Registration and agenda available for 2026 Affiliate Training & Conference

It’s time to register! If you’re planning to attend the 2026 Affiliate Training & Conference, please register ASAP. The Basic Training and Affiliate Social on Friday, March 6 are completely free, but you’ll still be doing us a favor by registering so we know how many people to plan for. The Conference on March 7 has a registration fee of $125 per affiliate, and you can bring your entire family or team with you for just one registration.

Keep in mind that both Friday and Saturday are full days in a classroom environment and the information is dense. It’s not ideal for kids under middle school age, but they are welcome to attend the evening social.

Here are some tips for registering:

1. Add each event that you plan to attend to your cart.

2. Make the quantity for each event just “1”. You’ll be asked to tell us how many members of your team will join you in the next step.

3. Don’t forget to check out, even if you have nothing to pay! On some phone screens the checkout button may get covered up with a graphic, so look closely and turn your phone to landscape orientation if you have trouble.

That’s it! We can’t wait to see you in March!

Book your room in Ames by February 5

The 2026 Affiliate Training & Conference will be held entirely at TownePlace Suites in Ames, Iowa. Holding the event in a hotel where many GOTG affiliates will be staying creates opportunities to extend the learning and networking beyond the official agenda. It’s our hope that you’ll benefit from the extra convenience of having your room nearby, and from casual time spent with other affiliates.

There are many hotels in the general area of TownePlace Suites, but if you’d like to reserve a TownPlace room at our pre-negotiated rate, please do so by this Thursday, February 5. Use the button below to be taken to the group reservation link.

Check this out: Conference guest speaker Dr. Brady Campbell

We’re extremely excited to have Dr. Brady Campbell from The Ohio State University as our guest speaker this year at the affiliate conference on March 7. Brady’s research background covers parasite infection of small ruminants, grazing for vegetation management on solar sites, and a variety of topics related to small ruminant nutrition. For many of us in the GOTG family, the actual work of targeted grazing becomes routine, while keeping our goats and sheep in good health year ‘round — while keeping costs under control — is an uphill battle. Brady is sure to challenge some of your preconceptions on these issues and send you away better equipped to manage your herd on and off the job.

Interested in an advance sample? Here’s a link to one of Brady’s many public outreaches in his role as Ohio Extension Small Ruminant Specialist.

Check this out: GOTG featured on Marketplace on NPR

Aaron Steele was recently interviewed about Goats On The Go® for the “My Economy” segment of Marketplace on National Public Radio. Check it out here.

Get a discount on your 2026 affiliate fee

Here’s how to make an easy $75: pay your 2026 affiliate fee just a month early!

That’s right. If your affiliate contract already runs through 2026, or you’re planning on renewing your contract for next year, you’ll get a $75 discount simply by paying your 2026 fee by December 15.

Here’s how it works:

1. We’ll start sending out renewal contracts and invoices in early November. If you’d like to take advantage of the discount, email Aaron Steele (aaron@goatsonthego.com) and we’ll get your paperwork moved to the top of the list.

2. When you receive your invoice and contract (if necessary), sign and pay no later than December 15. Your invoice will show the full amount, but you’ll subtract $75 from what you pay. When your payment arrives by December 15 we’ll zero out the difference.

That’s it. You’ll have $75 extra dollars for Christmas and your affiliate fee will already be paid for 2026!

This discount offer does not apply to new affiliates paying their first annual fee.

Make money from goat fun!

“Can I hire your goats for a photo shoot?” “I need a goat to help me invite my girlfriend to prom.” “I’m a yoga instructor and…”

Have you ever had people ready to hand you cash for goat fun, but you didn’t know where to start? Have you ever wished you could keep the money flowing when the targeted grazing season ends, but had no convenient way to connect with customers and accept payment? It’s time for a (pause for drum roll)…Goat Moment!

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Goats On The Go® will soon launch Goat Moment, an online marketplace designed to connect you with customers for the lighter side of goat commerce. Here are the highlights:

• Create an account, package up a fun goat experience, and give it a price. Be creative and make it your own!

• Use your own brand or farm name. Goats On The Go® is just for targeted grazing, so you’re free to be yourself.

• Territories do not apply, since these services are not targeted grazing.

• Customers who are looking for a goat (or other farm animal) experience can find you, talk with you, book dates, and even pay you right on the Goat Moment platform.

• Your revenue goes straight to your bank account!

Even though Goat Moment is a separate service than Goats On The Go®’s targeted grazing, GOTG affiliates will get the first chance to join and begin offering their fun services! In exchange, we want your feedback. Consider this a beta version of the platform, and we expect to be constantly and quickly improving it.

Want to learn more? We’re going to have an informational Zoom session this Thursday at 7 p.m. Central. Click the button the register. In the meantime go ahead and create your free Goat Moment account and begin building your fun goat listing!

Check this out: The Goat Grazing Podcast

Max Wade of Galloping Goat Grazing — you might have come across him on social media — has launched a new podcast about the business of targeted grazing. His interviews with goat grazing pros are pleasant to listen to and informative, and they give a peak into how non-GOTG graziers operate. If you listen you’ll learn a lot and your BS detector might also get some tuning, both of which have value.

Have you ever tried a remote site visit?

We’re very interested in hearing your experiences with alternative site visits. Have you ever tried any of the following:

• A live video site visit with a customer using Zoom, Facetime, or some other video calling service?

• A recorded video site visit where you gave the customer specific instructions about what to capture send to you?

• A combination of map and satellite imagery study, plus specific photos requested from the customer?

If so, we’d love to know how it went. Was it successful in replacing a physical site visit? Did the benefits outweigh the risks? What advice would you give others based on your experience?

If you’d be willing to share, contact Margaret at support@GoatsOnTheGo.com. There might even be a prize in it for you!

Virtual meetup for affiliates, August 13

It’s time for another edition of “Ask Margaret Anything!”

On August 13 at 6 p.m. Central, join Margaret Chamas, longtime GOTG-er and all-around goat all-star, for a virtual meet-up via Zoom. As usual there may be an announcement or two, but then the floor is yours! Ask Margaret and other members of the GOTG family any questions that are on your mind about the business of goat grazing and goat raising.

This is a great opportunity to ask for advice, compare notes, share a victory, or even unload a burden. No matter how your grazing season is going, we’ve all been there and we’re here to help. So, pour yourself a drink, kick back, and get ready for some great goat-versation.

The meet-up is optional and free, but we’d love it if you would register so we know who to contact with reminders and any changes as necessary.

Fall Training is September 19 - 20

Our second annual Fall Affiliate Basic Training will be held in Ames, Iowa on September 19 - 20. The event will include a classroom session on the afternoon of September 19, and a hands-on session will be held on the morning of Saturday the 20th. The hands-on session will include live goat handling, electric fencing demo and practice, and field techniques.

You don’t have to be a new affiliate to attend the training. All affiliates are invited, and attendance will satisfy the ongoing training requirement for non-new affiliates. If you’ve fallen behind on your training this will be a great opportunity to catch up.

Click the button below for more training details, and to register.

Everyone loves door prizes!

If you need one more reason to come to the 2025 Affiliate Training & Conference next week, here it is: door prizes!

That’s right. In addition to all the fun, learning, and networking, you’ll have multiple chances to win Goats On The Go® gear. Here’s some of what we’ll be giving away.

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Of course, if you want to make it a sure thing, just order what you want directly from the affiliate store.

Jared Epp to speak at 2025 Affiliate Conference

We’re so excited that Jared Epp will be traveling all the way from Saskatchewan to speak to Goats On The Go® on March 8! Jared takes a unique approach to targeted grazing in Canada, incorporating dogs, horses, insightful rumen management, and thoughtful public engagement into his projects. Here’s his bio:

Jared Epp lives in central Saskatchewan, Canada where he, along with his wife raise a small flock of border cheviot sheep as well as raise and train border collies for stock work. Since 2004, Jared has been shepherding for conservational vegetation management with sheep, goats, and stock dogs in Saskatchewan. As the majority of these projects have been either in urban or rural type settings with public access, an educational interpretive component has been added to the jobs. People of all ages and backgrounds have been eager to observe and learn about the relationship between grasslands, grazing animals, guardian dogs, and stockdogs. During this period of time Jared has had many experiences which have shaped his approach to managing these grazing projects.

Have you registered for the conference yet? You won’t want to miss it!

Large project training set for March 19, 2025

If you read your GOTG affiliate contract carefully, you know that you are required to attend a separate training for large grazing projects before tackling any that are 10 acres or larger. This is because big projects require a significantly different approach to pricing and logistics, and we want you to be successful!

We make it extremely easy to complete the free 90 minute (give or take) training. You have two options:

1. Attend the live training by Zoom on March 19 at 7 p.m. Central; or,

2. Watch the recording of the training any time.

Attending live is obviously the best way to get your questions answered in real time. If you can’t make it you can watch the recorded version any time after it is posted. You’ll need to register to view it, but it’s free.

Put the training on your calendar, and watch for registration details to come.

Seeking affiliate presenters for March 8 affiliate conference

As always, our annual Affiliate Training & Conference will be the first full weekend of March. Basic Training will be on Friday the 7th, and the Conference will be on Saturday the 8th.

We’re looking for two or three affiliates to present project case studies at the conference on March 8. If you completed an interesting grazing project in 2024, we’d love to hear about it! You’ll have 30 - 40 minutes to tell us the details, including the good and the bad parts. We can all learn from hearing the following:

• How did you get the project? What were the initial customer interactions like?

• What kind of customer was it?

• What unique challenges did the project present? How did you overcome them?

• What went well? What went poorly?

• What would you change if you could do it all over again?

• How much did you charge for the project? Was it profitable?

Affiliates who are selected to present will have their registration fee for the Conference waived, and they’ll have the respect and admiration of their peers!

Interested? Send a description of your project to Margaret (support@GoatsOnTheGo.com) no later than January 31.

Check this out: Goats for Good by Aaron Steele

Goats On The Go® founder, Aaron Steele, has released a new book!

Goats for Good: Making Goats Profitable for Your Farm, Your Community, and the World is about staying in the goat game for the long term, capitalizing on as many of goats’ unique characteristics and benefits as possible. As an owner of a targeted grazing business, you’re already capturing far more benefit than most goat producers, but you might still feel like your operation is struggling. This book will make you see your operation in a different light, helping you lower costs and increase rewards to make your operation successful.

Goats for Good is currently only available in audio format and you can listen to it in your favorite podcast app. To get a 25% discount exclusively for GOTG affiliates, click the button below or use the code GOTG.

Affiliate contracts and fees due January 15

Look at all that vegetation that needs your goats!

A critical date for your Goats On The Go® targeted grazing business is fast approaching! January 15 is important for two reasons:

1. If you are in the midst of a current contract term, your annual affiliate fee is due by the 15th;

2. If your affiliate contract ended in 2024, January 15 ends the “in-between period” during which we hold your territory open for you should you want to renew your affiliate contract.

If number 1, above, applies to you, you should have an invoice for the 2025 fee in your email inbox. Please pay it by January 15 to avoid late fees. Remember, even if you choose not to operate your business in 2025, you are still obligated by the contract you signed to pay the 2025 fee.

If number 2 applies to you, you should have an email with a link to a new contract. If you plan to continue with GOTG in 2025, please sign the contract ASAP. We’ll then send you an invoice for your affiliate fee. If you don’t plan to continue in 2025, we’d appreciate a heads-up. Just send Aaron Steele an email (aaron@GoatsOnTheGo.com).

If you’d like more time to think about renewing your contract, please contact Aaron. He would also be happy to talk through the decision with you. Without communication, however, your business may be removed from the Goats On The Go® website and your access to Goats On The Go® resources removed after January 15.

Note that while the Annual Affiliate Training & Conference in early March may feel like the unofficial kick-off to the grazing season, it is NOT the deadline for action on your affiliate fee or contract renewal. Please act by January 15!

Save the date: Spring 2025 Affiliate Training & Annual Conference

Next spring’s Affiliate Training & Conference is set for March 7 and 8 in West Des Moines, Iowa!

More info is to come, of course, but here are a few details to whet your appetite:

1. Affiliates are required to attend two training events during the term their first affiliate agreement, and every other year thereafter. Attending either or both days of this event will satisfy the requirement.

2. Friday, March 7 is “Basic Training” that most of you attended when you became an affiliate. It is 100% classroom, and it’s free to attend for any affiliate.

3. Saturday, March 8 is the Annual Conference which includes case study presentations by fellow affiliates, company news, networking, and presentations by a guest speaker. This year’s speaker is Jerod Epp, a previous guest on the Farm Dog podcast and a large scale targeted grazier from central Saskatchewan, Canada. There will be a registration fee for the conference, but your entire team can attend under one registration.

We’d love for you to put the training and conference on your calendar, and plan to join us in March. Also, we’re on the lookout for affiliates who completed interesting projects in 2024 that they would like to present to their goat grazing colleagues. If you have one in mind, let Aaron know at Aaron@GoatsOnTheGo.com. Presenting affiliates get their registration fee waived!

Are you an LLC? The Feds demand your info.

Most Goats On The Go® affiliates (or their farms) are either limited liability companies (LLCs) or sole proprietorships. A few may be S-Corporations or some other type of business entity.

Generally, it’s a great idea to separate your personal finances from your business finances by registering as an LLC or corporation with your state. LLCs in particular have lots of advantages for small businesses, and they’re easy to set up. Sole proprietorships typically don’t require any registration with your state, but they also don’t provide that separation of business and personal finances.

The Federal Government believes its’ too easy, in fact, to set up LLCs which can be used as shell companies for all sorts of illegal stuff. So, the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the authority of the 2021 Corporate Transparency Act, is now requiring LLCs and corporations to register with the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Registry. All companies formed after January 1, 2024 must register within 90 days of their formation. All companies formed before January 1, 2024 have until the end of this year to register.

The penalties for not registering on time are stiff, so you’ll want to get on it ASAP. There are rumblings of legal challenges to the new requirement, but most of us can’t afford to wait around to see what happens.

If you have questions, contact your accountant or attorney. Other than calling it to your attention, this is not something that the GOTG staff can provide much help with. If any of you have completed your registration, share your experience on the Affiliate Facebook Group.

No need to struggle with goat handling! 5% off at Lakeland Farm and Ranch!

We’re so excited to announce Goats On The Go®’s new partnership with Lakeland Farm and Ranch! Lakeland is a manufacturer of livestock handling systems, feeders, gates, and a gazillion other cool things for your farm. They’re famous for their quality and for shipping even the biggest pieces of equipment directly to your door.

Affiliates can now get 5% off all purchases from Lakeland Farm and Ranch! All you have to do is enter GOATSONTHEGO5 when you check out online, or mention that you are a Goats On The Go® affiliate if you order by phone.

We’ve been asked to design a goat/sheep handling system that fits the portable nature of our work, so you’ll see that presented on Lakeland’s website in the near future. In the meantime, we can highly recommend Lakeland’s Aluminum Easy Panels in both 5’ and 8’ lengths. They are so versatile and easy to use. So far, on the Steele farm, they’ve been used to create a creep feeding pen in the shed, load numerous trailers, sort over 500 ewes and lambs, and create a makeshift truck bed hauler for livestock guardian dogs. We’ve also been pleased with the Single Square Bale Feeder for feeding small groups of goats/sheep without much hassle or waste.

If you buy Lakeland equipment, or if you’ve used it in the past, we’d love to hear your feedback!

GOTG affiliate contracts and invoices for 2025 coming soon

Some of you are probably just wrapping up your 2024 grazing seasons by now, and others are still going strong. Business details for 2025 are probably the last thing you want to think about right now, so we’ll make this quick.

By November 1 we’ll start rolling out the digital “paperwork” you’ll need to complete in order to continue being a Goats On The Go® affiliate in 2025. Here’s what you can expect:

1. If 2024 was your first year as an affiliate, all you need to do is pay the invoice we will email to you for the 2nd annual installment of your initial two-year term. Invoices will be due no later than January 15, 2025.

2. If your current affiliate agreement expires at the end of 2024, we’ll be sending you an email with a link to a renewal agreement. Renewals are for one year at a time by default, but if you’d like to commit to a longer term to lock in today’s pricing for future years, please contact Aaron@GoatsOnTheGo.com. If you choose to renew with Goats On The Go®, we will email you an invoice once you e-sign the new agreement.

3. If your agreement is up after 2024, and you don’t plan to continue next year, we would appreciate a heads-up. If you’re uncertain and you’d like to talk through it with someone, feel free to reach out to Margaret Chamas (support@GoatsOnTheGo.com) or Peg and Tim Harbaugh (goats@CoxSpringsFarm.com). We’re here to help, and you’ll get no pressure or sales pitch. We promise.

4. If you’re considering adding an additional territory to operate in next year, contact Aaron@GoatsOnTheGo.com. Remember, affiliates can operate multiple territories with a 10% discount on each additional territory after the first one. And, affiliates only need to commit to additional territories one year at a time.

Thank you for being a GOTG affiliate in 2024. We’ve some great stuff up our sleeves for 2025, and we’d love to have you along for the ride!