Ohio Grazing Conference set to boost local pasture practices and profits

Holmes County farmers and ranchers will have a concentrated opportunity to sharpen grazing skills and explore new farm tools when the annual Ohio Grazing Conference arrives Jan. 22–23 at the Mt. Hope Event Center. The two-day event brings together producers, extension educators, vendors and grazing experts to focus on sustainable grazing, soil health, livestock management and strategies for profitable family farms.

Organizers have structured the program around seminars spanning multiple topics relevant to producers of all scales, alongside an expo area with vendors and equipment demonstrations. Attendees can expect practical sessions on rotational grazing, forage management and animal health, with demonstrations that let operators see gear and systems in action before deciding on purchases or changes to their operations. Organizers set tiered ticket pricing and noted walk-in fees will apply for door registration.

The conference aims to be more than a classroom. Networking and knowledge exchange are central, giving neighbors a place to swap region-specific solutions to perennial challenges such as improving pasture productivity on clay soils, stretching winter feed supplies and managing small-flock or family-scale beef enterprises. For Holmes County, where many operations are family-run and pasture-based, the event serves as a local hub for innovation and resilience-building.

Economic implications are straightforward. Better pasture and soil management can lower feed costs, boost stocking density and reduce reliance on purchased inputs over time. Equipment demonstrations offer a low-friction way for producers to assess capital investments. For local vendors and service providers, the expo creates a concentrated market of decision makers, potentially sparking near-term sales and longer-term service relationships that keep dollars circulating in the county.

Policy and long-term trends underscore the conference’s timing. Interest in regenerative practices and soil-focused productivity has grown among producers seeking to hedge input-price volatility and meet consumer demand for sustainably raised livestock. Events that transfer research-based practices from educators to on-farm adoption help accelerate those shifts at the community level.

Our two cents? Register early to avoid walk-in fees, come with specific pasture questions or soil samples, and treat vendor demos like a test drive before you invest. The payoff from a few practical changes can show up in next season’s forage yields and your bottom line.