Fillable Worksheet.doc
(DOC, 352 kb)
The following
worksheet requires
Adobe
Acrobat Reader.
Pasture/Hayland/Livestock Inventory Worksheet
Inventory
Worksheet [PDF, 117kb] The following Worksheet requires
Microsoft Excel
and
Microsoft Word
Soil Grazing Inventory Worksheet
Inventory Worksheet (XLS, 370 kb)
Worksheet Instructions (DOC, 59 kb) The following Workbook requires
Microsoft Excel
7.0
Illinois Fence Design
Fence Design Workbook (XLSM,
5.1 mb)
Once file is open, go to Help at the bottom of the page for instructions.
NRCS Illinois Grass Land Contacts
Matt Bunger, Grass Land Specialist
402 North Kays Drive
Normal, Illinois 61761
309-452-0830
E-Mail: matt.bunger@il.usda.gov
Roger Staff, Grass Land Specialist
1111 East Harris Ave.
Greenville, Illinois 62246
E-Mail: roger.staff@il.usda.gov
Kerry Goodrich
2118 W. Park Court
Champaign, IL 61821
217-353-6640
E-Mail: kerry.goodrich@il.usda.gov
Updated 9/24/12
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