Growing with Purpose, Staying True to Our Roots

For more than three decades, the National Grazing Lands Coalition has evolved alongside the farmers, ranchers and grazing land stewards we serve. NatGLC's story began in 1991, when representatives from agricultural, conservation, wildlife and scientific organizations gathered in Bozeman, Montana, with a shared concern: grazing land managers needed greater access to quality technical assistance. Twenty-two states were represented at that first meeting, and six national agricultural and conservation organizations came together to support what was then known as the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative.

While our organization has grown and changed considerably since then, that foundational belief has remained remarkably consistent: grazing land stewards deserve access to the knowledge, resources and relationships that help them make the best decisions for their land and their operations.

The last five years have been a particularly transformative chapter for NatGLC. We have expanded our staff and partnerships, strengthened our network of state, tribal, and veterans grazing coalitions, grown our educational and technical assistance efforts, developed new programs and built relationships with partners across agriculture, conservation and the food supply chain. We've hosted national conferences, field days, trainings and producer-to-producer learning opportunities; invested in programs that put resources directly into the hands of farmers and ranchers; and worked to ensure grazing lands have a strong voice in conversations about the future of agriculture.

Through that growth, we have also learned a great deal about what NatGLC does best; and where we can have the greatest impact. As we look toward our next chapter, our Board of Directors and staff have taken the opportunity to fine-tune not only how we work, but the words we use to define why we do it.

A Refined Mission and Our First Vision

We are proud to introduce NatGLC's updated mission:

The mission of NatGLC is to deliver assistance to grazing land stewards to foster the benefits grazing lands provide to family farms, ranches, local communities, and all of society.

This mission brings our focus to the people at the center of our work, while recognizing the ripple effect of well-managed grazing lands. When grazing land stewards have the resources they need to succeed, the benefits extend beyond an individual pasture or ranch. They strengthen agricultural businesses and rural communities while supporting the many ecological and societal benefits healthy grazing lands provide.

For the first time, NatGLC has also adopted an organizational vision:

Be the leading authority on grazing land stewardship.

We believe NatGLC is uniquely positioned to connect practical producer knowledge, trusted technical expertise, research and strong partnerships across the country. Being a leading authority does not mean having all the answers. It means building a network capable of connecting grazing land stewards with the right people, information and resources when they need them.

Bringing Our Work Closer to Home

Our renewed mission and vision are also shaping the way NatGLC is structured.

Moving forward, NatGLC will take a more intentional regional approach, organizing our work across four regions: West, Central, Southeast and Northeast.

Agriculture is inherently local. A grazing operation in Mississippi faces different environmental conditions, production challenges and opportunities than one in Wyoming, Nebraska or Vermont. Even within states, the needs and context of grazing lands can vary considerably. A national organization should be able to bring national resources and relationships to the table without losing that local context. Our regional structure is designed to do exactly that.

Regional leadership will allow NatGLC to build stronger relationships with farmers and ranchers, state grazing coalitions, technical service providers, conservation partners and agricultural organizations within each part of the country. It will also help us listen more intentionally identifying the needs, challenges and emerging opportunities producers are seeing on the ground and ensuring those perspectives help shape NatGLC's programs and priorities.

At the same time, our national network allows ideas to travel. Something working well in one region can inform producers and partners thousands of miles away. NatGLC can help connect those dots while ensuring solutions remain grounded in local knowledge.

The Next Chapter of NatGLC

There is a lot to be proud of in how far NatGLC has come, particularly during the tremendous growth of the past five years. But growth for the sake of growth has never been the goal. Our goal is to become better at serving grazing land stewards every year.

This next chapter is about taking what we have learned, strengthening what works and building an organization that can remain responsive to producers while expanding the reach and quality of grazing land assistance across the country. In many ways, it brings us right back to the reason NatGLC was created in 1991: ensuring the people responsible for stewarding our grazing lands have access to the assistance they need.

The organization may look different today, but that commitment remains at our core. We are proud of where we've been. We're proud of where we are. And we're excited to continue earning our place as a trusted resource for the farmers, ranchers and grazing land stewards who make the benefits of healthy grazing lands possible.