Breaking Into the Livestock Business as a Small Producer
Are you just getting started in the livestock business or ready to take it to the next level? Join HMI Whole Farm/Ranch Trainer and bison producer Liz Riffle from West Virginia as she facilitates this ½ day workshop on the critical management issues to address as a small livestock producer. Whether you are raising goats, sheep, bison, or cattle this workshop will help you balance landscape goals with profit margins and quality of life by building systems that match your current capacity and resources.
You will learn:
• How to think about protein levels as a range, not a goal to maximize
• The role of soil and forage mineral content in animal health and performance
• Where common assumptions about “quality forage” fall short
• Practical ways to observe, test, and adjust your grazing implementation in real time
• How to reconcile “good grazing” with under-performing animals
• How to decide which enterprises work well together and which ones are losers
• How to find your niche and maximize it
• How to love what you are doing
• How to get your community to support you.
If you have any questions, contact Ann at anna@holisticmanagement.org.
Instructor Liz Riffle
Liz Riffle, along with her husband Jimmie own and operate Riffle Farms in Terra Alta, West Virginia. The Riffles have developed the business model for Riffle Farms to allow for on-farm harvesting of bison to reduce the stress for the animal as there is no transport involved before harvest. Liz was named 2025 Vetrepreneur of the Year by Military Friendly.
As the owner of Riffle Farms, Liz has pioneered the first large-scale commercial bison operation in West Virginia, contributing to the state’s agricultural landscape while promoting ecological farming practices that align with regenerative agriculture principles.
Liz’s initiative, The Honest Carnivore – A WV Meat Collective, is another example of her efforts to support local producers while providing consumers with ethically sourced meat.
Liz currently serves as President of the Eastern Bison Association and as a board member for the Farmer Veteran Coalition, where much of her recent work has focused on elevating others and strengthening the broader agricultural community. They are the only ecologically verified bison operation east of the Mississippi, and their work highlights how regenerative practices can support both ecosystem health and sustainable food production.