Progress 07/01/07 to 06/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers (WSBDF), a program of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Farm and Industry Short Course, now in its fifteenth year, was initiated with SARE support in 1995. The School, the only one of its kind in the nation, has as its mission to assist individuals who have a passion to start farming, through a winter curriculum on the UW-Madison campus, on-farm tours, conference attendance, and spring/summer internships students learn goal setting, business management and planning, and, specifically grass-based farming techniques and start-up approaches. Significantly, the WSBDF also provides a mentoring-networking environment for students with experienced farmers and peers with the opportunity for the development of lifetime relationships. APPROACH: We use classroom curriculum, internships, farm visits, business planning, managed grazing, and mentoring Teaching Pasture Management class (1 credit; January); Grass-based Dairy and Livestock Business Seminar (3 credits; November- March) with 9 distance education satellite classrooms (November- December); Internships: Two students engaged in four-month on-farm internships, Invited presentations, Publications. Outreach/Recruitment products: Updated WSBDF Program brochure and Ride to Farm brochure and application package materials (January- May); Mail and/or distribute at public events WSBDF (approx. 1000), Friends (approx. 400), and Ride to Farm (approx. 400) brochures; (throughout the year) Recruitment ads Stockman Grass Farmer and Graze publications Writer/co-writer, four state-wide press releases through UW CALS Ag & Life Sciences Press (March, May, June, and October). Grass-Based Dairy Seminar (15 two-hour sessions); CD-Rom (updated each year) ). Numerous unsolicited articles state-wide and local press: WI State Journal, WI Agriculturalist; The Country Today, Agri-View, WI State Farmer, Sustainable Times, Voice of the River Valley, others. Annual Ride to Farm event (June) Promotional, web-based CD-Rom, Friends Endowment Initiative VHS video and CD-Rom WSBDF newsletter (autumn) WSBDF distance education brochures (autumn) WSBDF Endowment Initiative information/solicitation brochure (autumn) Promotional table/displays, invited presentation, and radio. PARTICIPANTS: Participants: Richard L. Cates, Jr., Director, Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy & Livestock Farmers, serves as the Project Manager. Jennifer Taylor, Associate Director, WSBDF, and Assistant Project Manager. Jennifer shares the lead for this project's activities, evaluation and reporting requirements. Jack Kloppenberg serves as Co-Director of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS), and oversees the WSBDF project within UW CALS; Continued close working relationship with WI Milk Marketing Board, the Professional Dairy Producers of WI, DATCP Agricultural Business Innovation Center, Grow WI Farmers group, and others, all with a goal to facilitate the next generation of farmers, strengthen rural communities, and protect and preserve working lands in Wisconsin Initiated new working relationships with industry and producer group partners: American Transmission Co., Family Dairies USA, Steinhauer & Co. LLC Foundation, WI Agribusiness Council, WI Farm Bureau, WI Farmers Union, and WE Energies TARGET AUDIENCES: The WSBDF is a one-of-a-kind, important educational effort to reach an under-served audience, namely, start-up farmers (low income, low capital), as well as practicing conventional farmers and the next generation of farmers from conventional farms, to help these audiences learn about, adopt, and integrate managed grazing methods and systems, and develop pasture-based Wisconsin dairy or livestock businesses. Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Seminar: A 15-week seminar designed to familiarize producers with all aspects of developing and managing a pasture-based dairy or livestock farm in Wisconsin. Pasture Management Class: Intensive course covers principles of managed grazing, pasture establishment and improvement, and pasture plant growth. Instructors discuss in depth pasture layout, fencing, and water systems, dairy/livestock pasture enterprises, animal behavior on pasture, animal nutrient needs, and supplemental feeding on pasture. Pasture-based Farm Internship: Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF course curriculum may also participate in two- to six- months of internship training on Wisconsin pasture-based dairy/livestock farms. Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Farm Tour A day-long, several-farm tour is conducted as a part of the Term II Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Seminar. Wisconsin Grazing Conference Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF have the opportunity to attend this annual conference with their registration costs covered. Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Business Conference: Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF also have the opportunity to attend this annual conference with registration costs partially covered. This conference is the largest gathering of dairy producers in the state and it is an important event for start-up farmers with its emphasis on business principles, as well as for the networking opportunities. Beginning Farmer Workshops/Conferences: These are not specific annual events, but, as they are scheduled student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF have the opportunity to attend with registration expenses covered. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Major achievements/activities: Successfully achieved support to retain the invaluable assistance of colleague Jennifer Taylor; Earned support from the WI Cattlemen's Association; Successfully conducting classroom curriculum in partnership with the WI Technical College System (students in the MATC distance education classroom can earn UW- system course credits); Expanded the distance education component, with live, instructor facilitated classrooms, of the Pasture-based dairy and livestock business seminar to include five satellite classrooms; we continue to be the first and only synchronous (live) distance education class within UW-Madison CALS. Continued faculty appointment (Senior Lecturer) in the Dept. of Soil Science. Continued the WSBDF Endowment Initiative with the annual Ride to Farm bicycle ride (June). WSBDF enrollment surpassed 350 students and 53 interns through the first 15 graduate classes (1996-2009) (Aug). Successfully completed 300-level Grassland Ecology class (autumn). Successfully collaborated as instructor and organizer in the summer field study lab class for the Agroecology graduate curriculum in August. Continued close working relationship with WI Milk Marketing Board, the Professional Dairy Producers of WI, DATCP Agricultural Business Innovation Center, Grow WI Farmers group, and others, all with a goal to facilitate the next generation of farmers, strengthen rural communities, and protect and preserve working lands in Wisconsin. Initiated new working relationships with industry and producer group partners: American Transmission Co., Family Dairies USA, Steinhauer & Co LLC Foundation, WI Agribusiness Council, WI Farm Bureau, WI Farmers Union, and We Energies.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Outputs: The Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers, a program of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Farm and Industry Short Course, now in its fifteenth year, was initiated with SARE support in 1995. The School, the only one of its kind in the nation, has as its mission to assist individuals who have a passion to start farming. Through a winter curriculum on the UW-Madison campus, on-farm tours, conference attendance, and spring/summer internships students learn goal setting, business management and planning, and, specifically grass-based farming techniques and start-up approaches. Significantly, the WSBDF also provides a mentoring-networking environment for students with experienced farmers and peers with the opportunity for the development of lifetime relationships. APPROACH: We use classroom curriculum, internships, farm visits, business planning, managed grazing, and mentoring Teaching Pasture Management class (1 credit; January); Grass-based Dairy and Livestock Business Seminar (3 credits; November- March) with 9 distance education satellite classrooms (November- December); Internships: Two students engaged in four-month on-farm internships Invited presentations Publications, Outreach/Recruitment products: Updated WSBDF Program brochure and Ride to Farm brochure and application package materials (January- May); Mail and/or distribute at public events WSBDF (approx. 1000), Friends (approx. 400), and Ride to Farm (approx. 400) brochures; (throughout the year) Recruitment ads Stockman Grass Farmer and Graze publications Writer/co-writer, four state-wide press releases through UW CALS Ag & Life Sciences Press (March, May, June, and October). Grass-Based Dairy Seminar (15 two-hour sessions); CD-Rom (continue to use the product created 2003/2004; in process of updating 2006/2007). Numerous unsolicited articles state-wide and local press: WI State Journal, WI Agriculturalist; The Country Today, Agri-View, WI State Farmer, Sustainable Times, Voice of the River Valley, others. Annual Ride to Farm event (June) Promotional, web-based CD-Rom (continue to use this product created in 2005) Friends Endowment Initiative VHS video and CD-Rom WSBDF newsletter (autumn) WSBDF distance education brochures (autumn) WSBDF Endowment Initiative information/solicitation brochure (autumn) Promotional table/displays, invited presentation, and radio PARTICIPANTS: Participants: Richard L. Cates, Jr., Director, Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy & Livestock Farmers, serves as the Project Manager. Jennifer Taylor, Associate Director, WSBDF, and Assistant Project Manager. Jennifer shares the lead for this project's activities, evaluation and reporting requirements. Brent McCown serves as Director of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS), and oversees the WSBDF project within UW CALS; Continued close working relationship with WI Milk Marketing Board, the Professional Dairy Producers of WI, DATCP Agricultural Business Innovation Center, Grow WI Farmers group, and others, all with a goal to facilitate the next generation of farmers, strengthen rural communities, and protect and preserve working lands in Wisconsin Initiated new working relationships with industry and producer group partners: American Transmission Co., Family Dairies USA, Steinhauer & Co. LLC Foundation, WI Agribusiness Council, WI Farm Bureau, WI Farmers Union, and WE Energies TARGET AUDIENCES: Target Audiences: The WSBDF is a one-of-a-kind, important educational effort to reach an under-served audience, namely, start-up farmers (low income, low capital), as well as practicing conventional farmers and the next generation of farmers from conventional farms, to help these audiences learn about, adopt, and integrate managed grazing methods and systems, and develop pasture-based Wisconsin dairy or livestock businesses. Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Seminar: A 15-week seminar designed to familiarize producers with all aspects of developing and managing a pasture-based dairy or livestock farm in Wisconsin. Pasture Management Class: Intensive course covers principles of managed grazing, pasture establishment and improvement, and pasture plant growth. Instructors discuss in depth pasture layout, fencing, and water systems, dairy/livestock pasture enterprises, animal behavior on pasture, animal nutrient needs, and supplemental feeding on pasture. Pasture-based Farm Internship: Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF course curriculum may also participate in two- to six- months of internship training on Wisconsin pasture-based dairy/livestock farms. Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Farm Tour A day-long, several-farm tour is conducted as a part of the Term II Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Seminar. Wisconsin Grazing Conference Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF have the opportunity to attend this annual conference with their registration costs covered. Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Business Conference Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF also have the opportunity to attend this annual conference with registration costs partially covered. This conference is the largest gathering of dairy producers in the state and it is an important event for start-up farmers with its emphasis on business principles, as well as for the networking opportunities. Beginning Farmer Workshops/Conferences These are not specific annual events, but, as they are scheduled student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF have the opportunity to attend with registration expenses covered. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Project Modifications: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Outcomes/Impacts: Major achievements/activities: Successfully achieved support to retain the invaluable assistance of colleague Jennifer Taylor; Earned support from the WI Cattlemen's Association (February); Successfully conducting classroom curriculum in partnership with the WI Technical College System (students in the MATC distance education classroom can earn UW- system course credits); Expanded the distance education component, with live, instructor facilitated classrooms, of the Pasture-based dairy and livestock business seminar to include in year four nine satellite classrooms; we continue to be the first and only synchronous (live) distance education class within UW-Madison CALS. Another record number of students enrolled in the Pasture-based dairy and livestock business seminar winter and autumn 2008. Continued faculty appointment (Senior Lecturer) in the Dept. of Soil Science. Completion 11-year WSBDF graduate follow-up survey and graduate case-study interviews funded by two- year USDA SARE grant. Continued the WSBDF Endowment Initiative with the sixth annual Ride to Farm bicycle ride (June). WSBDF enrollment surpassed 325 students and 52 interns through the first 14 graduate classes (1996-2009) (Aug). Successfully completed the forth-time offered 300-level Grassland Ecology class (autumn). Successfully collaborated as instructor and organizer in the third summer field study lab class for the new Agroecology graduate curriculum in August. Continued close working relationship with WI Milk Marketing Board, the Professional Dairy Producers of WI, DATCP Agricultural Business Innovation Center, Grow WI Farmers group, and others, all with a goal to facilitate the next generation of farmers, strengthen rural communities, and protect and preserve working lands in Wisconsin Initiated new working relationships with industry and producer group partners: American Transmission Co., Family Dairies USA, Steinhauer & Co LLC Foundation, WI Agribusiness Council, WI Farm Bureau, WI Farmers Union, and We Energies.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Our objective is to train beginning farmers. The University of Wisconsin-Madison School for Beginning Dairy farmers (WSBDF), a program of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Farm and Industry Short Course, now in its thirteenth year, was initiated with SARE support in 1995. The School, the only one of its kind in the nation, has as its mission to assist individuals who have a passion to start farming. Through a winter curriculum on the UW-Madison campus, on-farm tours, conference attendance, and spring/summer internships students learn goal setting, business management and planning, and, specifically grass-based farming techniques and start-up approaches. Significantly, the WSBDF also provides a mentoring-networking environment for students with experienced farmers and peers with the opportunity for the development of lifetime relationships. APPROACH: We use classroom curriculum, internships, farm visits, business planning, managed grazing, and mentoring Teaching Pasture Management class (1 credit; January) Grass-based Dairy and Livestock Business Seminar (3 credits; November- March)with 6 distance education satellite classrooms (November- December) Internships: Two students engaged in four-month on-farm internships Invited presentations Publications, Outreach/Recruitment products: Updated WSBDF Program brochure and Ride to Farm brochure and application package materials (January- May) Mail and/or distribute at public events WSBDF (approx. 1000), Friends (approx. 400), and Ride to Farm (approx. 400) brochures (throughout the year) Recruitment ads Stockman Grass Farmer and Graze publications Writer/co-writer, four state-wide press releases through UW CALS Ag & Life Sciences Press (March, May, June, and October). Grass-Based Dairy Seminar (15 two-hour sessions) CD-Rom (continue to use the product created 2003/2004; in process of updating 2006/2007). Numerous unsolicited articles state-wide and local press: WI State Journal, WI Agriculturalist; The Country Today, Agri-View, WI State Farmer, Sustainable Times, Voice of the River Valley, others. Annual Ride to Farm event (June) Promotional, web-based CD-Rom (continue to use this product created in 2005) Friends Endowment Initiative VHS video and CD-Rom WSBDF newsletter (autumn) WSBDF distance education brochures (autumn) WSBDF Endowment Initiative information/solicitation brochure (autumn) Promotional table/displays, invited presentation, and radio PARTICIPANTS: Richard L. Cates, Jr., Director, Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy & Livestock Farmers, serves as the Project Manager. Jennifer Taylor Associate Director, WSBDF, and Assistant Project Manager. Jennifer shares the lead for this project's activities, evaluation and reporting requirements. Brent McCown serves as Director of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS), and oversees the WSBDF project within UW CALS Continued close working relationship with WI Milk Marketing Board, the Professional Dairy Producers of WI, DATCP Agricultural Business Innovation Center, Grow WI Farmers group, and others, all with a goal to facilitate the next generation of farmers, strengthen rural communities, and protect and preserve working lands in Wisconsin Initiated new working relationships with industry and producer group partners: American Transmission Co., Family Dairies USA, Steinhauer & Co. LLC Foundation, WI Agribusiness Council, WI Farm Bureau, WI Farmers Union, and WE Energies TARGET AUDIENCES: The WSBDF is a one-of-a-kind, important educational effort to reach an under-served audience, namely, start-up farmers (low income, low capital), as well as practicing conventional farmers and the next generation of farmers from conventional farms, to help these audiences learn about, adopt, and integrate managed grazing methods and systems, and develop pasture-based Wisconsin dairy or livestock businesses. Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Seminar: A 15-week seminar designed to familiarize producers with all aspects of developing and managing a pasture-based dairy or livestock farm in Wisconsin. Pasture Management Class: Intensive course covers principles of managed grazing, pasture establishment and improvement, and pasture plant growth. Instructors discuss in depth pasture layout, fencing, and water systems, dairy/livestock pasture enterprises, animal behavior on pasture, animal nutrient needs, and supplemental feeding on pasture. Pasture-based Farm Internship: Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF course curriculum may also participate in two- to six- months of internship training on Wisconsin pasture-based dairy/livestock farms. Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Farm Tour A day-long, several-farm tour is conducted as a part of the Term II Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Seminar. Wisconsin Grazing Conference Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF have the opportunity to attend this annual conference with their registration costs covered. Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Business Conference Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF also have the opportunity to attend this annual conference with registration costs partially covered. This conference is the largest gathering of dairy producers in the state and it is an important event for start-up farmers with its emphasis on business principles, as well as for the networking opportunities. Beginning Farmer Workshops/Conferences These are not specific annual events, but, as they are scheduled student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF have the opportunity to attend with registration expenses covered. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Major achievements/activities: Successfully achieved support to retain the invaluable assistance of colleague Jennifer Taylor Earned support from the WI Cattlemen's Association (February) Successfully conducting classroom curriculum in partnership with the WI Technical College System (students in the MATC distance education classroom can earn UW- system course credits) Expanded the distance education component, with live, instructor facilitated classrooms, of the Pasture-based dairy and livestock business seminar to include in year three six satellite classrooms; we contunie to be the first and only synchronous (live) distance education class within UW-Madison CALS. Another record number of students enrolled in the Pasture-based dairy and livestock business seminar winter and autumn 2008- more than students. Continued faculty appointment (Senior Lecturer) in the Dept. of Soil Science. Completion 11-year WSBDF graduate follow-up survey and graduate case-study interviews funded by two- year USDA SARE grant. Continued the WSBDF Endowment Initiative with the fifth annual Ride to Farm bicycle ride (June). WSBDF enrollment surpassed 270 students and 47 interns through the first thirteen graduate classes (1996-2008) (Aug). Successfully completed the forth-time offered 300-level Grassland Ecology class (autumn). Successfully collaborated as instructor and organizer in the third summer field study lab class for the new Agroecology graduate curriculum in August. Continued close working relationship with WI Milk Marketing Board, the Professional Dairy Producers of WI, DATCP Agricultural Business Innovation Center, Grow WI Farmers group, and others, all with a goal to facilitate the next generation of farmers, strengthen rural communities, and protect and preserve working lands in Wisconsin Initiated new working relationships with industry and producer group partners: American Transmission Co., Family Dairies USA, Steinhauer & Co LLC Foundation, WI Agribusiness Council, WI Farm Bureau, WI Farmers Union, and We Energies.
Publications
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Publications, Outreach/Recruitment products Pasture-based Dairy & Livestock Seminar (15 two-hour sessions) CD-Rom (continue to use the product created 2003/2004; in process of updating 2007/2008) Promotional, web-based CD-Rom (continue to use this product created in 2005) Updated WSBDF Program brochure and Ride to Farm brochure and application package materials (throughout the year) Mail and/or distribute brochures at public events: WSBDF program (approx. 1000), WSBDF Endowment (approx. 400), and Ride to Farm (approx. 400) brochures (throughout the year) Recruitment ads Stockman Grass Farmer and Graze publications (throughout the year) Writer, op/ed piece The Capital Times, "The next generation on our working lands" (February) Writer/co-writer, five state-wide press releases through UW CALS Ag & Life Sciences Press (March, May, June, July, and December) Numerous unsolicited articles state-wide and local press: Associated Press, WI State Journal, WI Agriculturalist; The
Country Today, Agri-View, WI State Farmer, Marshfield Herald, Wausau Daily Herald, Sauk Prairie Eagle, Sustainable Times, Voice of the River Valley, Spooner Agric. Res. Station newsletter, WI Farmers Union newsletter Fourth annual Ride to Farm event (June) Writer, article Graze publication (August) WSBDF newsletter (autumn) WSBDF distance education brochures (autumn) WSBDF Endowment Initiative information/solicitation brochure (autumn) See promotional table/displays, invited presentation, radio and television, below Promotional table/displays WI Grazing Conference, St. Point (February) Professional Dairy Producers Conference, Madison (March) Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference, La Crosse (February) WI Assoc. Agric. Educators Conference, Middleton (June) Bicycle Ride to Farm, 200 mile across Wisconsin (June) FFA State Convention (June) Kickapoo Country Fair (July) WI State Fair, Milwaukee (August) World Dairy Expo, Madison (October) Future of Farming and Rural Life Conferences,
Madison (May) Radio interviews WRCO Richland Center (March, June) Larry Meiller Show, WPR (May) Bob Bosold, WAXX, Eau Claire (June) Pam Jahnke, WI Farm Network (June) Television interview Wausau Channel 9 (June)
PARTICIPANTS: Richard L. Cates, Jr., Director, Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy & Livestock Farmers, serves as the Project Manager. Jennifer Taylor Associate Director, WSBDF, and Assistant Project Manager. Jennifer shares the lead for this project's activities, evaluation and reporting requirements. Brent McCown serves as Director of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS), and oversees the WSBDF project within UW CALS Continued close working relationship with WI Milk Marketing Board, the Professional Dairy Producers of WI, DATCP Agricultural Business Innovation Center, Grow WI Farmers group, and others, all with a goal to facilitate the next generation of farmers, strengthen rural communities, and protect and preserve working lands in Wisconsin Initiated new working relationships with industry and producer group partners: American Transmission Co., Family Dairies USA, Steinhauer & Co. LLC Foundation, WI Agribusiness Council, WI Farm Bureau, WI Farmers Union, and WE
Energies
TARGET AUDIENCES: Target Audience: The WSBDF is a one-of-a-kind, important educational effort to reach an under-served audience, namely, start-up farmers (low income, low capital), as well as practicing conventional farmers and the next generation of farmers from conventional farms, to help these audiences learn about, adopt, and integrate managed grazing methods and systems, and develop pasture-based Wisconsin dairy or livestock businesses. Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Seminar: A 15-week seminar designed to familiarize producers with all aspects of developing and managing a pasture-based dairy or livestock farm in Wisconsin. Pasture Management Class: Intensive course covers principles of managed grazing, pasture establishment and improvement, and pasture plant growth. Instructors discuss in depth pasture layout, fencing, and water systems, dairy/livestock pasture enterprises, animal behavior on pasture, animal nutrient needs, and supplemental feeding on pasture. Pasture-based Farm
Internship: Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF course curriculum may also participate in two- to six- months of internship training on Wisconsin pasture-based dairy/livestock farms. Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Farm Tour A day-long, several-farm tour is conducted as a part of the Term II Pasture-based Dairy/Livestock Seminar. Wisconsin Grazing Conference Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF have the opportunity to attend this annual conference with their registration costs covered. Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Business Conference Student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF also have the opportunity to attend this annual conference with registration costs partially covered. This conference is the largest gathering of dairy producers in the state and it is an important event for start-up farmers with its emphasis on business principles, as well as for the networking opportunities. Beginning Farmer Workshops/Conferences These are not specific annual events, but, as they are
scheduled student-farmers enrolled in the WSBDF have the opportunity to attend with registration expenses covered.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Four distance educaion sites addded to enhance project goals and objectives to better serve the target audince
Impacts
Major achievements/activities Successfully achieved funding to retain the invaluable assistance of colleague Jennifer Taylor Earned support from the WI Cattlemen's Association (February) Successfully conducting classroom curriculum in partnership with the WI Technical College System (students in the MATC distance education classroom can earn UW- system course credits) Expanded the distance education component, with live, instructor facilitated classrooms, of the Pasture-based dairy and livestock business seminar to include in year two satellite classrooms at UW- Marathon, Wausau, MATC- Reedsburg, Reedsburg, Spooner Agric. Res. Station, Spooner, and Price Co. UWEX, Phillips; we are the first and only synchronous (live) distance education class within UW-Madison CALS A record number of students enrolled in the Pasture-based dairy and livestock business seminar winter and autumn 2007, 40- and 60- students, respectively. $50,000 gift to the WSBDF Endowment Initiative from
Organic Valley (December). This is equal to the largest gift ever received by the WSBDF. Continued faculty appointment (Senior Lecturer) in the Dept. of Soil Science Near completion 11-year WSBDF graduate follow-up survey work, and initiated graduate case-study interviews funded by two- year USDA SARE grant. Continued the WSBDF Endowment Initiative with the fourth annual Ride to Farm bicycle ride (June) WSBDF enrollment surpassed 230 students and 46 interns through the first twelve graduate classes (1996-2007) (Aug) Successfully achieved the second "challenge grant" gift ($5000) to the WSBDF Endowment Initiative, from the Sue and Roland G. Stephenson Foundation (summer); the grant was matched and the Stephenson family has offered to double the amount in 2008 Successfully completed the third-time offered 300-level Grassland Ecology class (autumn) Successfully collaborated as instructor and organizer in the second summer field study lab class for the new Agroecology graduate curriculum
(August) Successfully raised $100k (approx.) private donor funds deposited/pledged for the WSBDF Endowment. Continued close working relationship with WI Milk Marketing Board, the Professional Dairy Producers of WI, DATCP Agricultural Business Innovation Center, Grow WI Farmers group, and others, all with a goal to facilitate the next generation of farmers, strengthen rural communities, and protect and preserve working lands in Wisconsin Initiated new working relationships with industry and producer group partners: American Transmission Co., Family Dairies USA, Steinhauer & Co. LLC Foundation, WI Agribusiness Council, WI Farm Bureau, WI Farmers Union, and WE Energies
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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