Conservation Ranching in the Upper Mississippi River Region

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Conservation Ranching in the Upper Mississippi River Region

Our Goals

��Ƶ’s Conservation Ranching certification is a collaboration with beef and bison grazers that utilizes rotational and regenerative grazing practices to manage grasslands and increase declining grassland bird populations.

What We’re Doing

We work alongside beef and bison grazers to develop habitat management plans that assist expansion of bird-friendly grassland management practices on private lands, enhancing and restoring habitat for declining grassland birds.

Conservation Ranching—Nationally Where to Buy Conservation Ranching Products

Cattle graze the pastures at an ��Ƶ Certified Bird-Friendly ranch in Minnesota. Photo: Ellen Schmidt

Grassland birds have suffered an unparalleled decline over the past half century, stemming from widespread development of North America’s grasslands.

Millions of acres across the hemisphere support bird-friendly agriculture and provide important breeding and migratory habitat for hundreds of bird species. ��Ƶ works with landowners and land managers to adopt regenerative land-management practices through our Wings Over Working Lands Initiative.

Why farmers and ranchers? The majority of the declining grassland birds inhabit privately owned land. Working collaboratively with private landowners is key to scale positive impact for birds.

Through this market-connected approach, ��Ƶ is connecting conservation-conscious consumers to farmers and ranchers that employ bird-friendly management practices in raising their livestock.

Financial Assistance

We proudly offer financial assistance and direct payments to producers for land management practices benefitting grassland-dependent wildlife while supporting regenerative grazing practices, thanks to our generous partners:

US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources and Conservation Science (USDA NRCS): Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund

USDA NRCS

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

ENRTF

Learn more about our state-based opportunities for producers of ��Ƶ Certified Bird-Friendly Land:

Bird-friendly practices supported:

Fence and watering infrastructure
Prescribed fire
Brush management
Native pasture and hay planting

Participating farms are eligible to receive bird occupancy payments based on the presence of target bird species.

This work is supported by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) though its Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) funding.

Bird-friendly practices supported:

Fence and watering infrastructure
Herbaceous weed treatment
Brush and tree removal
Range and riparian plantings
Stream crossings
Pumping plant

If certified, properties are also eligible to receive soil monitoring, fully financially covered by ��Ƶ.

Funding for MO financial assistance is supported by USDA’s Regional Conservation Partners Program.

Project Team

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