Ranching and California’s Drought: workshop and webcast, November 7, 2014

Oct 9, 2014
Ranching and California's Drought – A Workshop and Webcast

November 7, 2014



• What the U.S. Drought Monitor means to you

• How CA Ranchers are coping with the drought

• New feeding strategies for livestock in drought

• NOAA's forecast for the coming season

The map tells the tale of California's relentless drought, its location and severity. This workshop will tell you the story of the Drought Monitor, in particular how the map may help you qualify for drought relief assistance – and how local California experience and information can be used to inform the drought mapping process. Results will also be shared from current studies of how ranchers are impacted by and managing for drought on their ranches, as well as on the newest livestock drought feeding strategies. The California state climatologist will present the forecast for the coming season. The workshop will be on the UC Davis campus and webcast to the majority of participants at local satellite locations across California. The workshop recordings will be posted on-line.

Questions and comments from local satellite webcast locations will be included throughout the workshop.

Agenda

9:15 AM   Registration Opens and Morning Refreshments Served
     
9:50 AM   Welcome, Ken Tate, UC Davis and UC Cooperative Extension
     
10:00 AM   U.S. Drought Monitor: Setting the Context and Introduction of Speakers, Mark Svoboda, National Drought Mitigation Center
     
    • A Behind the Scenes Look at the Drought Monitor: History, Tools, and Methods, Eric Luebehusen, USDA
    • How to get information into the US Drought Monitor Process, Brian Fuchs, National Drought Mitigation Center
    • The California Drought of 2011-14: Brief History and Current Impacts, Brad Rippey, USDA
     
11:00 AM   Questions and Discussion about the Drought Monitor and California, Chad McNutt, NOAA
Discuss the Drought Monitor and how California's ranching and range community can inform the process.
     
     
12:00 PM   Lunch Provided by the UCD Rustici Rangeland Endowments
     
1:00 PM   California Ranchers' Experiences with Drought, Leslie Roche, UC Davis
Insights to on-ranch drought impacts, outlooks, and management based on surveys and interviews of over 500 ranchers living through this drought.
     
     
1:30 PM   New Livestock Drought Feeding Strategies, Glenn Nader, UC Cooperative Extension
Tips for improving the nutritional quality of low quality feed products, and supplementing livestock diets on rangelands.
     
     
2:00 PM   Seasonal Climate Forecast and Opportunity for Q&A's for the Coming Season, Michael Anderson, California State Climatologist, California Department of Water Resources
     
2:30 PM   Closing Remarks, Tim Koopmann, President, California Cattlemen's Association

 

Contact for Information and Registration – Tracy Schohr at tkschohr@ucdavis.edu or (916)716-2643(916)716-2643

Workshop and Webcast Locations – UC Davis campus and webcast to Auburn, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Bakersfield, Tulare, Merced, Ukiah, Redding, Susanville, Yreka – more locations and details coming soon.

Useful Links

U.S. Drought Monitor – http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/
U.S. Drought Monitor California– http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CA
UC Rangeland Watershed Laboratory Drought Page – http://rangelandwatersheds.ucdavis.edu/main/drought.html

 


By John M Harper
Author - Livestock & Natural Resources Advisor - Emeritus