The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service recently launched Principles B4 Practice, a free, online course that equips landowners, producers and rangeland managers with practical knowledge in soil health, rangeland assessment and grazing management.

The course is made possible through a collaborative effort involving the Texas Grazing Land Coalition and the Texas A&M Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management.

Participants can sign up for the self-paced course, available in both English and Spanish, at https://tx.ag/PrinciplesB4Practice.

“Whether you’re new to rangeland stewardship or just ready to take a fresh look, this course will provide you with the tools to assess, plan and care for your rangeland with purpose and pride,” said Morgan Treadwell, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension range specialist and professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, San Angelo.

About the course

Treadwell said participants can expect the course to take roughly one and a half hours to complete. Participants must watch all required videos and complete the post-course survey to receive a certificate of completion.

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• List and explain the six soil health principles. 
• Define soil health and its role in ecosystem function.
• Evaluate and monitor rangelands to plan appropriate actions.
• Base future management decisions on soil health assessments and technical assistance from the Texas Grazing Land Coalition and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, Natural Resource Conservation Service, NRCS.
• Understand and apply grazing management practices to achieve specific soil health principles.

Funding for the project is provided by the USDA NRCS Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative.

For more information, contact Treadwell at morgan.treadwell@ag.tamu.edu.