Heifer International, Heifer USA, & Holistic Management

#13 – Donna Kilpatrick is the Director of Regeneration at Heifer Ranch, the 1,200-acre U.S. agricultural training center of Heifer International based in Perryville, Arkansas where she directs regenerative land management, supports farmer-led supply chains, and pilots on-farm innovation to improve ecosystem outcomes. In addition to overseeing livestock operations at Heifer Ranch, Donna has helped establish the ranch as a Savory Hub and now collaborates with Heifer’s international programs to deliver monitoring and training support in diverse contexts, from Central America to East Africa.

In this episode, we explore:

– how Heifer USA fits into the broader mission of Heifer International

– Donna’s early days at Warren Wilson College and the tractor moment that changed her life

– training farmers from Arkansas to Honduras in Holistic Management

– what she learned attending two advanced-level Savory courses

– how she manages an all-female ranch team and what that’s meant for culture and impact

– R&D efforts happening at Heifer Ranch

– how beavers, bobwhite quail, and gamagrass signal ecological recovery

– and what Donna’s “lifequake” taught her about patterns, healing, and personal regeneration

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00:00 Intro

01:54 Welcome Donna

04:34 Heifer International's Mission and Work

08:04 Grassroots Farmer's Co-op

16:34 Donna's Journey in Agriculture

28:16 Advanced Holistic Management Courses

39:40 Heifer Ranch Operations and Innovations

45:40 Innovative Technology

46:01 Cost and Labor Efficiency

47:41 Exploring Virtual Fencing

49:45 Staff Training and Management

53:43 Female Leadership in Agriculture

01:01:47 International Regenerative Agriculture Efforts

01:18:25 Personal Growth and Future Plans

01:25:04 Closing thoughts

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MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

– https://grassrootscoop.com/

– https://www.heifer.org/

– https://heiferusa.org/

– https://savory.global/eov/

– https://savory.global/calendar-event/holistic-management-comprehensive/

– https://savory.global/calendar-event/hands-on-holistic-management-course-at-the-hickory-nut-gap-hub/

– https://nrhythm.co/

– https://www.hickorynutgap.com/

– https://pasturebird.com/

– https://www.gallagher.com.au/

– https://www.ukkorobotics.com/

– https://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/the-process/

– https://zachbushmd.com/

– https://www.acresusa.com/

– https://hoards.com/

– https://www.chelseagreen.com/writer/allan-nation/

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This episode is brought to you by Savory’s Regenerating Members, a global community restoring over 100 million acres through Holistic Management. For less than $1 per day, you can help regenerate 400+ acres every year: 👉 https://savory.global/member

Want to sponsor an episode? 👉 https://savory.global/podcast

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Music written & performed by https://www.youtube.com/@travismcnamara9313