Training helps Ag Educators Make Cents of the Economics of Conservation
In mid-September, agricultural and conservation educators came together for the Regional Conservation Finance Ag Educator Training in Arlington, Wisconsin. Extension educators and partners from across the Midwest heard from agricultural economic experts about the financial implications of conservation agriculture and how to tackle tough conversations around these topics. Attendees also got to see first-hand some of the research taking place at the US Dairy Forage Research Farm in nearby Prairie du Sac, and see how one farmer is taking a mob grazing approach to his operation on the shores of Lake Wisconsin.
Hosted by the Soil Heath Nexus, UW-Madison Division Extension, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture of Consumer Protection (DATCP), Wisconsin Land + Water, and other multistate extension partners, the workshop offered a chance for educators from across the region to network and learn from one another. The first day commenced with presentations from UW-Madison and Purdue agricultural economists about holistic approaches to the economics of regenerative agriculture, nutrient management, soil health, reduced tillage, and cover crops. Throughout the workshops, they highlighted tips and tricks for thinking about and discussing conservation from a financial perspective.
As a part of the workshop Paul Mitchell, a UW-Madison Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics, demonstrated how to calculate the maximum return to nitrogen (MRTN) for corn fields. MRTN provides farmers a guideline for the best nitrogen application rate that maximizes their returns and profits on corn. Many farmers are inclined to apply more nitrogen than is financially beneficial for them because they believe it is necessary for profitability, maximizing crop yield, and offsetting poor soil condition. Together, the group discussed the natural inclination to apply more nitrogen rather than less to ensure yield, even when decision-support tools and research demonstrate that it doesn’t pay off.
This conversation, and others, led to discuss the social barriers that can prevent landowners from being open and talking about finances or taking risks. Serge Koenig with the Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Department gave insights on how he is able to connect with farmers over the economic benefits of sustainable practices. The first day finished with a discussion from several producers who participate in the Producer-Led Watershed Grant Program on how educators can be helpful when it comes to conservation finance.
“The tools and strategies we learned should help bridge the gap between the environmental benefits and the economic realities farmers face when implementing conservation practices, ” notes Dane Elmquist, a workshop planning committee member. “Overall there was a great balance of classroom content geared towards making conservation finance conversations between educators and farmers more effective and field visits showcasing conservation practices in action.”
The second day of the workshop focused on highlighting research and practices that are unique to the area with tours of the US Dairy Forage Research Farm in Prairie du Sac and two properties at Schoepp Farms. Specifically, Ron Schoeep of Schoepp Farms, who won the 2023 Conservation Family Farm of the year award, showcased his mob grazing techniques on boglands – mob grazing involves grazing cattle for short durations at high densities with longer recovery time for grass.
The Conservation Finance Ag Educator training opened up conversations between agricultural educators from extension, conservation districts, and farming organizations across the Midwest and helped connect the dots between the environmental and economic goals farmers have. This workshop was funded in part through Wisconsin and North Central SARE and with continuing support the Soil Health Nexus and partners will host additional regional educator-focused events in 2025 and 2026 in other parts of the region.
This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number 2023-38640-39573 through the North Central Region SARE program under project number ENC23-221. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.