April 7, 2011

Ranchers have until April 29 to submit applications for the 2011-12 High Plains Ranch Practicum School.

The national award-winning livestock extension program will begin with sessions in June and end in January 2012. It is an in-depth ranch management school hosted jointly byUNL Extension and the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service (UWCES).

During five hands-on sessions held over eight days, participants can develop the skills and management tools needed to be successful in today’s complex ranching industry, said Dallas Mount, a UWCES educator and program instructor.

Sessions will be held at UNL’s Panhandle Research and Extension Center at Scottsbluff and at the UW’s 3,400-acre Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SAREC) near Lingle, Wyo.

The course will focus on providing ranchers tools to understand and integrate four areas of ranch management: range and forage resources, nutrition and reproduction, cost of production, and family working relationships.

“Ranchers able to integrate these four areas into decision-making will find they can use a systems approach to improve the sustainability of  the ranch operation,” said Aaron Berger, UNL Extension educator and one of the instructors.

Participants will benefit from instruction and current research in range livestock production, financial management, and marketing systems from nationally recognized experts.

Registration

The registration fee for the practicum is $600 for individuals or $900 per couple to cover materials, meals, and instructor costs. Enrollment is limited to 35. Producer participants who complete the course requirements will receive a refund of 50% of their registration fee.

The course is an FSA-approved borrower training course and can be taken for credit by students through UNL or UW.

For more information or to obtain an application visit the High Plains Ranch Practicum Website or contact:

• Aaron Berger at (308) 235-3122 or aberger2@unl.edu or
• Dallas Mount at (307) 322-3667 or dmount@uwyo.edu

David Ostdiek, Communications Specialist
Panhandle REC, Scottsbluff