DUANE E. PYSHER
Grassland Management
Specialist
Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Harrisburg
I recently attended the annual
meeting of the Pennsylvania Gra
zing Lands/Forages Conservation
Coalition (GL/FCC) in State College.
Also in attendance was an old
friend of grazing, Joe Vogel. Joe is a
sheep farmer located at Kempton,
and is doing a great job with grazing
in his program. Joe is involved not
only locally with grazing but also at
the state level.
As the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
delegate to the board, Joe serves as
vice chairman for communications,
in charge of publicity and letter
writing.
Joe and I were discussing busi
ness matters of the GL/FCC and it
dawned on us that perhaps not very
many people around Pennsylvania
were aware of this organization or
its functions. I called Joe the other
day and interviewed him in order to
explain the purposes and functions
of the Pennsylvania GL/FCC.
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Joe; It is an active coalition of
producer organizations who have an
interest in grazing and forages in
Pennsylvania. There is a board of 15
members representing Pennsyl
vania livestock producer organiza
tions. The GL/FCC is newly formed
(one year ago) from the former
Grazing Lands Conservation Initia
tive (GLCI) coordinating committee
with expanded membership. The
GLCI consisted of producers repre
senting Pennsylvania livestock
interests but was not functioning as
a true coalition in which the board
members were appointed by organi
zations.
Q: How does the coalition
function?
Joe: The coalition, because it is
made up of board members from dif
ferent organizations, unifies the
grazing efforts of all the organiza
tions represented. If one of the par
ent organizations wants to sponsor
an educational program on grazing
then, because of the coalition, all
livestock producer organizations are
helping to carry out the program
The GL/FCC is sponsoring and co
sponsoring many different educa-
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Foraging Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 12, 2000-Page 15
tional meetings on grazing as a wa>
of promoting the grazing movement
in Pennsylvania.
Q; What producer organiza
tions make up the coalition?
Joe: There are 15 different orga
nizations in the coalition. They
include Capital Area RC&D.
Endless Mountains RC&D, Mid-
State RC&D, Pennsylvania Assoc
iation of Conservation Districts.
Pennsylvania Cattleman’s Assoc
iation, Pennsylvania Dairy Assoc
iation, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau,
Pennsylvania State Grange, Penn
sylvania Forage and Grassland
Council, Pennsylvania Holstein
Association, Pennsylvania Livestock
Association, Pennsylvania National
Farmers Organization, Pennsylvan
ia Sheep and Wool Growers Assoc
iation, and Penn Soil RC&D as well
as members at large. This is a wide
array of producer organizations;
however, when they all have grazing
as an interest, it provides a common
focus for all organizations and
makes the coalition much stronger.
Q: Is the membership of the
coalition set so only those orga
nizations listed can participate?
Joe: While the bylaws list produc
ers organizations as members, there
is nothing that prohibits an organi
zation from being an associate mem
ber. As far as that goes, the bylaws
could even be changed to include
new organizations. There are also
member-at-large positions in the
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coalition
Q: How often does the
GL/FCC meet?
Joe: We are holding meetings
quarterly. Meeting dates are not
predetermined, but decided on prior
to the adjournment of a meeting.
Q: What types of activities has
the GL/FCC been conducting?
Joe: In 1999, we held several field
days such as the one that was co
sponsored by the Pennsylvania
Cattleman’s Association, Penn State
Extension, and the coalition at the
Haller Farm at Penn State on July
31. We also sponsored a seminar for
agricultural lenders where the loan
officers could come and learn about
the economic benefits of grazing. For
2000, we are planning to hold a sim
ilar session for lenders and we are
broadening the audience to include
agricultural financial planners and
creditors. At our last meeting, a com
mittee was appointed to develop a
plan of work for 2000 that includes
all the field days and seminars that
will be sponsored.
Q: How would someone or an
organization that was interest
ed in participating contact the
GL/FCC?
Joe: The GL/FCC has established
an address of Suite 340, One Credit
Union Place, Harrisburg, PA 17110-
2993. Any correspondence can be
directed to this address. In addition
to an address, the coalition is look
ing into getting an e-mail address
and eventually a telephone number
where they can be reached.
Q: Would the GL/FCC be inter
ested in co-sponsoring a grazing
activity that another group was
holding?
Joe; Yes we would be interested.
If there is a group out there that is
interested in working with the coali
tion, please use the address I just
mentioned and let us know what it
is that we could help with and some
one will contact them.
Well, my thanks to Joe for his
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