AGA Ranch Day Speaker Line-up Announced

AGA’s Ranch Day, scheduled for June 23 at Flying B Bar Ranch near Denver, will feature a highly-regarded panel of grazing experts.

Allan Savory was born in Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe) and worked as a research biologist, game ranger, rancher, and consultant. In the 1960s he made a breakthrough discovery about the origins of desertification in the world’s grasslands. He went on to develop holistic management as a means of restoring grasslands with the managed grazing of livestock.

Savory has been honored for his work with the Banksia International Award and the Buckminster Fuller Award. His 2013 TED Talk has been viewed almost two-and-a-half million times.

Byron Shelton, senior program director at Savory Institute, is the founder and managing member of Landmark Decisions, LLC, providing facilitation and training in whole farm planning using Holistic Management™ decision-making, financial planning, ecosystem processes management, grazing planning, biological monitoring, land planning, policy analysis and development processes, and low stress animal handling in agricultural, natural resource, business, family, and community settings.He is a Savory Institute educator/field professional, working with large and small beef and dairy operations across the US and in Europe, as well as with a wide range of other livestock and crop enterprises.

Rachel Murph is the Colorado state rangeland management specialist with NRCS. She graduated from the University of Arizona’s School of Renewable Natural Resources with an emphasis on rangeland ecology, science and management. She joined NRCS in Holbrook, Ariz. as a rangeland management specialist and a district conservationist. There, she worked with ranchers on large arid landscapes in implementing grazing strategies, brush management, and facilitating practices. She also assisted in managing the family ranch for 11 years.

In 2010 Murph joined Colorado’s NRCS staff.  As the state rangeland management specialist, she provides technical guidance on grazing land-related issues for both NRCS state leadership and NRCS field office technical staff, as well as coordination with other agencies and grazing related groups in Colorado.

In addition, AGA’s board members, all of whom are working ranchers, will also be on hand to share their experiences and knowledge.

The day will begin with check-in, networking, and coffee at 8am, followed by a pasture walk and talks by the experts. Lunch in the barn will follow and events will wrap up by early afternoon.Tickets are available now and are limited.