NatGLC’s annual fall board meeting and tour brought on a new era for the grazing coalition. After an eight-year-term as board chair, Chad Ellis has a new successor. 

"I’m honored to be selected by my peers to serve as the next NatGLC Chairman,” Rob Cook said. “The importance of our charge is humbling, but it is an exciting time to be part of this organization and the grazing lands community across the country. This organization has a long history of working with and for producers. We’re fortunate to stand on the shoulders of those leaders who came before us and look forward to accomplishing great things with the outstanding team and partners we have assembled.”

With the former Vice Chair voted by the board to step into the lead role, there was a vote for Missouri rancher and NCBA member, Charlie Besher to fill the Vice Chair position. 

“I am really excited about my new roll within NatGLC,” Besher said. “I look forward to working with all of our membership organizations and state coalition’s to make NatGLC the go-to organization for this great country’s grasslands.”

Long-time member, Bob Lee also found a seat on the leadership team as the coalition's Secretary. He is, “looking forward to working with this team and our National GLC members, partnering to be a point source of ideas and working knowledge.” In this position he sees an opportunity, “to share the value grasslands bring to our country because if it's many uses.”

The entire board spent two days in Nebraska and enjoyed several tours in the western part of the state. Notably, the group was hosted by the Jones family of the Diamond Bar Ranch in Stapleton, NE, where five generations have ranched since 1901. The Jones family shared their deep history and management strategy with our members who really enjoyed the experience.

Stock dogs are like smartphones; they have nearly endless applications. However, to get the most out of smartphones or stock dogs – you need to understand how best to take advantage of their capabilities.

Stock dogs working on livestock operations are used when producers need to gather stock or drive them. (Gather – bring the stock to you. Drive – move the stock away from you.) With a bit of training, both these tasks can be accomplished seamlessly. 

A word to ask the dog to begin working, stop, to move toward the stock, and another to call the dog to you is about all that’s needed to complete simple tasks with a dog born with generations of herding instincts passed to him from his working ancestors. 

However, if you only ask a herding dog to gather or drive stock, you are just scratching the surface of a dog’s abilities. It’s like buying a smartphone and then only using it to make calls. 

It may take you some time to learn how to operate the other features and available apps, but those added capabilities open a world of endless possibilities. If you spend money on a smartphone, it only makes sense to utilize the vast array of options to make life easier.

The same is true for stock dogs.