One presenter at this week’s Manitoba Grazing School wishes more cattlemen would take longer term considerations into account when making decisions.
Steve Kenyon operates Greener Pastures Grazing Management near Edmonton, a custom grazing operation comprised of 4,000 acres almost all of it leased.  He understands everyone, including himself, has to deal with cash flow issues on 6 and 12 month time lines, but you have to try and get past that.  For example, one fight he always has to deal with is whether to put anything back into the land.  He describes it this way; if he harvests all the crop on a particular pasture by grazing harder he can increase his cash flow, but in the end the pasture will be harmed in the long term.  Kenyon notes the big question is whether to sacrifice short term cash flow for the longterm sustainability.  Kenyon also believes we have to start realizing we are no longer running farms, rather operating businesses.  He feels this will mean a dramatic shift for many cattlemen in how they manage their operations.