The Grazing Broker connects landowners with livestock producers to keep grasslands intact and increase support for the restoration of additional productive grasslands. The Grazing Broker assists in determining the fair market value of grasslands, writes grazing plans, and provides technical assistance to both producers and landowners.

The project focuses around 21 townships in Southwest Wisconsin (Dane, Iowa, Lafayette, and Green Counties) identified by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as high priority to conserve the natural heritage, grassland bird habitat, and high-quality streams of this region. The Grazing Broker project offers an alternative market for grassland acres that expired from the Federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): landowners can rent their land for well-managed grazing.

The Grazing Broker works closely with a multi-agency team to coordinate educational events and network with landowners and grazing organizations to promote grazing and grass-based agriculture in Southwest Wisconsin. This project of Southwest Badger RC&D Council, Inc. is supported by our partners:

• The Wisconsin Grass-Fed Beef Cooperative
• Wisconsin Cattleman’s Association
• Grassworks, Inc.
• The Nature Conservancy
• Pheasants Forever
• Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection
• University of Wisconsin Extension
• Iowa County Land Conservation Department

The project is funded by a 2014-2016 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.