EVENTS
Date: February 16-17, 2019
Location: UW-Madison campus
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Date: February 20, 2019
Location: Holiday Inn, Stevens Point, WI
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Date: February 21-23, 2019
Location: La Crosse Center, La Crosse, WI
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SUCCESS STORIES
As older farmers retire, fewer young farmers are stepping in to take their place. The number of beginning farmers dropped 20 percent in the last five-year census period, and the average US farmer now tops 58 years of age.
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CIAS supports innovative graduate student research addressing the challenges faced by small- and medium-sized farms and food businesses. Awarded annually, our competitive mini-grants aid students as they initiate their research in sustainable agriculture and food systems.
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Analysis of Water Quality Impact of Windrow Composting
Composting is an ancient and cost-effective way to speed the decomposition of manure by piling it in rows and turning it regularly to aerate. For the last two years, three members of Yahara Pride Farms have been working with UW-Madison to determine whether composting can lead to reductions in phosphorus (P) runoff loads from their farms.
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Evaluation of Manure Storage Capital Projects in the Yahara River Watershed
Better understanding the impact of livestock manure on water quality can inform clear, long-term manure management goals for the Yahara Watershed to reduce phosphorus loading from livestock manure.
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Whole-Farm Modeled Phosphorus Loss Low on Grazing Dairy Farms (Research Brief #94)
Because agriculture is a major nonpoint phosphorus pollution source, there is strong interest in identifying and managing farm sources of phosphorus runoff. On dairy farms, possible sources of this runoff include cropland, grazed pastures, and outside cattle holding areas such as barnyards and overwintering lots. A new study based on modeled data for four dairy farms that use managed grazing found that these farms have very low phosphorus losses on a whole farm basis.
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Productivity and Nitrogen Retention Tradeoffs in Bioenergy Grasslands (Research Brief #93)
Perennial grassland cropping systems may someday be managed as an alternative source of biofuel that requires fewer fertilizer inputs. This alternative biofuel can also reduce competition with food crops because land that is unsuitable for row crops may be used for perennial grasslands.
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Managed Grazing’s Effects on Soil Quality and Structure
A long-term southern Wisconsin cropping systems study shows that soils under managed grazing have a number of positive characteristics compared to soils under other cropping systems.
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Cover Crops on the Intensive Market Farm
Crops that are grown solely to provide soil cover or for the purposes of increasing soil fertility are referred to as cover crops or green manures. Due their ability to protect and enhance soils, cover crops are considered a fundamental aspect of any sustainable cropping system.
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Managed Grazing Education and Research in Wisconsin
This report describes managed grazing projects funded by the Wisconsin Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative from 2002-2003. Seventeen education projects supported a variety of networking activities, as well as programs for beginning and transitioning farmers. Five research projects looked at ground and surface water quality, nitrogen management strategies, late season grass growth, soil compaction, and outwintering […]
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Grass Clippings: May 2007
Grass Clippings is a quarterly newsletter that features grazing-related research from the University of Wisconsin and beyond. The May issue features: Interseeding legumes vs. applying nitrogen fertilizer Performance of birdsfoot trefoil in northern Wisconsin How much grass seed do we need? Soil quality and the grass farm, part 3 Upcoming events
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