Farmers in Western Wisconsin continue to come up with innovative methods that fit the geography of the region, minimize impact on the environment and meet demands for organic and healthy food products.
Government continues to notice and recognize the efforts with some monetary grants.
A $69,030 grant to the Coulee Graziers Network and a $2,500 grant to the Deer Run Farm organic beef farm near Coon Valley were among $983,000 in grants Gov. Jim Doyle announced last week.
The nearly $1 million in grants is part of the Wisconsin Grazing Lands and Conservation Initiative, which protects land and water through education, technical planning assistance, and research for dairy and livestock farmers.
In July, Doyle presented a ceremonial check for $41,660 to River Country Resource Conservation and Development Council (River Country RC&D) to develop the Chippewa Valley Buy Local Consortium.
That consortium will bring together farms from 11 Northwestern Wisconsin counties and institutions looking to buy and sell local food. The efforts will help local farmers organize collective efforts to sell local food to small and large purchasers.
So, state government is rewarding those who make the effort to be innovative. The grazing efforts in Western Wisconsin make a lot of sense in an area with its share of hills and geology that is prone to runoff problems.
State agriculture officials describe grazing as “a low-cost, environmentally friendly method of farming that moves livestock to a fresh pasture on a regular basis while resting unused pastures so it can grow back before being grazed again.”
The $69,030 grant to the Coulee Graziers Network will provide education about managed grazing to farmers and technical assistance to farmers who need help in starting managed grazing systems. The network includes farmers in La Crosse, Jackson, Trempealeau and Buffalo counties and holds related informational events.
Doyle said Deer Run Farm owner Jim Munsch will receive a $2,500 grant to continue experiments using clovers to provide nitrogen in his organic pastures. He does that work in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin.
“Right now, in Wisconsin, our agricultural economy has done well,” Doyle said. That’s because “we have really attended to basics. And we have really found those areas that have true high value for customers,” he said.
Public demand for organic food, naturally grown food and knowing where the food comes from has helped boost Wisconsin agriculture, Doyle said.
“More and more farmers across the state are recognizing that they can really add value, make better money, by engaging in organic farming,” Doyle said. “And we’re going to continue to support that in this state.”
About one fourth of dairy farmers in the state use some form of rotational or intensive grazing, allowing them to minimize cost of production and environmental risk. To capture those benefits, intensively managed grazing requires research, education and technical know-how.
About half of the state’s beginning dairy farmers are using grazing as a strategy for getting started because it requires less capital outlay. These practices are being done at a higher rate than the state average in Western Wisconsin.
All grants are part of the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, a national effort begun in 1991. Senator Herb Kohl and Congressman David Obey are credited with helping to secure the funds for Wisconsin. DATCP has been administering the grants since 2004. In 2008, the state of Wisconsin is also contributing to the fund for the first time.
Western Wisconsin has become a hotbed for grazing and other innovative methods in large part out of necessity. The hilly terrain and karst geology make the area prone to runoff problems that can make it difficult to raise feed for livestock, and also can lead to pollution problems.
Grazing and other organic methods have helped reduce these problems. State officials and the feds should keep the money coming because in the long run it will turn out to be a good investment, and others can learn from some of the project in Western Wisconsin.
##
