Program Description

Mentorship Program for Future Livestock Farmers

What is the mentorship program for future livestock farmers?

The mentorship program for future livestock farmers isdesigned to help recent graduates of beginning farmer training programsstart farming on their own on rented land in Southwest Wisconsin under the guidance of experienced farmer-mentors.The program specifically targets theseWisconsin counties: Crawford, Dane, Iowa, Grant, Green, Lafayette, La Crosse, Richland, Sauk, and Vernon.

By promoting the concept of “contract grazing” or raising someone else’s livestock on owned or rented land, the program helps beginning farmers to overcome the major barriers to starting to farm, including access to capital, access to land, and lack of experience. The program builds on existing mentorship programs in the region by bringing landowners and livestock producers together to develop lease relationships through the Southwest Badger Grazing Broker.We also encourage participants to access land, find local experts, and purchase grazing equipment online at

Who should apply to the program?

The program is designed to take your farming career to the next level. Whatever is your level of experience we can help you get started raising livestock or share your grazing experience.We are accepting applications for mentors and beginners. Ideal candidates for the program include:

  • Graduates of beginning farmer training programs.
  • Farmers with more or less than ten years of experience with livestock.
  • Landowners who want to get started farming or pass on a farm.
  • People with livestock experience but who own neither land nor livestock.

What can I expect from the mentorship program?

Through the mentorship program you will:

  • Craft a tailor-made farm business plan or farm succession plan.
  • Give and receive one-on-one feedback with a farmer engaged in a similar enterprise.
  • Access opportunities for land, livestock, and equipment use and/or rental.
  • Learn grass-based farming practices being used on real farms under a variety of conditions.

The components of the mentorship program:

  • Financial coaching: all participants receive access to business planning sessions and a business plan review from Compeer Financial or the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
  • Mentorship: all participants receive matchmaking services to connect you with a successful livestock farmer in your field of interest. Mentors are paid for their expertise and only receive compensation if the beginner receives adequate mentorship.
  • Training: all participants receive training on how to get the most out of the mentorship and are invited to workshops on contract grazing, grazing management, soil health, and more.
  • Access to land: all participants receive matchmaking and technical services from the Southwest Badger Grazing Broker to connect livestock producers and grassland landowners.

How to apply to the program

Application form: An application form is required for consideration into the program. Applications are accepted by email (preferred) or hard copy. If completing the application electronically, fill in the blanks and use the drop-down menus in the document to input your information. Save the document and email it to the program facilitator, Robert Bauer, . Hard copies can be sent to Southwest Badger RC&D, 1124 Professional Drive, Suite 500, Dodgeville, WI 53533.

Additional information: Program application forms and additional information are available from the project website at are available in hard copy upon request. Contact Robert Bauer with questions or to review if the program is right for you by email or telephone at (608) 732-1202.

The program is offered on a non-discriminatory basis

All programs and services of Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council are offered on a non-discriminatory basis, without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital or family status, disability or political beliefs.

Program sponsors

The mentorship program for future livestock farmers is supported by a 2015-2018 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA).

Additional support is provided by our partners: Compeer Financial, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, University of Wisconsin Extension, The Wisconsin Grass-fed Beef Cooperative, Wisconsin Farmers Union Foundation, Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), GrassWorks, Angelic Organics Learning Center/Upper Midwest CRAFT, Iowa County Land Conservation Department, and the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers.

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