Ranching for profit seminar

CRAIG |  Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) and Moffat County are partnering to hosting a day-long seminar on Jan. 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for local ranchers and agriculture producers. The seminar will feature Dallas Mount, owner of Ranch Management Consultants out of Wheatland, Wyoming. Mount is well respected as a leader in helping ranchers improve the profitability and overall health of their agriculture enterprises. This “Ranching for Profit” seminar will focus on the economic leveraging of grazing management with consideration to drought challenges. 

According to Dr. Lisa Jones, CNCC President, the opportunity presented itself at an ideal time.

“Just a few weeks ago, we were approached by one of our county commissioners in hopes that we might consider hosting this workshop instead of cancelling it. I sought advice from leaders in and outside the college and received an enthusiastic response of yes. We saw this as a great way to support local agricultural businesses during difficult times and an opportunity to introduce CNCC’s Agriculture Business and Rodeo programs to the Craig community. We also see this as another way for us to invest in Moffatt County residents who invest every day in CNCC.”

Drought is one thing northwest Colorado ranchers know all too well. Rio Blanco and Moffat Counties are already experiencing severe and extreme drought conditions. Despite the most recent snowfall, roughly 67% of the state is currently in severe drought or worse (U.S. Drought Monitor). The outlook doesn’t appear much better, as the 20-year drought in Colorado continues knocking at the door. 

The economic impact that drought has on crop and livestock production is enough to put some producers out of business – learning how to manage and mitigate these challenges is critical for maintaining operations. 

“Change is the only constant we can plan for in agriculture”, said Melody Villard, Moffat County Commissioner. “By its very nature, everything we do in production agriculture has little predictability and we think we have become great at quickly adapting to seemingly instant changes in animal behavior, weather, human behavior and more. The reality is, we can do more to ensure our businesses are profitable.” 

The Ranching for Profit workshop hopes to help ranchers better navigate these difficult times. Dallas will share tools to help producers understand what is happening to their business and offer insights on how to effectively plan for economic downturns, and more specifically, drought. 

“With the challenges producers face in our current climate, working with consultants like Dallas allows us all to come up with new ideas, or new ways to look at old ideas, to improve our profit margins and sustainability.”, said Carrie Olsen, CNCC Agriculture Instructor and local rancher. “Expanding the Animal Science and Agricultural Business programs to the Craig campus will allow us to continue to build on ways to sustain ranching in our local communities.”

Topics to be covered as part of the seminar include understanding the economic leverage of grazing management, exploring grazing principles, applying grazing principles, sizing opportunities, and structuring a drought resilient business. 

“You are guaranteed to take home at least one tip that can instantly help you make decisions and make your business more profitable,” said Villard. 

The seminar, which typically costs around $100 per person, is being offered free to local ranchers and agriculture business professionals in Rio Blanco, Moffat and Routt counties. Space will be limited and participants are encouraged to register in advance. Lunch and workshop materials will be provided to those who register for the event prior to Jan. 21. 

More information on the event, and registration, can be found at www.cncc.edu/dallasmount, or by contacting Carrie Olsen at 970-675-3345.

About CNCC: Colorado Northwestern Community College enhances people’s lives by providing an accessible, affordable, quality education. It is the college of choice for students seeking a unique education grounded in the Colorado experience. Learn More about CNCC at http://www.cncc.edu.

About Ranching for Profit: The internationally acclaimed Ranching For Profit program provides structure, support, and accountability to help people improve ranch profitability. Instructors have a well-deserved reputation for excellence and a rich practical background in ranching. They use a number of highly effective classroom techniques, real-life case studies, and a healthy dose of humor to empower people to transform their ranches into successful businesses.