The Mountains-to-Bay Grazing Alliance, Northeast Pasture Consortium, and University of Maryland Extension are excited to be hosting a Mid-Atlantic Grazing Conference this winter and invite grazers, livestock owners, farmers, and associated industry partners to attend.
The Mid-Atlantic Grazing Conference will be held over two and half days on December 16-18, 2024 at the Washington County Ag Center in Boonsboro, MD. This conference will feature keynote speaker Burke Teichert, as well as educational and research presentations, farm tours, and a dinner highlighting Maryland graziers.
December 16: Farm Tours
- Join for an afternoon on the farm! A small group (space is limited) will tour several local farms, including a pasture-based cow-calf operation on historic Antietam National Battlefield, an organic grazing dairy with an on-farm store, and a grass-based goat dairy producing farmstead cheeses and utilizing virtual fencing systems.
December 17: Northeast Pasture Consortium Day
- Meet at the Washington County Ag Center for a day of learning, including presentations on topics like managing pastures during extreme weather conditions, methane emissions from grazing animals, and research highlights from WMREC, along with a poster session and time for brainstorming research and education priorities for the region. End the day with a dinner highlighting Maryland graziers and time for networking and questions.
December 18: Mountains-to-Bay Grazing Alliance Day
- Meet at the Washington County Ag Center to hear from keynote speaker Burke Teichert. Burke Teichert was born and raised on a family ranch in western Wyoming and has degrees in ag business and ag economics. His work history includes serving as a university faculty member, cattle reproduction specialist, and manager of seven cattle ranches for Deseret Land and Cattle Co. In retirement, he is a consultant and speaker, passing on his expertise in organizing ranches to be cost-effective and efficient with minimal labor requirements.
A discounted room block is available in nearby Hagerstown, and there are options to join in-person or virtually and for one or multiple days. Scholarships are also available to support both livestock producers and service providers who are interested in attending.
For full details and registration information, please visit https://go.umd.edu/midatlanticgrazing. If you have questions or need assistance please contact the Washington County Extension office at 301-791-1304. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact us at least 2 weeks prior to the event.