Livestock Team Workplan 2010-2012
Vision statement:
We are the premier provider of timely, relevant, and practical information to support
sustainable livestock production and marketing in the U.S.
Who, what, where:
Alice Beetz, pasture, worms, intake coordinator, Arkansas
Ann Baier, organic; IOIA inspector, livestock, crop, processing; California
Hannah Lewis, marketing, business, local foods, food safety; Iowa
Jeff Schahczenski, meat processing and marketing, regulations, policy; Montana
Lee Rinehart, cattle, pasture/range management, aquaculture, funding: PA
Linda Coffey, sheep and goats, multispecies grazing; Arkansas
Margo Hale, sheep and goats, dairy, value-added dairy, funding; Arkansas
Pamela Williams Wolfe, DVM; animal health, range management, Spanish; CA
Pete Lammers, hogs, non-ruminant nutrition, life cycle assessment, meat; Iowa
Terrell Spencer (Spence), poultry, soils, water, electric fence, predators; AR
Soon: Nick McCann, meat processing and business, Iowa
Special capabilities:
organic livestock training—Margo, Linda, Lee, Ann B.
IOIA Inspector—livestock, crops, and handling—Ann B.
Fundamental Soil Science Certification—Spence
DVM—Pamela
PhD—Pete
Spanish fluency—Pamela, Hannah
Regional Office Directors—Margo, Lee, Hannah
To improve capacity:
Organic livestock training needed for Pamela, Pete, Hannah, and Spence (there is one
offered by IOIA in November in Pennsylvania)
June 16, 2010 version
Plan updated following Team Retreat June 1-4, 2010
1
Procedures/Processes for Maintenance:
Communication:
 Use email, Basecamp, phone calls for regular communication
 Meet monthly via conference call, usually on the second Wednesday at 11
Central for one hour. Standing agenda items:
o Publications (report progress, discuss any issues)
o Workshops (that you are doing, or want to do)
o Articles and other outreach efforts
 Yearly retreat each fall to foster communication, team building, and planning for
team and individual workplans
Routine work:
 Weblinks (other resources) will be reviewed on a quarterly schedule following
reminders from web team.
 Publications (and links within) will be reviewed every 2 years to be sure links
work. Corrections will be sent to Sherry Vogel, who fixes HTML; cc Cathy S.
 Update the Wiki and Lee’s spreadsheet when publications move forward
 Communicate with Cathy S. on any publication matters; always cc at least.
 Upload photos to Image Gallery on the Intranet regularly
 Request books and subscriptions that will help your work by emailing
o books@ncat.org
o subscriptions@ncat.org
 Build electronic vertical/virtual file; send electronic articles to Robyn M., mark
routing lists on publication with page numbers; always include key words
 Team is encouraged to do continual professional development:
o Read (don’t forget to feed the vertical/virtual file) (bill to Routing code)
o Get out on farms (and take the camera; build relationships)
o Attend conferences to build knowledge and networks
o Seek a yearly training opportunity relevant to your work (ie organic
inspector training)

Strive for timely case responses, and send interesting Q&A to Margo and Spence
June 16, 2010 version
Plan updated following Team Retreat June 1-4, 2010
2
Livestock team publications scheduled for update, 2010-2011:
1. Cattle Production:Considerations for Pasture-Based Beef and Dairy Producers
(renamed Sustainable Beef Cattle Production) (Lee)
2. Value-Added Dairy Options (Margo)
3. (hog publication, title listed later) (Pete)
4. Sustainable Sheep Production (Margo)
5. Small Ruminant Sustainability Checksheet (Linda and Margo)
6. Small Ruminant Resource List (Linda and Margo)
7. Small Ruminant Resource Manual (on CD) (Linda and Margo)
8. Goats: Sustainable Production Overview (links) (Linda) (intern?)
9. Dairy Goats: Sustainable Production (links) (Linda) (intern?)
10. Meat Goats: Sustainable Production (links) (Linda) (intern?)
11. Managed Grazing in Riparian Areas (Lee)
12. Pastures: Going Organic (links, perhaps text about new rule) (Alice and Lee)
13. Converting Cropland to Perennial Grassland (Lee)
14. Bison Production (Lee)
15. Predator Control for Sustainable & Organic Livestock Production (Spence)
16. Multispecies Grazing (maybe: Spence decide if it’s worth it) (Spence)
17. Integrated Parasite Management for Livestock (Pamela)
New publications planned or in the works:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Pasture Finishing Sheep and Goats (Linda)
Tools for Managing Internal Parasites: Animal Selection (Linda)
Tools for Managing Internal Parasites: Pasture Management (Margo)
Organic Livestock (Linda)
Weed and Brush Management in Forage Crops (Lee)
Livestock Production and Climate Change (Jeff)
Integrating Livestock into Small-Scale Market Farms (Pete)
Alternative Meat Processing and Marketing (Hannah and Pete)
Parasite Management for Natural and Organic Poultry: Blackhead (Spence)
National Organic Program work to be done in 2010: (by Sept. 30)
1. Organic System Plans: Pasture Management (new)
2. Organic System Plans: Ruminant Livestock Production (Ann did)
3. Organic Livestock Documentation Forms for Ruminant Livestock Producers
4. Organic Livestock Workbook: A Guide to Sustainable and Allowed Practices
5. Organic Livestock Documentation Forms for Non-ruminant Livestock Producers
6. Organic System Plans: Non-Ruminant Livestock Production (Ann did)
7. Inspection Report Form for Livestock Production
8. National Organic Program Compliance Checklist for Livestock Producers
9. OSP for Pasture and Hay Production
10. OSP Addendum for Post-Harvest Handling of Livestock Products
June 16, 2010 version
Plan updated following Team Retreat June 1-4, 2010
3
Other publication work:
Update of Nutrient Cycling in Pastures: This is a cross-team effort. Spence will review
and then the task force will meet to divvy up the work of splitting and reorganizing this
publication to better serve farmers with interest in soils, as well as livestock farmers.
Hannah Sharp has an outline; Andy has notes concerning the extensive review he did
last year. Other members of the team: Susan, Spence, Tammy, Alice, Linda; other?
Website:
Categories to be added in 2010-2011:
o Powerpoint presentations
o Audio (including radio)
o Videos (short: management practices, methodologies)
o Spanish tab for those translated publications, or list each Spanish title under the
English version to assist educators in finding useful materials for their audience
o Webinars (grass-fed beef to be done this fall)
The existing topic categories are posted below along with the names of the specialists
who will be coordinating its content:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Hogs (Pete)
Goats and Sheep (Linda)
Cattle Production (Margo)
Poultry (Spence)
Pasture, Forage, Grazing, and Range Management (Lee)
Organic Livestock (Margo)
Animal Health and Nutrition (Pamela, Pete)
Other Species (Alice)
Economics, Processing and Marketing (Hannah, Jeff)
Livestock Databases:
o Organic Livestock Feed Suppliers (Pete)
o Small Poultry Processing Plants (Spence)
June 16, 2010 version
Plan updated following Team Retreat June 1-4, 2010
4
Outreach:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Conference attendance (see page 8 for possibilities)
Articles submitted to popular press; goal is one per specialist during 2010
New Spanish magnets, “Ask me about…” (these would be good in English too)
Webinars—grass-fed beef, Lee and Jeff
Radio shows—grass-fed beef (Lee and Jeff), pastured poultry (Spence), other?
ATTRA blog (in planning stage, Spence and Margo; not just livestock, ATTRA
wide)
Workshops and field days (2011 and 2012; need project ideas)
On-farm consultation (need protocol and Teresa’s input for guidelines)
Fee-based workshop series (see next page for some ideas)
Highlight under-used publications (the 3 checksheets, new organic materials,
etc.) to boost awareness among clients
put some effort into determining needs (we need people assigned to this:
volunteers?)
o Rangeland ecology and management—contact HMI and Quivera
o NMPAN—how can we help?
o Large organic farmers ND
o Other
Hot topics identified:
o pastured pigs
o turkeys (resource list, and blackhead article)
o swine nutrition guide
o meat processing
 access to
 overcoming or meeting regulations
 what info does NMPAN need?
o electric fencing (tools, equipment, technology)
o integrating livestock into small farms
o rangeland ecology and management (maybe, see above; maybe we could
collaborate with HMI or Quivera or the Society of Range Management)
June 16, 2010 version
Plan updated following Team Retreat June 1-4, 2010
5
New Series proposed for website:
Short, web-based, concise means to quickly deliver fundamental information; bullets
and boxes, meant to stand alone or use as “chapters” to flesh out a topic.
Collaborative effort. Three ideas:
1. Getting Started With Livestock (2010-2011)
Concept: geared to beginning farmers and posted to livestock page and to beginning
farmer page; also a workshop series. Goal: to help prospective farmers evaluate
options and make a good decision for their farm and family; to help them consider
important factors in a helpful order (ie consider processing before marketing before
production…fencing before animal purchase!) The entire team is working on this.
Do you want to raise livestock? Decision tree/ flow chart (look at poultry toolbox
for example): “be discouraging” Cover these topics in short publications
(consider the right order; Linda’s Goat 101 might help for looking at a basic
outline for this)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Land assessment (Linda)
Species Selection (Spence)
Processing availability (Hannah)
Marketing what you raise (Hannah)
Business Planning (Margo)
Budgeting (Margo; send budget to her)
Financing (Margo and Lee)
Production (Pete)
 How many should I start with?
 Stocking density- fundamentals, overview, explaining importance,
caution to plan for drought, then go to formulas (pulled from existing
pubs, species specific) (Lee)
 FAQ for Species- Water use, gestation, breeding season, space
requirements, efficient low-cost equipment needs
 organic transition checksheet
2. Business Planning for Livestock Farms (Later on: possible Nick
McCann project)
1. Business planning
2. Pricing
3. Economics
4. Budgets
5. (Realistic look at money coming in for certain enterprises on certain
acreage, re Lee conversation with rancher; also cover ways to improve the
bottom line)
June 16, 2010 version
Plan updated following Team Retreat June 1-4, 2010
6
3. Livestock Technology Examined (later on)
Pete is interested in working on a grant for this;
 Publications, talks, fact sheets, resources
 Consumer education that directly impacts farmers
 Might help convince farmers markets boards about allowing meat sales:
 Farmers Market Promotion Grant?
 Handouts for farmers to use when marketing
 “this is why we do what we do”
1. Are chickens vegetarian?
2. Why do we use farrowing crates?
3. Why do my products cost more than the grocery store?
4. what is “natural meat, organic meat?”
5. etc…
 (these could also be used as a series of submissions to Mother Earth
News, or other publication--explaining & educating. Pointing farmers to
ATTRA site for helpful resources. Maybe a column or regular feature
“common myths debunked..”

June 16, 2010 version
Plan updated following Team Retreat June 1-4, 2010
7
Outreach: Conferences
The Livestock Team would like to represent NCAT at livestock and pasture related
conferences throughout the country to distribute ATTRA educational materials and
provide various posters or presentations at the conferences. The team would also like
to pursue opportunities for professional development. The following conferences
represent opportunities for outreach and professional development:
Edited during Team Retreat June 3, 2010:































American Grassfed Association (national) (Pame)
New Mexico Organic Commodities Commission conference (regional) (Jeff S. or
Pame)
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (regional) (Lee)
Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (regional) (Lee)
Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (regional) (Lee)
Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (national draw) (Spence)
National SARE (national) (when this happens, we’d like everyone to go!)
Langston Goat Field Day, OK (regional) (Margo and Linda)
Southern Ag Workers (regional) (Linda and Margo)
Small Farm Conference (Missouri regional) (Hannah or Pete or Linda?)
Slow Food USA (national)
Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (national) (Pame, Lee)
American Dairy Goat Association (national) (Linda—not this year)
Small-scale Cheesemaking conference (Linda, Margo)
Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (national/regional)
(Linda and Margo)
Quivira Coalition (western US) (Alice, Pame)
National Cattleman’s Beef Association (national) (Lee) (this is in Jan., $$$)
American Forage and Grassland Council (national) (Pame, Lee)
Society for Range Management (national) (Pame, Lee)
Practical Farmers of Iowa (Iowa regional) (Pete and Hannah)
Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference and Organic University (regional)
(Pete)
Kansas Farmers Market Conference (regional) (Hannah)
Missouri Livestock Symposium (regional) (Linda, Margo, Hannah?)
American Pastured Poultry (National) (Spence)
Midwest Animal Science Meetings (Pete)
California Multispecies Grazing Academy (Pame) (September 2010)
Mother Earth News Fair (Margo and Linda) (September 2010)
FFA Convention (National and State) (Pete, Hannah)
Major Livestock shows (Denver, Houston, Fort Worth)
Holistic Management International-Texas, Drought Mitigation Workshop (Lee)
June 16, 2010 version
Plan updated following Team Retreat June 1-4, 2010
8
Building Capacity and Development
The Livestock Team is committed to pursuing funding opportunities for project work in
2010. Several opportunities that are currently being evaluated, planned, or
administered include:








SARE PDP Toolbox for Sheep and Goat Educators (end March 2011) (L, M)
SARE R&E Parasite Control for Sheep and Goats (ends March 2011) (L, M)
SARE R&E Integrating Free-Range Poultry with Ruminant and Agroforestry
Production in a Systems Approach (funds released late summer 2010) (Margo,
Spence)
OASDFR “Beyond Text” Resources for underserved farmers (ends 2012)(Linda,
Margo, Spence, Pamela, Hannah)
Organic Agricultural Research and Extension Initiative Grant (OREI/NIFA)
project; A Systems Approach to Control Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Organic
Small Ruminant Production (funds released soon, 2010) (Linda, Margo)
Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, Board of Directors, monthly meetings
and webinars (Jeff)
(others)
NOP project (updating publications) (Ann, Lee, others)
To improve capacity:
Organic livestock training needed for Pamela, Pete, Hannah, and Spence (there is one
offered by IOIA in November in Pennsylvania)
Quotes found before retreat, here for your inspiration:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the
world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”—Margaret Mead

“Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a
company work, a society work, a civilization work.”—Vince Lombardi

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability
to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the
fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”—Andrew Carnegie

"The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work."--Richard Bach
June 16, 2010 version
Plan updated following Team Retreat June 1-4, 2010
9