NCBA's Cattlemen to Cattlemen Shows
In 2022 and 2023, Cattlemen to Cattlemen featured the Great Plains Grasslands Initiatives and focused on the battle against woody encroachment in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.
National Cattlemen Beef Association’s flagship TV show, Cattlemen to Cattlemen, delivers cattle industry news, education, and information to beef producers, ranchers, and industry professionals. As part of cooperative work between NCBA and the USDA-NRCS, NRCS regularly provides content ideas for the show.
In 2022 and 2023, Cattlemen to Cattlemen featured the NRCS Great Plains Grasslands Initiatives, with segments shot at multiple locations in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. The program centers around rancher leaders in each state as well as NRCS leadership and field staff, WLFW scientists, and partners like Pheasants Forever and the U.S. Forest Service.
The first full episode of the program aired nationally on Nov. 29, 2022, with additional segments airing in 2023. Watch them all below!
Protecting the Great Plains Grasslands
December 1, 2022
Invasive trees are threatening vast amounts of grasslands. In this special episode, we’re taking a look at the people, the programs and the initiatives that are working to fight back against woody plant encroachment in the Great Plains grasslands. Segment Length: 52:00.
Preventing Woody Encroachment in the Nebraska Sandhills
December 1, 2022
The Nebraska Sandhills are one of the largest, intact grasslands in the world. Sarah Sortum from Switzer Ranch and Calamus Outfitters, and Shelly Kelly, Executive Director of the Sandhills Taskforce, explain how Working Lands for Wildlife helps farmers and ranchers manage the landscape. Segment Length: 5:00.
Dirac Twidwell, Working Lands for Wildlife
Two-thirds of the land in the lower 48 states is privately owned, much of it as working agricultural land. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service partners with agricultural producers to ensure these lands are healthy, productive, and resilient long into the future. Dr. Dirac Twidwell, a professor at the University of Nebraska, explains how Working Lands for Wildlife helps farmers and ranchers protect these valuable resources. Segment Length: 2:23. Date: 12/1/22.
December 1, 2022
It's well documented how valuable good grass is to a cattle operation, but farmers and ranchers often deal with challenges that can have a negative impact on their grass, including encroachment by brush and trees. We visit Kansas and Oklahoma to see some of the strategies landowners and conservation partners are using to keep grasslands healthy and productive. Length: 9:13.
Protecting Grasslands from Woody Plant Encroachment
December 1, 2022
Working Lands for Wildlife is making a difference on private lands across the country, especially in the Great Plains region. Karen Woodrich, Deputy Chief for Programs for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Dr. Dirac Twidwell, WLFW science advisor and a professor at the University of Nebraska, share their thoughts on this important effort. Segment Length: 2:54.
NRCS Offers Programs to Help Conserve Grassland Resources
December 1, 2022
Farmers and ranchers often deal with challenges that can have a negative impact on their grass, including encroachment by brush and trees. One important ally is the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. Karen Woodrich, NRCS Deputy Chief for Programs, explains some of the technical and financial assistance that is available to help protect and improve these valuable resources. Segment Length: 4:55.
Preserving Grasslands for Cattle and Wildlife in Nebraska
December 1, 2022
Farmers and ranchers work every day to protect grasslands from woody plant encroachment. We head to Nebraska to learn about some of the partnerships and the strategies in place that are making a difference on the land. Segment Length: 8:20.
Kansas Ag Secretary Talks Grassland Conservation
December 1, 2022
Mike Beam, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, shares his views on grazing and why ranchers and private landowners are a key component of grassland conservation. Segment Length: 4:01.
Sandhills Task Force: Helping People Help the Land
September 16, 2022
Protecting and improving the environment has long been the focus of America’s foremost land stewards: farmers and ranchers. That’s also the mission of the Sandhills Task Force, which works to enhance grassland ecosystems while sustaining profitable ranching. Segment Length: 3:11.
Fighting Against Woody Plant Encroachment in South Dakota
May 22, 2023
Farmers and ranchers often deal with challenges that can have a negative impact on their grass, including encroachment by brush and trees. We visit South Dakota to see some of the strategies landowners and conservation partners, like USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, are using to keep grasslands healthy and productive. Segment Length: 6:54.
Dealing with Woody Encroachment in the Great Plains
May 22, 2023
It's well documented how valuable good grass is to a cattle operation, but farmers and ranchers often deal with challenges that can have a negative impact on their grass, including encroachment by brush and trees. We talk with a group of experts about some of the strategies landowners and conservation partners are using to keep these important grasslands healthy and productive. Segment Length: 8:04.
NRCS Helps Implement Good Conservation Practices
September 19, 2023
The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service is a key partner for farmers and ranchers trying to achieve their sustainability goals. Jeff Nichols, rangeland specialist for Nebraska NRCS, explains how the organization can help producers implement conservation practices and stay economically viable. Segment Length: 4:14.
How NRCS Helps Protect Grasslands in the Great Plains
September 27, 2023
The USDA's Natural Resources and Conservation Service offers farmers and ranchers the technical and financial assistance they need to protect and improve the resources in their care. We have a look at the work NRCS is doing to help producers in the Great Plains states manage their land and water resources. Segment Length: 2:03.
Virtual Fencing as a Climate Adaptation Strategy
September 28, 2023
Virtual fencing, a relatively new technology, allows ranchers to control livestock distribution in rangeland landscapes without physical fences. We look at how the USDA's Natural Resources and Conservation Service is helping farmers in Kansas learn how to use virtual fencing to balance the nutritional needs of their cattle while preserving the health of grasslands. Segment Length: 2:33.
USDA NRCS: Working Lands for Wildlife
October 18, 2023
It’s been proven time and again that is what is good for the bird is good for the herd, meaning that cattle and wildlife can co-exist and thrive on the same landscape. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has an approach called Working Lands for Wildlife, which is aimed at conserving habitat, while also keeping working lands in the hands of ranchers and other landowners. We have a look at how this program is making a difference for producers in the Great Plains Region. Segment Length: 7:00.
Find a USDA-NRCS Service Center
We’ve made it easy for you to find the right person who knows your local area and can help with your questions.
Simply visit the NRCS Service Center Locator, click on your state, and then your county.
