Workshops to help prepare for drought conditions

The Wyoming Department of Agriculture will be hosting a series of workshops across the state to help United States Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) permittees develop drought contingency plans for their grazing permits.

Starting Sept. 24, 2013 in Rawlins at the Carbon County Library, the workshops will be held in eight communities across the state during September and October to make it easier for producers around the state to attend and gather information to better prepare for drought situations in the future.

The workshops will help participants understand the role of drought contingency plans play with respect to their grazing permit and the importance of developing a plan. Along with this, there will be a focus on improving dialogue with federal agencies and developing a better understanding of the financial impacts of proactive planning for drought by comparing cost-savings of a contingency plan to costs for emergency feed, transportation and more.

During the workshop, presentations and panel discussions featuring local agency staff and permittees will provide an opportunity to hear from others about best management practices and resources in their specific region to help address issues that arise during a drought. Specifically, the workshops will cover basic components of drought contingency plans, communication strategies between permittees and federal agencies, the financial impacts of proactive drought planning and more.

Workshop Dates

(programs run from 2 – 5:30 p.m.)

September 24: Rawlins

Carbon County Library

September 26: Douglas

Wyoming State Fairgrounds

October 1: Buffalo

Johnson County Library

October 2: Sundance

Crook County Library

October 15: Worland

Worland Community Center

October 16: Lander

Fremont County Library

Partners for this project include the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service.

 

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