Producers from eight states gathered in Temple, Texas, on May 9, 2024, for the American Lamb Board’s inaugural Targeted Grazing Workshop. The three-day event brought together sheep producers to discuss contract grazing opportunities to expand the U.S. sheep industry. Producers in attendance represented an estimated 30,000 head of sheep and nearly 20,000 acres of targeted grazing contracts being negotiated or finalized.

The event included two classroom days followed by a field day with a tour of the solar site, which will have sheep deployed for vegetation management on almost 5,000 acres.

In the classroom, JR Howard, producer, grazer, and owner of Texas Solar Sheep, delivered regional expertise on managing a solar grazing business and building beneficial relationships with solar companies excited to utilize sheep and grazers to manage site vegetation.

Texas A&M University’s extension staff also provided support with discussions about the genetic selection of sheep and managing guard dogs.

From the solar side, SB Energy and Blattner Energy provided attendees with information on safety and electrical engineering to help producers better understand the environment around solar arrays.

The workshop's highlight was the participants' collaborative and engaging attitudes. The open discussions and group activities made the event a success.

This was the first of three Targeted Grazing Workshops planned for 2024. The next workshop in Roxboro, N.C., will take place later in May 2024, and another event is scheduled for July 15-17 in Hopland, Calif.

Source: American Lamb Board