CIAS Sustainable Agriculture Networks

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <london@nuteknet.com>]

http://www.wisc.edu/cias/net.html
--
Lawrence F. London, Jr.
mailto:london@sunSITE.unc.edu
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/InterGarden

Title: Wisconsin Farmer Networks

Wisconsin Farmer Networks

One of the strengths of Wisconsin agriculture is the state's extraordinary web of farmer-to-farmer networks. These networks sponsor public field days, workshops, and on-farm demos and help farmers get together informally to walk pasture and talk grass farming or share economic, production, and quality of life concerns. Some networks also sponsor or organize on-farm research and share the results with their members. They provide farmers, UW researchers, extension faculty, specialists, and others excellent opportunities to learn from each other.

The management intensive rotational grazing community in Wisconsin is particularly active in farmer-to-farmer networking. In addition to sponsoring local activities, grazing networks in the state have banded together to form GrassWorks, Inc., which sponsors the annual—and very well attended—Wisconsin Grazing Conference in Stevens Point.

Other networks have an interest in sustainability or sustainable ag research, particular production practices (like organic vegetable and dairy production), marketing and value-added enterprises, issues of interest to women in farming, and more.

A farmer-to-farmer network CIAS research update is available.

Management Intensive Grazing Networks

Central Wisconsin River Graziers Network
Columbia County Graziers
Dane-Green Graziers
Fond-O-Grass Graziers
Great Lakes Basin Intensive Rotational Grazing Network
Great River Graziers
Kickapoo Organic Resource Network (KORN)
Marsh Graziers
Lafayette County Rotational Growers Network
North Central Graziers Network
Northland Graziers
North West Wisconsin Graziers
Ocooch Graziers Network
Sauk County Grazing Network
Waupaca County Grazing Network

Wisconsin Sustainable Agriculture Networks

Eastern Wisconsin Sustainable Farmers Network
Farm Family Support Group Network
Northeast Wisconsin Sustainable Farmers Network
Western Wisconsin Sustainable Farming Network
Wisconsin Women's Sustainable Farming Network

Management Intensive Grazing Networks

Central Wisconsin River Graziers Network

The network's goal is to promote the feasibility of grazing as a profitable way of farming that enhances lifestyles and protects and improves the environment. The network offers monthly pasture walks, winter meetings, annual winter conferences, one-to-one technical assistance and consulting, and education to farmers, bankers, and agricultural professionals.


Paul Daigle, Land Conservation Dept.
Marathon County Courthouse
500 Forest St
Wausau, WI 54403-5568
Phone: (715) 847-5213


Thomas Cadwallader
Lincoln County Courthouse
1106 East 8th Street
P.O. Box 917
Merrill, WI 54452-0917
Phone: (715) 536-0304

Columbia County Graziers

Grazing network interested in rotational grazing, and outdoor wintering and feeding. Sponsors pasture walks during the summer.


Robert Breneman
N5953 Hwy G
Rio, WI 53960
Phone: (414) 348-5504

Dane-Green Graziers

A network for learning more about management intensive grazing. Sponsors pasture walks.

Bert Peris
W3443 Hwy W
Belleville, WI 53508

Fond-O-Grass Graziers

A network that provides a forum for producers and ag professionals who have an interest in rotational grazing to gather and exchange information. Offers pasture walks and other educational events

Mike Rankin, UWEX Crops and Soils Agent
UW Center, 400 Campus Dr
Fond du Lac, WI 54935
Phone: (414) 929-3171


Email: michael.rankin@ces.uwex.edu

Great Lakes Basin Intensive Rotational Grazing Network

Organized by the Wisconsin Rural Development Center, this network promotes the adoption of intensive rotational grazing by Great Lakes Basin farmers through conferences, field days, and joint research.

Visit the Great Lakes Basin Network Website.

John Bobbe
9896 County D, Brussels, WI 54204
Phone: (414) 825-1369
FAX: (414) 825-1369


E-mail: jbobbe@mail.wiscnet.net

Great River Graziers

Dairy grazing network; meets twice a month from April through November.


Vance Haugen
UWEX-Crawford County
111 W. Dunn St., Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
Phone: (608) 326-0223
FAX: (608) 326-0226


E-mail: vjhaugen@facstaff.wisc.edu

Kickapoo Organic Resource Network (KORN)

Dairy and vegetable grower network that provides information on organic dairy farming, cropping systems, herd health, and inert ingredients in pesticides. The network has a book available on organic dairy farming. Contact Bobby Zirkel at the address below.


Bobby Zirkel
RR 1, Box 234
Richland Center, WI 53581
Phone: (608) 538-3109


E-mail: bzirk@mwt.net

Marsh Graziers

A network for farmers interested in rotational grazing. Offers pasture walks.


Les Holtz
6091 6th Ave
Rudolph, WI 54475
Phone: (715) 435-3274

Lafayette County Rotational Growers Network

A dairy and beef grazing network interested in economics and helping new graziers get started. The network sponsors farm walks, demonstrations, and field days.


John Cockrell
UWEX-Lafayette County
627 Washington St., Darlington, WI 53530
Phone: (608) 776-4820

North Central Graziers Network

A network devoted to grazing-based animal agriculture, with emphasis on dairying. The group sponsors monthly pasture walk farm tours, grass management series meetings, and annual winter meetings that include grazier panels and experts.


Andy Hager
UWEX-Taylor County
925 Donald St., Room 103, Medford, WI 54451
Phone: (715) 748-3327

Northland Graziers

A network for dairy and beef graziers that offers pasture walks throughout summer and fall. They plan to coordinate research to determine pasture densities based on various practices and species.


Greg Williamson
W5213 Hilldale Dr
Porterfield, WI 54159
Phone: (715) 789-3060

E-mail: williamson@cybrzn.com

North West Wisconsin Graziers

A network interested in rotational grazing and sustainable agriculture; offers pasture walks and a newsletter.


Jim Reimer
Gary Schmiedlin
Courthouse-Ag Center
Barron, WI 54812
Phone: (715) 537-6315 or (715) 537-6317

Ocooch Graziers Network

An intensive rotational grazing network that sponsors pasture walks and a monthly newsletter.


Jim Brown
Rt. 3, Box 174, Yuba, WI 54634
Phone: (608) 528-4544

Sauk County Grazing Network

Southern Wisconsin network that brings together farmers to improve grazing practices and learn from each other through pasture walks and winter meetings.


Karl Hakanson
505 Broadway, Baraboo, WI 53913
(608) 355-3258


E-mail: karl.hakanson@ces.uwex.edu

Waupaca County Grazing Network

Farmer network for dairy and beef graziers that sponsors monthly pasture walks and farm tours.


Robert and Barbara Eder
N3775 Richie Road, New London, WI 54961
Phone: (414) 867-2674

Wisconsin Sustainable Agriculture Networks

Eastern Wisconsin Sustainable Farmers Network

A network of sustainable farmers with diverse interests including grazing, marketing, specialty products, organic milk and crops, and renewable energy. The groups sponsors pasture walks and brings together farmers with similar interests.


Richard Wittgreve
N9030 Little Elkhart Lake Road, Elkhart Lake, WI 53020
Phone: (414) 876-2182

Farm Family Support Group Network

Provides training and information for forming farm support groups for such issues as stress management, communication, and farming transitions. Available guides include Neighbor to neighbor: do-it-yourself guide for organizing farm family support groups and Empowering your rural community.


Roger Williams
Health and Human Issues Department
University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Continuing Studies
610 Langdon St., Madison, WI 53703-1195
Phone: (608) 263-4432

Northeast Wisconsin Sustainable Farmers Network

A network of farmers in northeast Wisconsin who study sustainable practices on family farms, economics, rotational grazing, and agricultural diversification. The group sponsors field days, pasture walks, and educational meetings in January and February.


John Bobbe
9896 County D, Brussels, WI 54204
Phone: (414) 825-1369
FAX (414) 825-1369


E-mail: jbobbe@mail.wiscnet.net

Western Wisconsin Sustainable Farming Network

A farming network interested in organic production of vegetables and livestock issues including grazing, marketing, and profitability. The group sponsors monthly potlucks and farm tours.


Diane Kaufmann
5207 70th Street, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Phone: (715) 723-2262


E-mail: dkaufman@discover-net.net

Wisconsin Women's Sustainable Farming Network

A network of women in sustainable farming who share information and strategies for production, marketing, processing, farm safety, quality of life, women's issues, and entrepreneurship.


Diane Kaufmann
5207 70th Street, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Phone: (715) 723-2262


E-mail: dkaufman@discover-net.net

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Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems
University of Wisconsin-Madison
This page created October 1996
All contents copyright 1996 University of Wisconsin

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