ASGA Call 87: Solar Grazing and the Targeted Grazing Handbook
When sheep ranchers manage their flock on solar sites, they are continuing the rich agricultural history of targeted grazing in the United States and realizing its many established benefits for a new type of client: the solar industry.
For this month’s webinar, we’re tapping into the resources of the wider targeted grazing world by inviting the folks who wrote the book on targeted grazing. Dr. John Walker (Emeritus Professor, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension) and Erica Sanko (American Sheep Industry Association) will be presenting ASI’s new handbook, Targeted Grazing 101: Starting and Sustaining a Grazing Service Enterprise. The handbook teaches practical, applied skills gathered from interviews with more than three dozen experienced targeted grazers to help aspiring grazers understand what it takes to thrive in the industry.
After the presentation, ASGA Board Members Jonathan Barter and Ryan Indart will discuss how targeted grazing applies to the solar site context. They’ll address what’s similar between traditional targeted grazing operations and solar grazing. Expect to learn about the unique challenges that operating sheep on solar sites presents, including some of the particularities of serving solar companies and managing vegetation around solar arrays.
ASGA is pleased to have had the opportunity to support the solar grazing aspects of this handbook as part of the publication review team. Lexie Hain (ASGA President, Lightsource bp) provided her expertise to the publication. JR Howard (ASGA Advisory Board) and Ryan Indart (ASGA Board of Directors) provided case studies to the project, and a number of ASGA members contributed to the handbook.
Solar graziers and solar owners and operators might want to consider having a copy of this valuable resource on hand. You can purchase a copy of the Targeted Grazing 101 handbook here: https://www.sheepusa.org/product/targeted-grazing-101