Guide to Regenerative Grazing Leases: Opportunities for Resilience

CHAPTER 4. Into the Next Generation (Continued)
SELECTING AND SUPPORTING LESSEES
Cast a Wide Net
A well-defined land opportunity is only as good as the pool of candidates who see
it. Where landholders fail to cast a good net, access tends to accrue to “the good ol’
boys”—established ranchers who are known to neighboring landowners, or have a
similar social advantage.
There are many good reasons to seek out diverse lessees, such as their ability to
bring new ideas and practices that help alleviate or solve long-standing ecological,
social, or economic problems in an area. New graziers may be more inclined than
established ones to apply out-of-the-box tools to achieve lease objectives—for
example, using sheep and goats instead of cattle to manage invasive plants. Instead
of scouting with a clear picture of the ideal lessee, scout with clear values, objectives
for the land, baseline requirements, and an open mind.
Some newer-entry graziers have the skills, ideas, and ambition but lack the capital to
start their own herds. One creative approach is to lease grazing land to a neighbor
with livestock, while bringing in a new-entry grazier as a hired manager. This model,
called a “Lease with Care Provided” contract, offsets the cost of the hired manager
by requiring a higher lease rate from the livestock owner. It can be a good way to
support the neighbors, work with locally adapted livestock, create opportunities for
first-generation graziers, and ensure that the ranch is managed thoughtfully. The
considerations in this guidebook could apply to the lease and to the contract with
that employee.
Where to Look
It can be hard to find lease candidates outside of established rancher networks.
Landholders should engage with regenerative and climate-smart grazing networks
to find innovative graziers. Training programs and apprenticeships can also be good
places to find individuals with a willingness to innovate, and with a long career ahead
of them.
California FarmLink, a nonprofit organization supporting farmers and ranchers
through access to land and financing (and co-author of this guidebook), hosts a
landholder-to-landseeker linking portal and provides one-on-one lease assistance to
landholders and lessees alike. This lease assistance can make the difference between
a good lead and a safe and secure lease between landholder and grazing lessee.
© Copyright 2022 California FarmLink and TomKat Ranch Educational Foundation
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