Cambridge Grazing School Brings Producers Together to Learn Practical Grazing Strategies

On September 12–13, 2025, the Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition (ILGLC) hosted a Grazing School at the farm of ILGLC member Monte Bottens and family in Cambridge, Illinois. The event welcomed 27 producers from across the state, all eager to expand their knowledge and gain hands-on experience in practical grazing strategies.

Over two days, participants engaged in both classroom sessions and in-field demonstrations covering a wide range of topics critical to grazing success. Areas of focus included virtual fence technology, multispecies grazing strategies, adaptive grazing principles, soil health, direct marketing strategies, and more.

A hallmark of ILGLC’s Grazing Schools is the blend of instruction from both technical experts and peer producers who are actively grazing livestock in Illinois. This combination ensures that participants walk away with research-based insights as well as real-world examples of how grazing systems can be successfully applied on working farms.

ILGLC is proud to provide these learning opportunities that not only strengthen grazing operations but also build community among Illinois livestock producers. We extend our thanks to the Bottens family for their hospitality and to all who participated in making the 2025 Cambridge Grazing School a success.

This event was sponsored by Nofence USA.