Progress 12/01/00 to 09/30/09
Outputs
The UW - Discovery Farms Program is currently collecting water quality information on seven farms in Wisconsin. Four of these operations are in the driftless region (MLRA - 105) with lands draining into the Mississippi Basin. On these four operations, we have installed the following monitoring equipment: one farm with two flumes in streams, another farm with three flumes in waterways within two fields, another farm with one flume in a waterway and two in stream and the final farm with one flume in a waterway and two flumes monitoring tile drainage systems. The Discovery Farms Program currently has four in stream monitoring stations, five in field stations, and two tile stations in the Mississippi River Basin. Two of these operations have completed their obligations to the Wisconsin Buffer Initiative collecting information on the effectiveness of buffers. This project was completed in the fall of 2006. Three other farms are located in Northeastern Wisconsin with water
draining into Lake Michigan and we have decided to graduate one of these operations. The flumes on these farms are all located in the waterways of fields with three of the flumes in fairly large waterways with high intermittent flow. One of the farms has three flumes in waterways in three separate fields and two tile line monitoring stations in the same fields; another farm has two flumes in a waterway draining a grazing area and another flume in a waterway draining an intensively cropped field. This farm also has a flume monitoring the tile drainage system running through the operation. The operation that has graduated had a single flume monitoring a 264 acre multi-use watershed. We graduated this operation because it was impossible to determine the size of the watershed because of tile drainage systems. We learned that tile drainage is one of the greatest sources of water flow in this region of Wisconsin. All of our farms have been collecting baseline information for anywhere from
two to five years. One of the farms has already installed the recommended BMPs and is currently evaluating its effectiveness. Two other farms are adjusting their farming systems having collected three years of baseline data. Another farm located in southeastern Wisconsin had equipment installed last year and we have reviewed one year's worth of data this winter. This farm is evaluating nutrient and sediment losses through surface and tile line systems. A paired basin tile line monitoring project is being conducted in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey and the Sand County Foundation.
Impacts
Data from the Discovery Farms Program has been shared with producers at over 150 meetings throughout the state. We have participated in the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Environmental Conference, Dairy Business Association Annual Meeting, Wisconsin Pork Producer Annual Meeting, Wisconsin Association of Ag Professionals, two agricultural lender meetings, three private industry meetings, Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection board meeting, and several meetings in other states. We have also participated in the revisions to NR - 243 and worked with the DNR and industry groups to improve this rule package.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
The UW Discovery Farms Program is currently collecting water quality information on eight farms in Wisconsin. Four of these operations are in the driftless region (MLRA 105) with lands draining into the Mississippi Basin. On these four operations, we have installed the following monitoring equipment: one farm with two flumes in streams, another farm with three flumes in waterways within two fields, another farm with one flume in a waterway and two in stream and the final farm with one flume in a waterway and two flumes monitoring tile drainage systems. The Discovery Farms Program currently has four in stream monitoring stations, five in field stations, and two tile stations in the Mississippi River Basin. Two of these operations are also cooperating with the Wisconsin Buffer Initiative collecting information on the effectiveness of buffers. Three other farms are located in Northeastern Wisconsin with water draining into Lake Michigan. The flumes on these farms are all
located in the waterways of fields with three of the flumes in fairly large waterways with high intermittent flow. One of the farms has three flumes in waterways in three separate fields and two tile line monitoring stations in the same fields; another farm has two flumes in a waterway draining a grazing area and drainage system running through the operation. The final operation has a single flume monitoring a 264 acre multi use watershed. All of our farms have been collecting baseline information for anywhere from one to four years. One of the farms has already installed the recommended BMPs and is currently evaluating its effectiveness. Two other farms are in the analysis phase having collected two years of baseline data. Another farm located in southeastern Wisconsin had equipment installed this spring. This farm is evaluating nutrient and sediment losses through surface and tile line systems. A paired basin tile line monitoring project is being conducted in cooperation with the
United States Geological Survey and the Sand County Foundation.
Impacts
Data from the Discovery Farms Program has been shared with producers at several meetings throughout the state. We have participated in the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Environmental Conference, Diary Business Association Annual Meeting, Wisconsin Pork Producer Annual Meeting, a Discovery Farms Conference for Ag Professionals, two agricultural lender meetings, three private industry meetings, Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection board meeting, and several meetings in other states. We have also participated in the revisions to NR243 and provided comments on ATCP 50 and 51.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
The UW - Discovery Farms Program has completed the baseline data collection on the Bragger farm and held a meeting to evaluate the data and discuss what best management practices could be implemented to reduce sediment and phosphorus losses. In general, this farm is doing an excellent job of controlling nutrient and sediment losses. The program has added three additional water monitoring studies, each designed with a paired basin approach. Two of the operations have 3 sites and one is a grazing farm with an upstream / downstream study design. Data collection began in the fall of 2003.
Impacts
Baseline data is being shared with our stakeholders (producer groups, elected officials and agency staff)as a means of improving the understanding of agriculture's impact on the environment. Policy makers are evaluating our data and working with this program to design better programs for producers in Wisconsin.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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