The eighth annual Northwest Pennsylvania Grazing Conference will take place March 1 at the Ramada Inn in DuBois. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and events kick off at 9 a.m.

The conference is being sponsored by The Natural Resources Conservation Service, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Headwaters Resource Conservation and Development and the Jefferson County Conservation District.

This year's conference will feature two nationally known grazing experts, Dr. Fred Provenza, who is on the staff of the Department of Forest, Range and Wildlife Sciences at Utah State University, and Darrell Emmick from the Natural Resources Conservation Service in New York.

Provenza's keynote topic will be "The Importance of Variety in Animal Diet," while Emmick will address "Grazing Behavior and Diet Selection for Dairy."

Other topics to be addressed at the conference will be:

"Environmental Issues for Horses"

"Best Management Practices for Grazing"

"Mortality Composting"

"Forage Management Issues for Horses"

A highlight of the conference will be the farmer panel, where livestock producers from Western Pennsylvania discuss their operations and how grazing has benefited them.

Due to an increased interest in equine issues, this year's conference will include a separate farmer panel for horses.

The Northwest Pennsylvania Grazing Conference was started as a means to bring the latest in grazing technology and information to livestock producers in the state.

The cost for this year's conference is $20, which includes a buffet lunch and milk donated by Dean's Dairy. For more information, call the Headwaters RC&D at 814-375-1372, the Penn State Cooperative Extension office at 724-287-4761, or the Butler County Conservation District office at 724-284-5270.