Monday, November 23rd, 2026; 5-6:30pm PST
FREE! On Zoom
Join Grazing School of the West for a practical 1.5-hour webinar focused on preparing your grazing operation for an El Niño year and the range of conditions it may bring to your region. Designed specifically for mobile graziers, shepherds, ranchers, and livestock managers, this session will focus on what you can do before a disaster occurs in order to reduce risk, protect your animals, and keep your operation going.
According to the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, there’s over a 90% chance of a very strong El Niño this winter, with a 75% chance it becomes the strongest event since records began in 1950. Many counties in California are expecting double their average rainfall—Los Angeles got 209% and 208% of its normal rainfall in the last two comparable events, 1982–83 and 1997–98.
As ranchers, farmers, pastoralists and mobile graziers, we are on the front lines of the impacts of extreme weather events and natural disasters. Our animals often work in non-traditional landscapes like remote rangeland, the wildland urban interface (WUI), under solar panels and in vineyards—often far from a home base. Drawing on lived experience, research and stories from others in the industry, Cole Bush will share what she has learned from experiencing natural disasters as a grazing business operator. Come join a supportive network of graziers, and let's discover together what resilience means as we prepare for this winter and beyond!
This webinar will cover overviews of:
🌧️ FLOOD: How heavy rain and flooding can affect our grazing operations, roads, water systems, fencing, forage, and livestock care and transportation
☀️ DROUGHT & HEAT: How to think ahead about forage and water availability, stocking decisions, supplemental feed, alternate grazing opportunities, and communication with landowners, clients, and your team
🔥 FIRE: Preparing for wildfire through evacuation planning, emergency communication, equipment readiness, and identifying options for animals if a grazing site becomes unsafe
This webinar is for graziers at any stage, whether you're managing a small flock across a few properties or operating a larger mobile grazing business. Being a grazier is about adapting when conditions change. This webinar will help you understand the potential risks to your operation so that you can respond with resilience in the future.
Source for the El Niño forecast:
NOAA Climate Prediction Center ENSO Diagnostic Discussion, September 10, 2026.
You will learn how to:
Identify the vulnerabilities in your grazing operation before an emergency occurs
Overview of developing a basic disaster preparedness and response plan
Plan for moving livestock quickly when conditions change
Build emergency contact lists, relationships and communication systems with landowners, clients, neighbors, agencies, and other graziers
Prepare backup plans for forage, water, transportation, fencing, housing, and livestock care
Think through evacuation routes and alternate grazing locations
Prepare essential equipment and supplies
Document your livestock, infrastructure, and damage
Apply for disaster relief grants and programs
Come with your questions!
The last part of the session will be a live Q&A and discussion. Bring your questions, concerns, and disaster scenarios so that we can think through practical responses together. Webinar will be recorded for anyone who cannot attend live.
About Our Instructor
Cole Bush is the founder and owner of Shepherdess Land and Livestock, a prescribed grazing business based in Ojai, California. Cole is a practitioner, educator, and consultant in the fields of climate-beneficial agriculture, land stewardship, and prescribed grazing. With over a decade of experience in the field, Cole has developed and managed the treatment of thousands of acres on private and public lands using prescribed grazing with commercial-scale herds of sheep and goats as an ecosystem service for ecological enhancement and fire hazard reduction throughout California. She is passionate about business and is dedicated to training new entrepreneurs and practitioners in the field, and is a passionate advocate, supporting emerging graziers and land stewards.
REGISTRATION IS FREE!
A recording of the webinar will be sent out along with presentation slides for anyone who cannot attend live.
Logistics & Details
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Monday, November 23rd
5:00-6:30pm PST
On Zoom
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Webinar with a presentation by Cole Bush, breakout sessions and a Q&A (bring your questions!)
A recording of the webinar will be sent out along with presentation slides for anyone who cannot attend live.
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Free! Register here.
