Livestock Grazier Mentorship Program
The GrassWorks mentorship program is designed to help beginning graziers gain the skills they need for success by providing one-on-one mentoring with an experienced grazier for a one-year period. Farming involves a blend of knowledge, physical skills and adaptive management. Through the mentorship program, early career graziers will learn beside an experienced mentor, allowing them to understand their farm ecosystem, build skills, and manage the business of farming. Mentors will help their mentees learn to adaptively solve problems, connect to the wider grazing community, and access the resources available to them.
The program runs for one year, starting and ending at the GrassWorks Conference in January or February.
Mentors and mentees pairing recommendations are made in December.
Mentee Eligibility
Farmers who have access to land, currently raise livestock and have at least 1 year of farming experience are eligible to participate as mentees. Mentees are expected to have the goal of attaining a profitable operation and to commit to regular communication with their mentor for the duration of the one year program.
Mentor Eligibility
Farmers are eligible to mentor if they have at least 5 years of managed grazing experience and farm themselves or have access to a managed grazing operation or local pasture walks to exhibit to their mentee. Mentors must be willing to commit at least 30 hours throughout the one year program, communicate regularly with the mentee, respond in a timely manner, use the provided Grazier Curriculum as a training guide, and maintain records of their mentoring activities.
Applications
Mentors and mentees may apply at any time during the year. Applications will be assessed for fit with the program as well used to inform mentorship pairs. Applications will be assessed in November and pairs will be recommended in December.