A new online tool from University of Nebraska Extension aims to connect farmers and cattle producers to encourage mutually beneficial agreements to use crop residue for grazing. The Crop Residue Exchange tool provides a searchable database of cropland available for grazing.
After creating an account, farmers can list available cropland by drawing their plot on an interactive map and entering information on the type of residue, fencing, water availability and dates available.
“While the primary objective of this exchange is to assist in the development of farmer-cattlemen relationships, we plan to add educational materials and tools that support these relationships in the near future,” said Jay Parsons, associate professor of agricultural economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).
Items in development include a lease agreement template; links to tools and guidelines to help farmers and cattle owners correctly stock crop-residue fields; and information on crop-residue grazing rates.
The Crop Residue Exchange tool is available at http://cropresidueexchange.unl.edu.
Parsons told WLJ producers in any area can create an account, however the mapping tool is currently only set up for drawing and listing properties in Nebraska or within a few miles of the Nebraska border. “It is limited by the mapping tool on how far outside of Nebraska you can list something available to graze but anyone can use it.” — UNL
