Grazing tour coming to Stockholm

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

The Pheasant Hills Grazing Tour will be taking place in Stockholm on July 4 and 5, offering tours, workshops, panel discussions, a trade show, and terrific entertainment to those wishing to attend.

Consistent with the tour’s theme, “Bringing Youth into Ranching,” the two-day event is being offered free of charge to anyone 18 years of age and under. The registration fee for adults is $30 for a single day or $40 for both days, which includes the full program and meals.

Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) Livestock Development Specialist Naomi Paley says organizers wanted to particularly focus on getting the younger generations involved in the event, in addition to those already established in the cattle industry.

“The average age of our farmers is now over 50 years old, and wanting to make sure that agriculture is a viable and desirable career option for their children is something that we often hear from the current generation of producers and ranchers. So we wanted to make that a special focus of this year’s grazing tour,” Paley said.

“We’ve even built some sessions into the program that focus specifically on strategies for assisting young producers to get established in ranching, or setting them up to take over an existing operation from their parents.”

To better enable those with younger farm families to attend, children’s activities (non-supervised) have also been arranged for kids five years old and up.

A number of practical aspects of cattle production and grazing will be discussed over the two days through presentations and tours, including alfalfa and forage rotations, grass establishment, bale grazing, switching fields from grain to grass, winter feeding options, and watering cattle through deep and shallow buried pipelines.

In addition, speakers will conduct information sessions on important business topics, such as succession planning and financial transition options for outgoing and incoming generations of ranchers, as well as what investors look for when partnering with young entrepreneurs.

Concurrent workshops will also be held in areas such as fencing, working with stock dogs, intensive grazing management, forages and soil health, cattle marketing, and investors working with youth.

Paley says that participants will have a chance to hear from a range of experts in various fields, coming from the local area, other Prairie provinces, and even neighbouring states.

“The speakers that have been lined up are producers and ranchers themselves, or have a lot of practical experience in the agricultural industry,” she stated. “So those attending will have a great opportunity to hear from people just like them who have actual hands-on experience in grazing, cattle production and agri-business.”

Part of the social aspect of the event will be an evening entertainment and jam session with local musicians that will be featured after supper on July 4.

The events occurring as part of the grazing tour will be based out of the Stockholm Skating Rink. Those interested in learning more about the program can contact Naomi Paley at (306) 786-1686, Stuart Cairns with Ducks Unlimited Canada at (306) 782-2108, or the Yellowhead Regional Economic Development Authority (REDA) at (306) 743-5176.

Registrations are also being handled through the REDA. Participants are encouraged to register early, as space is limited.

For more information, contact:
Naomi Paley, Livestock Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 786-1686
E-mail: npaley@agr.gov.sk.ca