Wisconsin Farmer Education Collaboration Helps Save Money, Environment

By Chrystal Blair

A new effort is helping Wisconsin farmers protect water quality in their communities by learning more about how to prevent manure and fertilizer spills and runoff.

"Nutrient Management Farmer Education" is a collaboration across six counties in northern Wisconsin, with partners from the University of Wisconsin, technical colleges and the Department of Agriculture. It helps farmers properly manage manure and fertilizer applications to optimize crop growth while protecting water sources.

Wayne Gajewski, a dairy farmer in Athens, said one of the biggest benefits is the collaborative aspect, where farmers learn as much from each other as they do from the instructors.