Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative
Technical Assistance and Workforce Development on Grazing Lands in Northern California
The CRARS Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) project “Technical Assistance and Workforce Development on Grazing Lands in Northern California, funded by the USDA, launched in September 2025. The project goals include:
- Workforce development for technical assistance providers working in grazing systems
- Networking opportunities for producers and technical assistance providers working in grazing systems and looking to incorporate regenerative grazing practices, including field days and online meet-ups
- No cost technical assistance for producers in Northern California interested in grazing management plans
Free technical assistance is now available for Northern California ranchers and producers wanting to implement regenerative grazing into their farm practices through funding we received through the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI)(opens in new window) from the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS). By creating customized grazing management plans for interested producers, the CRARS technical assistance provider team aims to increase adoption of conservation/regenerative practices on grazing lands in California, and in turn contribute to enhanced soil health throughout the region. With a grazing management plan in hand, producers can apply for incentive funding to implement regenerative grazing practices from federal programs like EQIP, and state programs like the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Healthy Soils program.
Applications for technical assistance are available during specified application periods only; however, interested ranchers and producers are strongly advised to contact our Grazing Management Technical Assistance Provider Dunbar Mecklin. He will contact you with information about how to apply when the application period opens. You could also sign up for our newsletter(opens in new window) and watch this page as the application will be announced that way as well.
For technical assistance/ service providers interested in educational and networking opportunities, stay connected to learn more about what we have to offer:
- You can reach out to Lindsey Hethcote(opens in new window), Project Manager for Conservation Planning and Education.
- You can sign up for our newsletter(opens in new window) to receive email notifications about field days and other learning opportunities
- You can follow us on Instagram(opens in new window) or Facebook(opens in new window) to learn about field days and other learning opportunities
Scholarships will be available on an annual basis for the duration of the project for technical assistance providers whose work pertains to grazing lands. Please see our webpage on the CRARS Regenerative Agriculture Technical Assistance Provider Certification Program and Course Series(opens in new window) for more information. Reach out to Lindsey Hethcote(opens in new window) with any questions.
Assistance is available to address various resource concerns on grazing lands, including but not limited to:
- Erosion
- Compaction
- Organic Matter Depletion
- Soil Organism Habitat Loss and Degradation
- Ponding and Flooding
- And more!