Improving Your Farm’s Bottom Line with Managed Grazing – Feb. 22nd, 2017

Event hosted by: Clean Water Action Council of Northeast Wisconsin

February 22^nd, Registration begins at 9:00 a.m., Programs: 9:30-2:00
UW-Green Bay Student Union in The 1965 Room
Free guest parking in the Student Union lot.

Clean Water Action Council of Northeast Wisconsin, with support from the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and NOAA, will host this one day workshop which will provide dairy and beef farmers the information needed to consider managed grazing as a way to improve profits and reduce workloads, while protecting water resources.  *Free for pre-registered guests.

*Register by indicating your interest with an email to contact@cleanwateractioncouncil.org or by phoning 920-421-8885.
Free for pre-registered guests, or $10 at the door, as space allows.

Agenda:

9:30 The Economic Competiveness of Managed Grazing for Dairying with Tom Kriegl

Retired farm financial analyst, Tom Kriegl, has collected data for over 20 years on the economic competitiveness of managed grazing dairy systems for the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Dairy Profitability. Tom’s farm financial data research shows dairy farms small enough to be operated with one family’s labor and dairy farms using managed and organic grazing practices can be economically competitive. Tom will share some of his data and discuss how grazing dairy farms are persistently economically competitive even without a price premium.

10:30 Making the Transition to Managed Grazing with David Heidl

Organic Valley dairy producer David Heidl will talk about his transition from traditional dairy farming to managed grazing and organic dairy production. A graduate from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Agronomy, David began farming with a heavy dependence on chemicals and traditional row cropping.  Grazing opened Dave’s eyes to a whole different world of dairying.  As he fed less and less grain, he saw that his cows actually did better. “We became graziers,” states David, “because it was in line with the mantra of our farm: simpler is better.”

11:30 Buffet lunch provided by CWAC

12:15 Agency Resources for Making a Transition to Managed Grazing with Rick Adamski

Beef grazier Rick Adamski raises 100% grass-fed beef and has been USDA Certified Organic for 13 years. He and his family run Full Circle Farm in Seymour, Wisconsin. Rick will share his experiences of using agency resources to make managed grazing a success on his farm.

1:00 Break

1:15-2:00 Panel Discussion/Question/Answer Session

Panel discussion will begin with a brief summary about the USDA Farm State Agency’s Program, Conservation Reserve Grassland Program, about promoting producers to keep land in grasses from Zak Werner & Tom Schneider. Following that, the panel discussion will include speakers: retired Soil and Water Conservationist Andy Wallander, managed grazing beef producer Scott Brandenburg, and moderator Molly Meyers of Glacierland Resource Conservation and Development, Inc.