The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition will host two grazing schools this September, giving producers across the state hands-on, practical instruction to help them implement and expand managed grazing on their own operations.

Ten participants, age 14 to 22, were given a 50-acre plot of land and asked to plan a regenerative grazing system that allowed for easy access to water, appropriately-sized paddocks for rotational grazing, and quality forage production.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition and the Illinois Forage and Grassland Council will host the 2026 Heart of America Grazing Conference on July 15–16, 2026, in Effingham, Illinois, in conjunction with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and University of Illinois Extension.

Teens and young adults will test their knowledge of regenerative agriculture at a contest held during this summer’s Heart of American Grazing Conference in Effingham. The contest begins at 10 a.m. Friday, July 16 at the Effingham Conference Center.

Producers interested in NRCS conservation programs, including the Regenerative Pilot Program, should apply to their local NRCS office by Jan. 15, 2026 to be included in the first round of funding.

Dan Sanderson is the recipient of the 2025 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award.