Good Morning Ladies and Gentleman, I am privileged and proud to welcome you to an incredible day of learning and fellowship, brought to you in part by the NYS Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative. I am honored to be chairman and lead advocate of a passionate volunteer steering committee that encompasses large and small dairy, beef and multi-species graziers as well as extension, conservation and agency personnel. This group of graziers that I work with are some of the most respected people in the state for their hard work and dedication to this idea of utilizing grasslands for the greater good.
This coalition of folks advise and work with NY GLCI coordinator, Karen Sullivan, NYS Grazing Lands specialist, Dr. Darrell Emmick and State Conservationist Ron Alvarado to direct and increase the availability of grazing technical assistance to all NY farmers on the ground and increase education and advocacy for the some 2 million acres of NYS private grazing lands. This past year we were directly involved in over 50 pasture walks around the state, held several grazing conferences including 2 sold out events and met with numerous policymakers and the public, educating them on the importance of managed grazing for our watersheds, our local food system, wildlife habitat and scenic beauty. Our next mission is to ramp up the message of grazing by using grass-fed meat, dairy products and eggs to get a little sunshine into everyone’s palate. You see with grazing, conservation never tasted so good!
It is our pleasure to help welcome in Mr. Jim Gerrish, Jerry Brunetti, Gerald Fry, Kim Miller, Dr. Susan Beal, Ken MacDowell, Ridge Shinn and the North American Devon Association to New York. I am personally in awe of the incredible knowledge, mentoring and passion these folks bring to the grazing movement and beyond. We are truly blessed to have such talent leading the way to a greener more sustainable future.
I see great opportunities for the future of grass-based farming for you and your children, but it won’t be easy against a cheap commodity food system mantra. You have to ask yourself, what has this commodity mindset done for the population of farmers; our Mom & Pop butcher shops and grocers? And mostly, what has it done to our environment? The public is becoming very concerned about where their food is coming from as well as for their pets. The corn syrup ghouls are at every corner contributing to the diabetes and obesity epidemic. The school lunch programs are held hostage by the low bidder syndrome and the price and lack of oil will change our lives forever.
I ask you, who will survive and thrive? I believe grass farmers will!
Yes, ladies and gentleman, it is our time to come together as a family and take back our food system with a grass-based mindset.
It is our time to be Loud and Proud!
And finally it is our time to show and tell everyone who will listen, that grass-fed means healing the land, grass-fed means healthy and most of all grass-fed means the future for the next generations to come, to feed this Nation.
Thank you for coming and have a great grazing day!!!