Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Competitive Grant

Custom grazing contracts: Successful models to grow profit, avoid pitfalls

Project ID: E2007-11

Abstract

After conducting interviews with 43 Iowa graziers, the investigators developed fact sheets and a checklist to help other graziers make their operations more effective.

Key Question: How can custom grazing contracts be improved to help graziers’ profi tability?

Findings: Recommendations developed through the project included: Having a written agreement; regular communications between the partners; making sure all costs are covered, including extra labor to handle/process cattle and realistic feed costs; and matching the carrying capacity of the pasture to the cattle and grazing season.

Lead investigator: Teresa Opheim, Practical Farmers of Iowa

Co-Investigator(s):

Joe Sellers, ISU Extension

Year of grant completion: 2011

This competitive grant project was part of the Leopold Center's Ecology Initiative.

Topics: Animal management and forage, Business management, distribution and marketing