FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 28, 2019
Contact: Maria Woldt, Communications
Western Wisconsin Conservation Council
(608) 577-4345 | [email protected]
Western Wisconsin farmer-led group
to host field day June 11
Baldwin, Wis. – The Western Wisconsin Conservation Council will hold a field day on June 11 at Friendshuh Farms in Clear Lake, the farmer-led conservation group announced today. Featured practices are tailored to farms in St. Croix County but are applicable to farms across the state with similar conservation goals.
The Western Wisconsin Conservation Council (WWCC), founded in early 2018, is a farmer-led 501c(3) non-profit group of local farmers dedicated to promoting water conservation, environmentally sound agricultural practices and community engagement. The group is composed of grain, dairy and livestock member-farms in the Kinnickinnic, Rush and Willow River watersheds.
The WWCC recognizes that by bringing like-minded farmers together with other community leaders, we can take a proactive approach to water quality and preserve our watersheds and the ways of life and commerce they support. These goals can be achieved through open communication and a willingness to share knowledge and research while being open-minded to new practices on our farms.
“This event is a showcase of conservation practices that have proven effective in addressing soil health and water quality,” said Todd Doornink, WWCC president. “Friendshuh Farms, [the host farm], is an example of a progressive dairy that has transitioned to a complete conservation farming system.”
Farmers and community members from St. Croix County are encouraged to attend; however, all are welcome to this free, public event. Pre-registration is appreciated, but not required. This event is made possible through grant and in-kind support from Compeer Financial – Fund for Rural America, Dairy Business Association, Dairy Strong Sustainability Alliance, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, The Nature Conservancy and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The complete schedule including speaker information is at westernwisconservation.org/events/
Details:
Tues., June 11 | Hosted by Friendshuh Farms | 397 75th Street, Clear Lake, Wis.
Field Day Agenda
11:30 a.m. – Registration, lunch
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Educational stations
Topics include:
- No till planting
- Cover crops
- Water infiltration
- Manure injection
- WWCC programs and research projects
2:30 p.m. Field Day Concludes
Register online at westernwisconservation.org/events
About the WWCC:
Established in 2018, the Western Wisconsin Conservation Council is a farmer-led 501c(3) non-profit group of local farmers dedicated to promoting water conservation, environmentally sound agricultural practices and community engagement. The group is composed of grain, dairy and livestock member-farms in the Kinnickinnic, Rush and Willow River watersheds. For more information, visit westernwisconservation.org
Creating a baseline and measuring our impact:
One way that that the WWCC hopes to earn public trust is by conducting a conservation survey among its members and measuring the change in acres and practices over time.
Members are asked about conservation practices on their farms. It’s a requirement to be part of the group. Personal information is kept confidential, and an aggregate summary is available to the public.
As a brand new group, the WWCC conducted a partial survey members in 2018. 10 (of 37+) WWCC members completed a survey of 14 practices including cover crops, no till, reduced tillage and nutrient stewardship. Using estimates from the USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project, 10 WWCC members documented an estimated reduction of 17,267 pounds of phosphorous and 18,739 pounds of nitrogen. These figures include:
- 50,538 acres of diverse conservation practices. Some acres have multiple practices.
- 6,765 acres of cover crops, resulting in a reduction of 5,277 pounds of phosphorous and 18,739 pounds of nitrogen.
- 2,012 acres of conservation tillage (vertical till, strip till), resulting in a reduction 1,791 pounds of phosphorous.
- 4,232 acres of no-till farming, resulting in a reduction of 10,199 pounds of phosphorous.
These numbers will be used as a baseline and the change in acres and practices will be measured over time to show the WWCC’s progress. In 2019, the WWCC will survey and report on 100% of the membership as terms of our grant funding – and our mission as an organization.
If you have any questions about the WWCC’s results and the member survey, please contact us by email
Photos:
Greg Friendshuh, a dairy farmer from Clear Lake and WWCC board member will host the June 11 WWCC Field day.
Todd Doornink, dairy farmer from Baldwin and WWCC president
This past fall, more than 50 farmers and community members attended the WWCC field day and harvest recap.
Watershed map – the WWCC includes the Kinnickinnic, Rush and Willow River watersheds
Logos:
Additional photos, high resolution or .eps logos are available by request
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