Resistance to Change (RC) is a Limiting Factor Preventing Some Ranchmen Moving Forward with a Controlled Grazing Program.

As the understanding of how our rangelands were created and what has been the determining factor in rangeland degradation. (Poor grazing management practices.) Some question why everyone isn’t rapidly moving forward with grazing techniques that move our rangelands toward the ecologically pristine conditions early European man found when first seeing the amazing grasslands of the Great Plains. (Some ranchmen do not want to change their grazing techniques under any circumstance and that is fine, as our great Nation affords that decision to the individual operator to ‘voluntarily’ make that decision.) Change from the traditional way our forefathers grazed the land is perhaps the most difficult process for many to initiate, thus preventing consistent rangeland improvement and consistently profitable ranching operations. There is nothing wrong with honoring and continuing traditions that are time honored by the ranchman. However, when that tradition is found to be in error and might be the cause of the sustainable ranching operation fading into the ‘dust’, then change becomes a positive factor. The positive change resulting in the ranching operation being consistently profitable, along with creating truly sustainable rangelands will result in being able to continue with those acceptable time-honored traditions.

With the recent January rain, we hopefully are looking forward to a spring as the picture from the past shows.

14.23” for the year 2019 has made for a challenge this winter. Thankfully our grazing program has proven the worth of building drought resistance.