An online, three night Novel Tall Fescue Renovation Workshop will be he held February 23-25, and is open to producers across the US who are interested in learning more about toxic and novel tall fescue endophytes. In person trainings will also be held in Athens, GA (March 18), Mt. Vernon, MO (March 23), and Lexington, KY (March 25).
The Alliance for Grassland Renewal is a non-profit coalition of universities, research institutes, seed companies, and testing laboratories working together to replace toxic endophyte tall fescue with certified novel endophyte tall fescue varieties. “These workshops are aimed to give producers a better understanding of both toxic and novel endophyte tall fescue varieties, and the tools and skills need to decide when and how to convert pasture lands,” said Dr. Matt Poore, Extension Specialist at NC State and President of the Alliance for Grassland Renewal.
Workshops focus on several topics, including understanding how toxic endophyte tall fescue affects animals and on farm production, managing toxic pastures to reduce these effects, methods to replace toxic with novel endophyte varieties, first year and long term management of a novel endophyte tall fescue system, seed quality and testing, farm economics regarding removal and replacement with novel endophyte tall fescues, and cost share or assistant programs that can assist producers in the transition. Local producers who have made the transition are also asked to share their personal experiences. For in person workshops, hands on activities will include a live microscope demonstration of the endophyte, how to calibrate a seed drill, and a tour of demonstration plots of each of the commercially available novel endophyte varieties. The online workshop will include all of these aspects virtually, providing nearly the same content as the in person workshops.
A big highlight of these workshops is that the seed company representatives are present and are able to answer questions about the products, so producers leave with an understanding of the methods, and of specific products available to them. Representatives from Barenbrug, DLF Pickseed, Mountain View Seed, and Pennington, will be present at the virtual and in person workshops.
The Alliance for Grassland Renewal was formed in 2012 and has hosted 28 workshops with nearly 1200 attendees from 20 states. Board members come from across the US including, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, and Virginia.
All workshops will require advanced registration and payment, available soon at https://GrasslandRenewal.org. In person workshops will follow all current federal, state, and local COVID restrictions and are subject to cancellation with full refunds to participants. Seating is limited. Requested continuing education credits include AAVSB RACE CE and Certified Crop Advisor CEUs. Sponsorships opportunities are available. For more information, please contact us at GrasslandRenewal@gmail.com. Stay up to date on all activities of the Alliance for Grassland Renewal by signing up for a monthly e-newsletter, Novel Notes at httsp://GrasslandRenewal.org/novel-notes/.
The Alliance for Grassland Renewal is a national organization focused on enhancing the appropriate adoption of novel endophyte tall fescue technology through education, incentives, self-regulation and promotion. For more resources or to learn more about the Alliance for Grassland Renewal, go to www.grasslandrenewal.org
The Alliance for Grassland Renewal 