Bale Grazing Train the Trainer Workshop | MNGLCA
Train the Trainer Workshop

Bale Grazing for Conservation Professionals

For SWCD, NRCS, Extension and conservation staff
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Location: Wadena & Bluffton, MN (classroom + farm tour)
Cost: FREE, buffet lunch included
Black Angus cattle bale grazing in a snowy pasture with a tractor and hay shed behind them

Want to better support the producers in your area who are asking about bale grazing?

Join MNGLCA on Wednesday, November 18, for a full-day train-the-trainer workshop built for SWCD, NRCS, Extension and other conservation professionals. The day pairs a morning in the classroom in Wadena with an afternoon on a working farm near Bluffton, where you'll see bale grazing in practice.

You'll hear from NRCS and Extension specialists on how bale grazing fits Minnesota operations, NRCS Practice 827 and the cost-share and technical assistance available to producers. Troy Salzer will share new research findings, and host producer Steve Flanagin will give a candid look at the successes and challenges of bale grazing on his farm.

The goal is simple: leave with the knowledge and confidence to answer producer questions, recommend practices and help more farmers put bale grazing to work on their land.

What you'll learn

  • NRCS Practice 827 and available cost-share and technical assistance
  • Nutrition and forage testing for bale grazing
  • Nutrient distribution and soil health benefits
  • Winter water and fencing considerations
  • New bale grazing research findings
  • A producer's perspective on successes and challenges
Before you attend: Please watch the BWSR Tech Talk on NRCS Practice 827, Strategic Harvested Forage Management, at mnglca.org/bwsr-watch.

Agenda

  • 9:00 a.m.
    Registration & Coffee
    Pizza Ranch, Wadena
  • 9:15 a.m.
    Welcome & Session Overview
    MNGLCA
  • 9:30 a.m.
    Bale Grazing in Minnesota
    Jeff Duchene & Jace Stallman
    How bale grazing works in Minnesota, NRCS Practice 827, cost-share and technical assistance, nutrition and forage testing, and winter water and fencing.
  • 10:15 a.m.
    Research Findings
    Troy Salzer
    New research on bale grazing, including nutrient distribution and soil health.
  • 11:00 a.m.
    Free Buffet Lunch & Table Discussion
    Connect with fellow conservation professionals over lunch.
  • 12:15 p.m.
    Farm Tour: Bale Grazing in Practice
    Steve Flanagin, host producer
    Travel to the Flanagin farm to see bale grazing on the ground and hear a producer's perspective on what works and what's challenging.
    Flanagin Farm, near Bluffton
  • 3:20 p.m.
    Wrap-Up & Evaluations
  • 3:30 p.m.
    Workshop concludes

Host producer

Steve Flanagin
Host farm, near Bluffton, MN
Steve will open his farm for the afternoon tour and share a producer's perspective on bale grazing: how he sets it up, what's worked, what's been challenging and what he's learned along the way.

Presenters

Jeff Duchene
NRCS
Bale grazing in Minnesota, NRCS Practice 827 and cost-share and technical assistance for producers.
Jace Stallman
ORGANIZATION
Bale grazing in Minnesota, including nutrition, forage testing and winter management.
Troy Salzer
ORGANIZATION
New bale grazing research findings, including nutrient distribution and soil health.
This workshop is funded by North Central SARE(Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education) through a Minnesota SARE Mini Grant. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.