SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES By Jared Luhman, SFA Soil Health Lead VOL. I 2 SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES

Introduction production in Minnesota, a priority for Sustainable Development Partnership SFA. (SERSDP). The Silvopasture Case Studies are SFA and the partners above are These new case studies, and the made possible through a partnership working to create a Silvopasture previous series, are the basis of among the Center for Integrated Learning Network for education and FarmMaps.umn.edu, a tool allowing Natural Resources and Agricultural support; research effective farmers to learn about, connect with, Management (CINRAM) at the silvopasture practices and innovations and receive advice from fellow University of Minnesota, the University at the Sherburne Wildlife Refuge; and farmers with experience successfully of Minnesota Agricultural Extension, educate farmers, agricultural and applying soil health practices. The Great River Greening (GRG), and the natural resource professionals and ability to talk to a peer about benefits, Sustainable Farming Association of conservationists throughout the state successes, challenges and costs on Minnesota (SFA). Together, these on silvopasture and savanna issues related to silvopasture and soil groups are part of the project restoration principles and practices. health is a powerful motivator for “Silvopasture for Oak Savanna Researched and written by Jared adoption and provides a source of Restoration” funded by the Legislative- Luhman, SFA’s Soil Health Lead, these continued support. Citizen Commission case studies on Minnesota feature farmers Acknowledgments Resources (LCCMR). Web Resources throughout Silvopasture is Minnesota who Several people were involved in sfa-mn.org/silvopasture-agroforestry the intentional have been using preparing this report, starting with the practice of silvopasture.umn.edu/connect silvopasture farmers whose silvopasture stories are managing timber, practices for three featured herein: Vickie Kettlewell and forage and livestock on the same or more years and whose stories offer Greg Booth of Sunup Ranch, acres to create income opportunities tangible examples, support, and Brainerd; Tom Barthel and Gail on often under-utilized land. Using encouragement to others. The case Wilkinson of Snake River Farm, managed techniques, sound studies reflect the partners’ Becker; Tom Hunter, Wabasha; and timber management and 21st-Century understanding that farmers learn best Tyler Carlson of Early Boots Farm, fencing technology, silvopasture can from each other and that strong Sauk Centre. SFA Executive Director help restore the over 660,000 acres connections across the landscape will Theresa Keaveny and CINRAM of Minnesota woods and forest, result in wider adoption of effective Director Dean Current were the including oak savanna, that are not silvopasture practices. They are supervisors for this publication. SFA achieving their full potential for the modeled after a series of two soil Soil Health Lead Jared Luhman is the landowner and society. Described on health case study publications made primary author and photographer; the next page in more detail, possible through the Southwest SFA Communications Associate Jason silvopasture and are Regional Sustainable Development Walker is credited with layout and additional strategies to achieve soil Partnership (SWRSDP) and a third design. Special thanks to LCCMR for health adoption and foster livestock supported by the Southeast Regional financial support of this project. SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES 3

Background Silvopasture is the deliberate integration of and grazing livestock operations on the same land. The trees, forage, and grazing livestock are managed intensively and must complement one another to increase overall production. The sales of livestock provide annual income to the producer while fostering long-term economic benefits from trees such as sawtimber. In silvopasture, management of trees through thinning and pruning helps provide high-value timber and ensures that sufficient light is Silvopastures are: Benefits available for forage. Grazing animals control competition for Intentional – The trees, • Diversify farm enterprise (e.g., moisture, nutrients, and sunlight, livestock, and forage together are livestock sales, timber sales, enhancing growth. Trees intentionally designed, established, hunting leases, etc.), and provide shade for livestock and and managed to work together spreads out market risk create a microclimate that and yield multiple products and • Provide high value timber improves forage quality. Livestock benefits. These are not individual resulting from pruning and promote nutrient cycling, and practices that occur coincidentally thinning to manage tree density nitrogen fixing forage crops together nor managed • Provide shade or cooler summer benefit trees. independently. environment for livestock Silvopasture can look similar to Intensive – Silvopastures are • Provide wind protection for oak savanna, with acres of dense managed intensively to optimize livestock during severe winters grass interspersed with tall oak production. Cultural practices such • Reduce animal stress and trees providing shade for livestock as thinning and pruning are often improve animal productivity and shelter for wildlife; it can also employed on the trees, while • Improve soil health and nutrient resemble a diverse forest being fertilization is done on forage to cycling managed and intentionally thinned improve production. Livestock in • Enhance habitat for many to allow sunlight to the forest floor silvopastures are managed based wildlife species through plant to increase grass production for on forage availability. diversification and promoting livestock. Typically ruminants like Interactive – Livestock grazing, nutritious forages , and goats, or forage production, and tree • Enhance plant nutrient uptake possibly even hogs are integrated. management are conducted in efficiencies and water quality – In the case of Regeneration Farms harmony to enhance the deep tree roots capture nutrients (Pages 4-5), it’s poultry. production of multiple harvestable from deeper soil horizon Silvopasture is not a ‘plant it components, while providing • Increase recreation opportunities and leave it’ system. Allowing conservation benefits. • Control weeds and invasive livestock to graze in a natural Integrated – The trees, forage, species due to browsing of woodland area without active and livestock are structurally and animals, and development of livestock/forage management is functionally combined into a desirable ground cover NOT considered silvopasture, nor single, integrated management • Reduce wildfire severity due to is having one or two trees in the unit tailored to meet the reduction of forest and ladder considered silvopasure. landowner’s objectives. fuel 4 SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES

Regeneration Farms Contact: Tony Wells, Co-Founder, General Manager | [email protected] Sources of Income: Chicken, hazelnuts | Acres: 1.5 or more

Background developed the Tree-Range® A New System Chicken brand, using an Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin innovative production system that This team of innovators thought wanted to develop a system of integrates food producing beyond standard ways of thinking food production that was not only perennial nut and fruit trees with about silvopasture and followed sustainable but regenerative in pasture, natural forages to achieve the principles of integrating trees, every sense of the word. He “truly” free-range poultry. This forage and grazing livestock with wanted it to be regenerative to the regenerative poultry production chickens and hazelnuts. Poultry soil, regenerative to the livestock system offers a premium market to actually evolved out of a jungle and plants under management, allow easier entry for new farmers habitat, so the system mimics regenerative to managers of the by providing reasonable economic nature in that way. Their goal was farm, and lastly he wanted this returns with minimal upfront to create a production unit that is system to be regenerative to a investments, (compared with what replicable by other farmers on population of people who had is normal in farming). Over the small acreages. One production historically been unable to farm. past 3 years, this regenerative unit consists of a chicken coop and With a lifetime of farming poultry production system has 1.5 acres split into two .75 acre knowledge and a team of great been replicated on 3 small farms paddocks that have perennial tree partners, Regi, Jim Kleinschmit, and 5-10 new farmers are now species planted on 12 to 14 foot Tony Wells, Wil Crombie along developing Tree-Range® row spacing with 6 to 8 feet with huge support from many production plans on their farms for between trees. This system is family, friends and mentors, have 2021 and beyond. designed to produce batches of SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES 5

1,500 chickens which have the ability to handle rotate between the two and thrive through all the paddocks. Also, by fertility left from the strategically placing the chickens. Additionally, in feeders in different areas 5-7 years when the they are able to alter hazelnuts grow and are which areas within the at full production, they paddock are receiving will produce 30-50 animal impact. This is percent of the total farm important for soil health revenue. as soil and plants need adequate time for rest Adaptable and recovery between animal impact. Broiler chickens and hazelnuts are a starting Symbiosis point for the Regeneration Farms In a chicken team. However, the production system, system has the ability to typically feed is imported be adapted to a number and chicken manure of different production which is high in nutrients systems. They have found is considered a liability success using for which a home must elderberries in place of be found after every Tony Wells (top) and Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin. or in addition to batch of chickens. The hazelnuts. The Regeneration Farms team elderberries offer another views the nutrients from into an asset. Not only research went into the high value crop that that fertility as an asset, do these trees provide a design of the chicken grows faster and can and sought to find a way secondary income source coop and feed and water begin providing shelter to utilize it within the and utilize the fertility infrastructure. Prior to earlier and begin system. To offset the large from the chickens, but as Tony joining the team, producing a crop in 2-4 amount of nutrients being they grow taller and Reginaldo had done years rather than 5-7 deposited on the pasture expand, they provide experimental trials with typical of hazelnuts. every summer and also shelter from aerial over 30 different chicken There is also room for to create the jungle predators and from the breeds before coming to diversification in animal environment that the sun and weather. the conclusion that species. Other poultry chickens evolved from, freedom rangers were an species like laying hens, they planted hazelnut Trial and ideal fit. They are good ducks, turkeys and trees in the paddocks. Experimentation foragers, they have few if potentially even hogs These trees provided a any health issues, and and sheep are possible natural evolutionary Tony shares how this they produce a high within this system. habitat for the poultry as was not an overnight quality delicious meat The farm has begun well as a secondary success, there was a product. Reginaldo also commercialization of income stream to the tremendous amount of had experimented with regenerative Tree-Range farm through the saleable thought and intentionality other tree species such as products, implementing hazelnuts and also took that went into each apples and plums but in silvopasture and up much of the nitrogen aspect of this silvopasture the end, determined that regenerating soils in an placed from the chicken chicken production hazelnuts were the best innovative, exciting new litter turning the liability model. Several years of fit for this system. They way. 6 SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES

Early Boots Farm Tyler Carlson & Katie Droske 320-249-1841 [email protected] 20232 Balsam Dr, Sauk Centre Sources of Income: Grass Finished Beef and lamb, Perennial Fruit Acres: 40 in open pasture 13 planted pine silvopasture 20 actively converting from forest to silvopasture 6 aspen silvopasture 20 of woods grazed in rotation 20 in old pasture Remainder in water

Background regenerative grazing and decided grazing and grass-based perennial to get involved at the production . He said this type of Tyler Carlson didn’t grow up level. In 2011, he purchased the management “fit with what I felt farming, so his interest in it came family land that sparked his the farm was asking to be.” around in a slightly unconventional interest in nature and began the Tyler’s farm is not a cookie- way. His grandfather owned a transition into a productive, cutter square quarter section of farm, but at the time, it was more regenerative ecosystem that black dirt. It is 200 acres of open of a recreational retreat than a provided food for humans and grasslands, thick overgrown productive farm. Tyler spent much habitat for wildlife. forests, lakes and marshes. To farm time there, exploring, hunting and in any other way than nature’s fishing which instilled in him a love Fitting Nature’s Model image would take time, money, of nature and the land. While in and be a challenge every step of college, Tyler studied biology, Tyler’s initial plan for his land the way. So Tyler decided to work geology, horticulture, and was to produce food for himself with nature, mimicking the historic sustainable agriculture and began and his family. A pivotal moment context of this land through to make the connection between came when he heard of a livestock integration and nature and food and realized that program in South Dakota working silvopasture. Obtaining funding our current system is not to restore native prairie by and design help from professional sustainable. Ultimately, he arrived reintroducing bison, which agroforesters, Tyler got started upon agroforestry and perennial sparked an interest in regenerative planting trees in 2012. SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES 7

Data was important. improved wildlife Tyler wanted to know that habitat. silvopasture pays, and thus collected data on Lessons Learned what contributions it made environmentally Tyler’s experience has and to carbon been educational, and sequestration. He created while he is still early in three seven-acre the process of building his paddocks with standard farm, he has plenty to forestry spacing for the share. He has lost trees; in each paddock animals to poisoning due was a different species of to certain plant species in tree: Red Pine, Eastern the woods and White Pine, and Red recommends educating Oak. He protected the yourself on the species in trees from livestock by your particular woods creating alleys with high- and how best to manage tensile electric fence and those risks. Where he grazed amongst the trees transplanted in trees he to manage vegetation has quite a bit of trouble around them. with the red ; if he Integrating grazing could go back, he says started slowly. Tyler Tyler Carlson & Family he would have used tree focused initial efforts on tubes to protect the trees. areas that were more all of his woodlands into silvopasture grasslands He was very happy with open, or where trees had a silvopasture system. can even be more the pine transplants. They exposed the forest floor productive. Additionally, were larger with much to sunlight. He seeded Benefits of the same shade that more vigorous root orchardgrass and red Silvopasture allows grass to be more systems that took off with clover onto the land and productive during hot and no water supplementation slowly integrated grazing Tyler has been dry conditions also in a drought year. animals. He moved the utilizing silvopasture for improves cattle comfort His last comment on livestock twice per day to several years and sees and can result in establishing silvopasture minimize animal damage many benefits, the first improved gains on Tyler’s into open land was to put and allowed adequate and most obvious being cattle as well as an more intentional thought recovery time for the the expanded grazing increased conception rate and consideration into grass species. After area. In many of these from his cows. where he planted the seeing some success in dense forest stands, prior On the acres where trees. He chose to plant these naturally open to thinning and seeding he planted trees to on his best open tillable areas he wanted to there was little to no establish silvopasture, the acres; looking back, he further open the canopy. forage production, trees are still short and questions if it would have His tools of choice are a making those acres provide minimal shade been better to plant on chainsaw, weed eater worthless as far as value. They have, some of his less-valuable with a blade attachment, grazing value. Now he however, already begun sloped land. Overall, and a loader tractor. The sees forage production to provide a great winter though, he has been progress is slow and that competes with open windbreak for cattle. pleased with the results labor-intense, but his grasslands, and in certain Across his whole farm and has not lost his hope is that over several times of the year during Tyler believes that his passion for agroforestry years he can transition heat and drought the management has and silvopasture. 8 SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES

Tom Hunter Farm Contact: 651-328-1872, [email protected], 23257 685th Street, Wabasha Sources of Income: Weaned calves, grass-finished beef | Acres: 100 pasture, 100 woods

Background Restoring Landscapes potential grazing value along with the opportunity to restore the land During the 1980s, Tom left the Silvopasture is not something back to its historical context led family farm in western Illinois and Tom always imagined as being him to begin his project of took a job at Pillsbury in the Twin part of his operation. However, converting overgrown forest into Cities. This separation allowed him after purchasing a farm that was silvopasture. to break old farming habits and, 50 percent wooded, he began to after attending an ACRES consider what value he could gain Grazing Value conference, he found himself out of all of the land that most thinking more about grazing and farmers would consider “waste” or Tom’s primary farm business is grass-finishing beef. In 2006, he that only had value to a hunter. based around grazing livestock. retired from Pillsbury and began Looking back in historical aerial Like most graziers in the Upper searching for a farm that wasn’t a photographs he noticed that much Midwest, his primarily perfectly flat, black dirt expensive of this wooded area was at one consist of cool-season grasses that crop farm, but an affordable farm point much more open, with trees produce as much as 60 percent of that would be adaptable to a scattered across the hillsides. their annual growth in as little as grazing system. In 2010, he found Reading original survey notes of two months. They also need time in and purchased the farm where he the land further confirmed his late summer and fall to recover has been building his grazing suspicions that the land historically and store energy for winter. Tom system ever since. had been an oak savanna. The learned from years where he SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES 9

grazed in late summer and fall without allowing adequate rest periods and resulted in winter kill on the forage. Warm-season forages produce most of their quality forage in late summer. The challenge of an uneven grass production schedule forces graziers to deal with this mismatch in grass production with making hay or adjusting stocking rates, both of which can be complicated and expensive. The addition of warm-season grasses Once Tom Hunter’s silvopasture is established, he plans to maintain it with well-managed on his farm helps level grazing and fires just as the landscape was managed by Native Americans. out the grass availability throughout the grazing season. into existing grassland. have to protect them from Exciting Experiment This integration of Each method of both livestock and silvopasture will also establishing silvopasture wildlife. Tom transplanted Tom’s hope through offer a shady spot to presents its own burr oak seedlings he this project is to prove the bring cattle in the heat of challenges and found around the farm viability of silvopasture as the summer which can advantages. Thinning the and put a 30”x30” a profitable land- result in reduced heat overgrown forest requires rubber belting around the management option. His stress and increased tremendous amounts of plant to suppress weeds initial experiment on a gains on yearlings and time, labor, and and a polywire fence small portion of land calves. Additionally, the equipment. Tom did as around the trees to found that the cost of warm-season grasses much work as he could protect them from wildlife transition from forest to provide ideal fuel for with a chainsaw and skid and livestock. silvopasture was burning in the dormant loader, and used a He planted trees 60 estimated around season. bulldozer on some of the feet apart which $2,500/acre. Potential steeper land. After amounted to 12 trees per exists to reduce future Implementation, clearing the land he acre and his hope is to costs with use of livestock, Maintenance seeded it down to rye result in 50 percent forestry mowers, and which he hopes will shading of the ground other management Tom worked with his produce adequate fuel to when they are fully techniques. Costs could local SWCD to burn next summer to grown. Once the be further offset if there is experiment with a trial of stimulate growth of silvopasture is valuable timber in the silvopasture warm-season forages established, he plans to woods that could be establishment. He from the latent seed maintain it with well- harvested. The established silvopasture bank. managed grazing and experiment is ongoing but in two different ways: Establishing trees into fires just as the the potential is great, and thinning an overgrown existing pasture takes landscape was managed Tom is excited to see forest and planting trees many years, and you by Native Americans. where it goes. 10 SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES

Snake River Farm Contact: Tom Barthel & Gail Wilkinson, 763-263-2721, [email protected] 18251 62nd St, Becker | Sources of Income: bison, beef, hogs, lamb, turkeys, geese, & ducks Acres: 120 acres open pasture, 120 acres historically oak savanna/wet

Background pasture-based operation and Silvopasture Conversion focused on his electrical Tom grew up on a dairy farm engineering career. In the late Tom could see that the woods in Otsego which instilled his love 90s, he developed his grass-based on his land had been in an oak of agriculture. In his early 20s, production system and began to savanna, but that grazing on that with a wife and two children, he build his direct-to-customer sales land had ceased ten to fifteen began his own farming business enterprise. He now raises at least years before he purchased the by purchasing his current farm seven different livestock species farm. He could also see that the because, due to its location and ranging from large ruminants to white oaks were already being soil type, it was affordable. In the small ruminants and poultry. At the suppressed by newer, faster- 70s, Tom farmed as many as 700 same time he began developing growing tree species. His goal had acres of corn. He came to the the woods into an open always been to reintegrate realization that this operation was silvopasture system to restore the livestock and grazing in the woods not sustainable, shifted to a native oak savanna. but, due to his farming and SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES 11

engineering careers, he wasn’t able to pursue that goal for nearly 30 years. The job of clearing his overgrown forests is labor-intense and has taken time. Over 20 years he has made tremendous progress but still has 15-20 acres he hasn’t been able to work in yet. What has worked best for Tom is a multiyear process in which he first goes through and cuts the trees he doesn’t want. He often will let that timber sit for a year which Tom Barthel says the benefits of shade that silvopasture provide to both the cattle and makes it easier to move grass are benefits you wouldn’t get on the purchase of open pasture. when he does come to remove or burn it. He of open pastureland. responsibility to manage and labor, rather than then plans his winter bale However, for Tom the that land in the same cash and debt. This land grazing in the newly motivation was less the manner as his tillable also incurs no additional opened woods the first financial value and more acres. property tax whereas year after opening the a sense of responsibility new land would. In a canopy. The fertility from as a steward of the land. Many Benefits grazing system the wasted hay, manure Tom believes that as a of Silvopasture contiguous acres is one and urine along with farmer, he is supposed to of the most valuable new seeding of pasture take the best care of the Tom’s primary things a grazier can find, plant species and the land that he can. He motivation for restoration and it’s tough to find land sunlight exposure jump- talked about how people of oak savanna was out much closer to home than starts the plant growth in assume that the wild of a sense of acres you already own. his newly established overgrown forests of responsibility and also Additionally the benefits silvopasture. northern Minnesota are desire to see his land of shade that silvopasture natural, when in reality returned to its native provide to both the cattle A Stewardship they are not. To restore state. However, his and grass are benefits Mindset them to their more natural efforts to restore this land you wouldn’t get on the state, he believes grazing did not come without a purchase of open When asked about ruminants must be plethora of benefits. It pasture. And lastly, Tom’s the cost of converting reintroduced as part of was mentioned that the management of the forest to silvopasture, Tom the whole system. It would cost of converting woods woods has created new admitted that he doesn’t be easy to look at the to silvopasture may not habitat for wildlife which know the exact cost of the woods at wasteland, or be that competitive Tom and farm visitors to conversion, but he would hunting property and compared with his farm get to guess that the expenses ignore the fact that it, like purchasing new land, but experience daily along per acre when accounting most of our productive converting woods to with the satisfaction of for labor would come grassland and tillable silvopasture allows the knowing that he is doing close to the cost of acres, is degraded. But owner to gain grazeable his best to care for the purchasing another acre Tom sees it as his acres with sweat equity land entrusted to him. 12 SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES

Sunup Ranch Contact: Greg Booth & Vickie Kettlewell, 12248 Clark Dr SW, Brainerd Vickie: 612.269.1644 or [email protected]; Greg: 218.838.1266. Acres: 700 Sources of Income: Quarter horse breeding, commercial Angus cow/calf

Background Important Goals forage species. Additionally, it results in poor distribution of Vickie is a second-generation When Vickie and Greg began manure across the land. Vickie rancher on her family’s ranch in running the ranch, the land was and Greg had goals of improving Brainerd. Her family has been in managed in a continuous grazing the soil, extending the grazing the cattle and quarter horse system where cattle had the ability season, and building a more breeding business since 1950 to graze anywhere they pleased resilient business and land when they began ranching, but in both inside and outside of the resource. They recognized that the late 50s they switched focus woods. This management system improved grazing management even more to the horse enterprise. results in cows selectively grazing and better utilization of the Vickie held a career in journalism, the plant species they prefer at the wooded acres would play an but in 1993 she and husband start of the grazing season while important role in accomplishing Greg were able to move back the less-desirable plants mature, those goals. when her mom was ready to back lose quality and reproduce. The out of the ranch. In 2009, Vickie highly desirable plants are grazed Silvopasture and Greg began to work with repeatedly without adequate rest NRCS to develop a grazing system and recovery time and, over many Of the land base utilized as and intentionally manage their years, can result in unproductive cattle pasture, 104 of 240 acres, woods as silvopasture. pasture filled with undesirable or 43 percent, are woodlands. SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES 13

Vickie and Greg began to consider how they could best capture value and improve productivity of the grass growing in those woodlands. They saw that this land had value in both timber and grazeable acres and were able to get much of the land cleared for a profit through a logging company. Vickie shares how the value of the timber really helped ease the transition of woodland to silvopasture. However, although this timber value was very helpful, in her perspective “trees add the most value for their other assets such as the At Sunup Ranch, managed silvopasture increases both animal and plant productivity over micro-climate they create open pasture and it consistently outperforms unmanaged dense woodland. for livestock, for the habitat they provide for open pasture, and heat stress during the use the cattle to knock birds and wildlife, and unmanaged woodland summer months. It also back the brush and for the carbon they grazing. The study was allows you to capture maintain the silvopasture remove.” With the time it done on three different annual income off the how bison and elk would takes to grow the timber, farms in different land while waiting for the have many years ago in and the uncertainty of environments over a timber to grow to a point native landscape. Much what the market will be three-year period. The it is able to be harvested. of her woodland acres at time of harvest, their results showed that are not easily accessible, greatest value in Vickie’s managed silvopasture A Natural System so grazing livestock can eyes is to the grazing has the potential to be the easiest way to enterprise. increase both animal and Livestock are more manage vegetation in To try and help plant productivity over than just an income many areas of the ranch. quantify the value of open pasture and it generator for Greg and Additionally, they are silvopasture in their consistently outperformed Vickie, they are an able to use their horses to ranching enterprise, unmanaged dense important tool. more easily access those Sunup Ranch woodland. In hot and Maintenance of the same areas that vehicles participated in a three dry years, silvopasture silvopasture is just as are not able to access. year study with the helps preserve moisture important as the original Greg and Vickie are firm University of Minnesota. in the soil by shading it thinning, Vickie says, believers in the value of This study measured the from the evaporative because “by nature, a silvopasture and are difference in animal and effects of the sun as well woodland likes to fill itself passionate about the grass production as well as protecting the soil in;” in her case, with wild work that they are doing as the difference in biology from the high raspberries. Rather than to promote silvopasture, forage quality between temperatures. Animals using a mower or create habitat, and managed silvopasture, also benefit from reduced chemicals, she chooses to improve soils. 14 SILVOPASTURE CASE STUDIES

Project Partners

The University of The Sustainable The Center for Great River Greening Minnesota Extension is a Farming Association of Integrated Natural inspires, engages, and major outreach arm of the Minnesota (SFA) advances Resources and Agricultural leads local communities in University of Minnesota the sustainable agriculture Management (CINRAM) at conserving and caring for whose mission is to connect principles of environmental the University of Minnesota the land and water that community needs and stewardship, economic is a partner- based enrich our lives. We focus University resources to resilience and strong organization that catalyzes our work in locations and address critical Minnesota communities through the development and on activities that offer issues. The Extension farmer-to- farmer adoption of sustainable, conservation impact, Center for Agriculture, networking, education, integrated land use ecosystem services, and Food and Natural innovation, research and systems. CINRAM links the community benefits through Resources (AFNR) brings outreach. For nearly a expertise of the University the restoration and together over 160 experts decade, SFA has led soil with the experience and enhancement of natural who annually engage with health education efforts insights of people and areas and pursuit of thousands of Minnesotans through workshops, field organizations who work economically, and others worldwide to days, webinars and farmer with and have agronomically, and address the complex networking. “Agriculture, understanding of environmentally sustainable demands put on our land done well, heals” reflects opportunities and issues agricultural systems. and water and develop the group’s belief in the across the landscape. Learn more at balanced, comprehensive power of regenerative Learn more at greatrivergreening.org. solutions. Learn more at agriculture. Learn more at cinram.umn.edu. extension.umn.edu. sfa-mn.org.