Wisconsin Agriculture - Extension

7 dairies across Wisconsin and their local Extension educators and outreach specialists are 2024 Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program grant recipients! 🐄 🐄

Even though the dairies are spread across the state, they’re all interested in evaluating nitrogen fertilizer rate recommendations following a manure application.

Nutrient & Pest Management Outreach Specialist Jordan Kampa said, “As Extension educators, we’ve heard from several farmers and specialists that the research around manure nutrient credits is outdated. Specifically, research and data should be updated to more accurately represent what is happening to manure nitrogen in the field and how to credit that. A group of us decided to collaborate with farmers in our respective regions (Washington, Kewaunee, Burnett, Oconto, and Chippewa Counties and two in Rock County) to establish a nitrogen rate study that includes strips with and strips without manure. We want to better understand what amount of nitrogen the manure gives us and what nitrogen fertilizer rates should be applied with manure applications. We’d also like to learn how long that manure-N credit persists.

We are excited to collaborate with Dr. Steven Hall, Agricultural Water Quality Extension Specialist, to install resin lysimeters on one of the fields to measure nitrate leaching. Combining water quality measurements with a rigorous rate yield response trial will be valuable. We also don’t know much about the vulnerability of manure nitrogen vs. synthetic fertilizer nitrogen to leaching, so this project will provide us information on leaching applicable to the WI landscape. The lysimeters were installed beneath undisturbed soil in each plot and will trap nitrate in water that drains through the lysimeter. After a year, the lysimeters will be removed and analyzed in the lab. We're all very excited to be able to contribute data on a statewide scale, as we know the landscape varies across the state.”

Learn more about the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program & grant recipients 👉datcp.wi.gov/Pages/CommercialNitrogenOptimizationPilotGrantProgram.aspx

Developers are approaching farmers and rural landowners to secure land leases or options to purchase for large-scale solar developments, yet many landowners are unsure what to ask or expect in the contracting process.

This August, Extension is partnering with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation to host two seminars on solar contracts in Madison and Marshfield. These seminars cover risks and opportunities in solar contracts, common terminology, and other considerations for individuals contemplating a solar contract.

Learn more and register at go.wisc.edu/ExtSolarBasics ☀⚡️

🌾🌱 Tarspot has been confirmed in Wisconsin; experts from UW-Madison Extension discuss this year's conditions, the implications for tar spot development, and management strategies for control.

Managing Tar Spot in Corn Damon Smith, UW-Madison Extension Field Crops Pathologist, and Michael Geissinger, Outreach Specialist for the UW-Madison Extension Nutrient & Pest Managemen...

A Farm Summit focusing on farmer su***de prevention will be held on Monday, Aug. 19, from 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. at the Western Wisconsin Health Main Campus in Baldwin, Wisconsin. There is a virtual option for those unable to attend in person.

This program is for healthcare, mental healthcare and agriculture service providers to network with each other and learn from experts and those with lived experiences around mental health challenges. Participants will gain insight into farm culture, data on rural su***de and self-harm, why our rural citizens are at risk, and resources available.

The Farm Summit is free to attend, though registration is required. Learn more and register for the in-person or virtual session at go.wisc.edu/j7jt22

Join us for the next Badger Dairy Insight webinar, FREE with pre-registration: https://dairy.extension.wisc.edu/badger-dairy-insight/

Join us in Woodville, WI for beef cow-calf field day on Thursday, August 22, 2024. Learn more and Register for FREE 👇👇👇

https://livestock.extension.wisc.edu/2024/07/31/extension-beef-cow-calf-field-day-scheduled-for-august-22-2024/

🌻🌻 Join us for another Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program (NOPP) field day on Thursday, August 8 in Trempealeau County! Sam Bibby, Steve Okonek, and Lindsey Rushford will discuss Sam and Paul Bibby’s NOPP trial related to optimizing sunflower yield and nitrogen application rates. Registration is free but encouraged — scan the QR code, visit go.wisc.edu/SunflowerNOPPFieldDay or call/text Sam Bibby at 608-219-2055.

Isaac Isherwood of Isherwood Family Farms is a 2024 Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program grant recipient!

The project investigates the potential of Bio-Gro products to reduce nitrogen fertilizer rates and nitrate leaching on sandy soil potato production.

Isaac came across Bio-Gro products while looking for humic & fulvic acid, which he heard could allow him to reduce nitrogen rates and help the plant utilize that nitrogen. The first year Isaac used it in a potato field, he says “The root mass was significantly larger just with the naked eye and both yield and quality were significantly higher. So this year, I jumped on board with almost the entire farm in potatoes.” Isherwood Family Farms partnered with Guolong Liang (Agriculture Water Quality Outreach Specialist with UW-Madison Extension) and Kevin Masarik (Groundwater Education Specialist with Extension and UW-Stevens Point) to apply for an NOPP grant with a project that utilizes lysimeters to help monitor and estimate nitrate leaching.

The trial has five main treatments: “business as usual” (BAU) which is their typical nitrogen rate, a 15% reduction from BAU, 30% reduction from BAU, and no additional nitrogen fertilizer. While these treatments do not include Bio-Gro products, the fifth treatment is a 30% reduction from BAU with the addition of Bio-Gro products.

When asked about the motivation behind this project, Isaac says he “hopes to get the same yield and quality with fewer nitrogen inputs.” Taking it a step further, he explains that it’s “okay spending more on biological products when you can reduce environmental pollution of nitrogen,” and that “it makes you feel good feeding people with the most healthy and sustainable product as possible."

Learn more about the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program & grant recipients https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/CommercialNitrogenOptimizationPilotGrantProgram.aspx

Pictured: Father & son duo, Justin & Isaac Isherwood

July is National Corn Month Chris Clark and Michael Geissinger, outreach specialists for the UW-Madison Extension Nutrient & Pest Management program are celebrating National Corn Month ...

Check out this great way to stay cool while working outside in the heat!

Things are heating up this summer! The assistive technology item for July is a personal fan.

Personal fans can help you stay cool while working outside in the heat. This year’s heat and humidity are no joke, and it’s important to protect yourself from heat related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke. This personal fan goes around your neck for easy, hands free use and is re-chargeable. Stay cool out there!

WEBINAR SERIES: Row crop and livestock producers in the Mississippi River Basin (however, all are welcome) have the opportunity to exchange ideas and advice for troubleshooting conservation challenges related to improving soil and water resources, while protecting profitability. Save the dates: Thursdays, August 1st, 8th, and 15th at 11:30am CT / 12:30 ET via Zoom. Learn more and register here: https://goodideafarm.org/shop-talks/

University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension

Photo Credit: Jolene Bopp, USDA-NRCS Iowa

Join our Small Ruminant Outreach Specialist, Carolyn Ihde during the National Sheep Improvement Program's Sheep Sense.

Join us for this FREE program on July 26. It is a live only program, and will not be broadcast on Zoom. Please register using this link to allow us to plan for lunch. http://go.ncsu.edu/NSIPEducationalEvent

"We had the warmest February on record and our soil moisture was down to 16% in some areas. And now we've gone from one of the most severe deficits to one of the most severe surpluses (of moisture) in just a couple of months," said Kevin Jarek, University of Wisconsin Division of Extension Crops and Soils educator for Outagamie County.

Read more about the challenges farmers in Wisconsin are facing this growing season 👇

Wisconsin farmers face profitability challenges with wet weather and soggy field conditions For the past two months, rain showers have been in the forecast more often than not, much to the dismay of farmers across Wisconsin.

Cover crops impact water quality and phosphorus loss dynamics, including:

1) soil and water movement
2) placement and forms of phosphorus within the soil

Learn the benefits and limitations of cover crops AND get science-backed recommendations for prioritizing cover crop use from Ag Water Quality/Discovery Farms - Extension
HERE: https://agwater.extension.wisc.edu/articles/cover-crops-for-improved-surface-water-quality-benefits-and-limitations/

🐄 Join us in one week for our next Badger Dairy Insight with a presentation from Dr. Joao Dórea.

Topics to be covered: Digital technology for animal behavior, growth, social, detection of diseases.

Dr. Dórea is an Assistant Professor in Precision Agriculture and Data Analytics for UW-Madison Animal and Dairy Science.

👉👉Free registration link for Facebook: https://go.wisc.edu/BDI2324

Muddy Bottom Farmers , a producer-led watershed group, is a 2024 Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program grant recipient!

Three participating farms are investigating the economical rate of nitrogen and the impacts of cover crops. Pictured are producer Jim Luedtke and collaborators Sheila Smith and Emily Dufeck, both of the Winnebago County Land & Water Conservation Department. Not pictured are producers Brian Krenke and Dan Rieckmann.

Jim Leudtke shares how this project was born and where he’s hoping it’ll take the Muddy Bottom Farmers: “An attendee at a past event asked us if we were seeing any decrease in yields with planting cover crops and nobody could really answer that question. And there’s been a lot of talk that the cover crop ties up nitrogen and can hamper your yield so we’re doing this study to find out if cover crops have a detrimental effect on your cash crop. Because of this research, now we’ve had a few other farmers that would like to get involved in our group. So for next year, we’re looking at doing a Return on Investment (ROI) study with less sampling just to get some of the members looking at the numbers because, we’ve got to make money at some point in time”

As for the 3 farms involved in the current NOPP project, Luedtke explains that they were each drawn in with slightly different goals. “Like, for me, as you look across the trial in late-June, as the cover crop changes, the growing crop changes. But, what effect will that have later when it’s 6 foot tall and all looks the same? It all depends on what our yields are at the end. Dan was interested in doing it to investigate more management practices so we started at this level to learn how to do the work and then we’ll probably do more as we go on. Brian was interested in it more from a no-till standpoint because we’ve been doing it for so long and everybody talks about the carbon to nitrogen ratio, and we don’t understand that at all. Some of this explains that, if we have trash on top, how do we get that nitrogen level to the right level so that the decomposing materials get broken down.”

Learn more about the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program & grant recipients 👉 datcp.wi.gov/Pages/CommercialNitrogenOptimizationPilotGrantProgram

🚨📞 Calling all WI fruit producers! Join the UW Fruit Program at three upcoming field days this summer in Waupaca, Verona, and Grafton. Hear from UW researchers, fellow fruit producers, and industry partners, and take home skills and research findings to help your farm or orchard thrive. Read more and register for an event near you 👉 go.wisc.edu/FruitFieldDays

Join Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) for a free workshop. Learn how to plan for unexpected mass mortalities on the farm from natural disaster or disease.

August 13: Green Bay
August 14: Eau Claire

Registration: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=HNHi9OT6O0W2wClkZjd5qp_KmStbI8tHkklOsuA3e0FUNkRVSFRFVFpPS1Q1WDBNREdUNlVROEw3US4u

Are you a meat goat producer in Wisconsin or Iowa?
You are invited to join the Meat Goat Cohort 25!
Learn more 👇👇👇

https://livestock.extension.wisc.edu/2024/06/26/join-the-meat-goat-cohort-25/

American dairy farmers demonstrate their dedication to providing high quality animal care. Here are some minor updates to the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Animal Care program (v. 5.0)

https://dairy.extension.wisc.edu/articles/farm-5-0-updates-farmers-assuring-responsible-management/

🌱📈Want to negotiate a fair price for corn silage?

Download our free spreadsheet and a worksheet to assist in spot pricing for standing corn silage.

https://cropsandsoils.extension.wisc.edu/articles/tools-for-pricing-standing-corn-silage/

☀️🐄 40% to 50% chance of a hotter-than-normal summer (Source: U.S. National Weather Service (NWS). Help your cattle beat the the heat.
👇👇👇

https://livestock.extension.wisc.edu/articles/keep-cattle-cool-and-comfortable-in-summer/

🚨 The UW–Madison Agronomy and Soils Field Day returns August 28! 🚨

Join UW experts in crop management, pest management, forage, and soils at Arlington Ag Research Station for a day of field tours exploring ongoing cropping systems research at UW–Madison. CCA credits will be available, and lunch is available for purchase courtesy of WAPAC.

Read more about the presentations and register for free by August 15 at go.wisc.edu/AgronomySoilsFieldDay

AgrAbility is a USDA-funded initiative specifically designed to support farmers dealing with disability-related issues. Since its inception in the early 1990s, AgrAbility has helped over 3,300 farmers in Wisconsin and facilitated access to more than $50 million in assistive technology from various funding sources to enhance the day-to-day operations of Wisconsin farmers.

Read more:

AgrAbility—Here to Keep You Farming Are you or someone you know facing challenges in maintaining your farming operation due to an injury or other physical or health-related disability?

🎪🛻🐄 It's fair season! Do you know about the updated HPAI testing requirements for taking dairy cows to the fair?

https://dairy.extension.wisc.edu/2024/06/17/hpai-update-new-testing-requirements-for-dairy-events-in-wisconsin/

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to release its recommendations for the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) reforms within the next couple of weeks. Following this, a vote on the proposed changes is tentatively expected for this fall or early winter. It is crucial for producers to stay informed about these developments and understand how the proposed changes may impact them.

Read this helpful summary from our Dairy Markets and Policy Outreach Specialist, Leonard Polzin:

USDA to release recommendations for Federal Milk Marketing Order reforms Following this, a vote on the proposed changes is tentatively expected for this fall or early winter. It is crucial for producers to stay informed about these developments and understand how the proposed changes may impact them.

The Farm Financial Management Outreach Specialist will provide outreach education to commodity and specialty crop farms in the areas of financial management, and will focus on identifying financial risk and opportunity resulting from variability of prices received, access to new markets, prices of inputs, and new technologies and practices affecting both yield and quality.

Application period closes July 18, 2024. 📅

👉 Learn more and apply at go.wisc.edu/71824

Reminder to Wisconsin Dairy Producers, surveys are due June 30!

The 2024 Wisconsin Dairy Producer Survey is due June 30, 2024. Responses will provide insight into industry investments, challenges, and opportunities. Learn more at https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/News_Media/WisconsinDairyProducerSurveyDeadlineJune30.aspx.

Swine Reproduction Workshop ( July 23, 2024 from Noon to 4:00 pm)
Topics covered will include artificial insemination, semen collection/processing, heat detection, biosecurity, vaccinations, and a tour of the International facility.

RSVP to Jeff Morris
608-346-9561
[email protected]