The goal of the Navajo Rancher
Sustainability Project was been to increase rancher profitability and sustainability
by reducing producer production, marketing, financial and legal risk. To achieve this, the project: conducted 47 workshops with over 1,000 ranchers in attendance; held 6 USDA and
Navajo Nation resource fairs with 253 ranchers and community
members in attendance; provided technical assistance to 112 ranchers on a range of management/operations issues; and assisted 117 ranchers complete their BIA Eastern Navajo Agency conservation
plans, a requirement to hold a valid grazing permit, which in-turn, is requirement for applying for assistance under most USDA (NRCS, FSA, RMA) programs.
Workshop topics included: adopting improved rangeland
management practices and monitoring protocols; adopting improved herd (cattle, sheep,
goats) health practices; developing ranch management and marketing
plans; adopting improved recording keeping and financial analysis for monitoring ranch
operations; and knowing the application requirements for applying for USDA and Navajo Nation program resources and services.
Over 95% of the ranchers completing project activity “satisfaction surveys” said the information received was “very helpful” and 100% said they planned to use the information to improve their ranching operations.