Pictured on the front page of Beef Today in his weather-beaten straw hat, Duane Roecks doesn't fit the image of the cowboy rancher. That's appropriate considering he goes against the grain of mainstream agriculture, working hard to debunk the myth that "bigger is better."

Duane runs a small but successful "winter farming" operation in eastern Washington State, raising beef cattle. "After years growing traditional crops on ever-tighter margins, I started looking for a way to use the market to my advantage," he says. "Everyone around me was expanding their acreage, getting bigger, and trying to overcome the margins by scale. By necessity, I found a way to increase my income without increasing my debt."

Summer grazing alfalfa grass

Duane's solution involves a plant called triticale. A cross between wheat and rye, triticale is unique because it grows in cold conditions (down to 34 degrees F) and sends down roots as deep as the grass grows tall (about 4.5 feet). It can be grown in any of the 16 western states with some adaptation. With twenty years of research and experience in the development, Roecks is now promoting triticale as the centerpiece of a 12-month intensive grazing program.

On 45 acres of marginal summer ground he owns, plus one or two circles of ground leased in winter, when it would otherwise be idle, Duane is raising 200 head of cattle each year using the system. "And doing very well, thank you."

"With the 12-month grazing system, I can net profits as high or higher than other crops considered to be top producers for this area. And because I'm not restricted by the normal grazing period, I can use the market to my advantage - buy and sell at any time during the year. With no need to maintain a feedlot, my production costs average 50% less. I can buy at the same price and make a better return. This is what you would call my 'unfair advantage.'"

To secure his winter pasture, Roecks scouts neighboring land for crops to be harvested in late July or early August. He then contracts with the owners to plant and water their idle land starting in August, so that by the middle of October the acres are ready for grazing. "The best scenario is when they are planning to follow with a late planting crop, like sweet corn, or dry beans. The farmers don't have to change their rotation, and I can graze my cattle for seven months."

In addition to netting Duane a comfortable margin, the intensive grazing system also benefits the farmers he leases from. "They get about $50 an acre for land they wouldn't be seeing income on, and the triticale virtually stops wind erosion. Triticale's long roots are also the most efficient way to recapture nitrates. As my cattle graze in winter, they recycle the nitrogen fertilizer used on crops that summer. New studies we have done using soil testing and satellite imagery show we are recycling 200 lbs. of nitrogen from below the normal root zone of crop plants, and adding 10 tons per acre of organic matter to the soil (on a dry matter basis). In addition, the cattle contribute beneficial enzymes and bacteria to the soil from their digestion. I am paying farmers, controlling erosion, and improving their soil."

Winter grazing triticale

Duane started out farming his 45 acres in summer with irrigated row crops and using the idle land in winter for grazing. Several years passed when the row crops only broke even, and all his margins came from the winter grazing. He finally asked himself, "Why bother with the rest?" By renting out his best row crop land to neighbors wanting to expand, he has eliminated 90-95% of his machinery costs and retained most of his income through rent. "In my view this approach pays much better than traditional farming. I have the best of both worlds."

"With traditional farming, and the normal debt load that farmers carry in land and machinery, it takes everything you can produce to break even and pay off the debt. The universities and companies have taught us to accept 'bigger is better,' but in many ways this has not stood the test of time. It hasn't benefited the people who have put the concept into practice. In this mode of bigger acreage, bigger machinery, and more debt, we are digging our own graves."

"The people I see prospering in agriculture today are those who have carefully analyzed things, and found a niche market to serve. Then they hone in on that niche and find an excellent way to meet the market's needs. Direct marketing is key. Quality control, marketing, wearing a lot of hats - good farmers are doing it. The change is already taking place, and I think it's a healthy change."

"We have so many environmental pressures coming in and shutting industries down now. Agricultural producers will have to deal with this. Seeing how my system works, I hope to trigger some innovative minds to develop other programs that can be equally successful as this one. I hope people in the industry will see that you can make more money while solving serious ecological problems."

"I admit I am an idealist. However, I hope we will actually see a reversal of the trend of farms being lost. I'd like to see a time when people can maintain their standard of living on a smaller acreage, and not have to continually expand."

"With my 12-month grazing system, I am debt-free and secure as this world can be."

Duane Roecks
Seven E Ranch
2998 W. Phillips Rd.
Othello, WA 99344
Tel: (509) 346-2337

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