Beef Cattle Producers who are interested in applying regenerative grazing practices for the first time, or expand their current operations may apply to the Grazing Mentor Network (GMN) program to receive mentorship.Through the program, you will be guided and trained by an experienced farmer in your geographic area who specializes in regenerative grazing. Those accepted into the program will be designated as mentees with the overarching objective of learning how to implement regenerative grazing practices appropriate for their operations’ needs. 

Benefits of Participation

• Mentees receive personalized technical assistance from a mentor experienced in using regenerative grazing methods in the same geographic area.  

• Mentees learn about and have access to financial assistance opportunities to assist in implementation of regenerative farming practices. 

• Mentees get access to potential financial incentives. 

• Mentees who fall into certain underserved producer groups may be eligible for additional financial assistance. 

• Mentees are connected to an expansive network of regenerative beef cattle producers sharing ideas, challenges, and marketing opportunities.  

• Mentees get access to subject matter experts and comprehensive resources.  

Mentee Learning Objectives

• Understand regenerative grazing principles and identify and apply approved practices appropriate for the mentee’s operation, such as prescribed grazing, no-till planting, and cover crop grazing.   

• Understand and identify characteristics common in healthy soils and how to utilize a soil sample analysis to assess soil health.  

• Assess forage health, estimate available forage, and plan stocking rates and rotational grazing management based on available or anticipated forage.   

• Ability to assess animal health and condition in a regenerative farming operation.   

• Apply conservation practices that address soil erosion and protection of water resources.   

• Understand the common technical assistance and financial assistance programs, support organizations, and resource tools available to the mentee.   

• Understand how to manage family dynamics and create succession plans for family-run farms.   

• Understand financial planning and marketing strategies for a regenerative ranching operation.   

• Create a grazing management plan that utilizes regenerative practices to help achieve the mentee’s farming goals.  

• Understand how to design and implement livestock fencing and water systems that promote regenerative grazing practices. 

Requirements to Participate as a Mentee

• Mentees must operate in one of the following states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, or Georgia. 

• Mentees must be willing to learn from a mentor whose role is to guide the mentee to achieving his or her farming goals. Mentors will provide observations, advice, recommendations, and instruction on various topics throughout the program. 

• Mentees should commit up to 24 months of participation in the program with approximately 40 hours of work with a mentor in the first 12 months and 10 hours of work with a mentor in the last 12 months. 

• Mentees must be willing to have a mentor visit their farm at least two times for up to four hours per visit.  

• Mentees will visit the mentor’s farm once during the first year of mentorship, and then again in the second year.  

• Mentees must commit to a once-per-month virtual meeting (or phone) check-in with their mentor to review progress, plans, and address questions and concerns. 

• Mentees will provide observations and feedback on their experiences to AFT staff. 

• To foster learning and promote community among the GMN, mentees must be willing to share their knowledge, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in a community of practice.

This project is funded by United States Department of Agriculture Projects for Climate-Smart Commodities. Award Identifying Number: NR243A750004G002. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. 

Mentors with demonstrated experience and leadership in regenerative grazing will provide individualized guidance and support to mentees who are interested in adopting or improving regenerative grazing in their operations. They will participate in a mentor training program to receive initial training on mentorship as well as a variety of topics related to running a successful grazing operation, including soil health, adaptive grazing, succession planning, marketing, and business resources. They will be financially compensated for their time and effort (details below).

Qualifications

• Those interested in being mentors need to demonstrate experience with regenerative cattle production methods.

• Beef cattle should be a producer’s primary agricultural enterprise but full-time employment on the farm or ranch is not required.

• Mentors should be located in or near the designated regions for this program.

• Mentors must be able to commit at least three years to the GMN. We expect this time commitment to be approximately:

  • 200 hours in year one mentoring 4 mentee cattle producers;

  • 240 hours in year two mentoring an additional 4 cattle producers with 10 hours of mentoring being provided to each of the year 1 mentees; and

  • 80 hours in year three providing 10 hours of continued support to each of the (8) year 1 and year 2 mentee cattle producers.

  • Hours and resulting compensation in years 1 and 2 will also cover time invested in mentor training in the topic areas of soils and adaptive grazing, marketing, communication, family dynamics, mentoring, land protection and succession planning.

• The size of a mentor’s operation does not matter.

Responsibilities

• Provide mentorship in the form of technical assistance (TA) to other cattle producers on implementing regenerative grazing practices, and other practices and policies as outlined in the Climate Smart Beef Curriculum.

• Provide mentorship to up to ten mentees throughout the project.

• Conduct one in-person visit to mentee’s farming operation with Network Coordinator each year for the first two years of mentee’s participation in Climate Smart Beef program (i.e. each mentee will receive two in-person visits from [a/their] mentor in the first two years. TA topics and activities include completing mentee ranch assessments, establishing goals, regenerative grazing principles and practices, soil health, forage assessments, livestock health, applying conservation practices, technical & financial assistance programs and support organizations/resources, succession planning, financial planning, marketing, and creating a grazing management plan.

• Record activities conducted with mentees.

• Along with Network Coordinators, assist mentees with record keeping, recording, and reporting of program data via AgriWebb.

• Provide feedback and observations to AFT staff and complete surveys as requested.

Additional Benefits of Participation

• Mentors learn about and have access to financial assistance opportunities to assist in the implementation of regenerative farming practices.

• Mentors get access to potential financial incentives.

• Mentors who fall into certain underserved producer groups may be eligible for additional financial assistance.

• Mentors are connected to an expansive network of regenerative beef cattle producers sharing ideas, challenges, and marketing opportunities.

• Mentors get access to subject matter experts and comprehensive resources.

This project is funded by United States Department of Agriculture Projects for Climate-Smart Commodities. Award Identifying Number: NR243A750004G002. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.