Story by Sushant Mehan, Ph.D. Dr. Sushant Mehan, an Assistant Professor and Extension Water Resource Engineer Specialist at South Dakota State University (SDSU), has rapidly become a key figure in advancing water resource management and naturalRead More…
n mid-September, agricultural and conservation educators came together for the Reginal Conservation Finance Ag Educator Training in Arlington, Wisconsin. Extension educators and partners from across the Midwest heard from agricultural economic experts about the financial benefits 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 shoes of Lake Wisconsin.
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There is still time to register for the Regional Conservation Finance Ag Educator Training coming up in just two and a half weeks in Arlington, Wisconsin. Hosted by the Soil Health Nexus, UW-Madison Division of Extension,Read More…
Seven teams of farmers and farm advisors have been awarded funding from Good Idea Mini-Grants, a program to encourage the implementation of edge-of-field conservation practices on farming operations in the Mississippi River Basin. Selected from amongRead More…
When it comes to creating effective and meaningful educational programming Hannah Nordby has two core principles. First and foremost, consider the audience. Don’t expect people to come to you, meet them where they’re at. Secondly, cultivate engaging learning environments that inspire participants. If we aren’t having fun, why are we doing it? With these two principles in mind, she facilitates conservation leadership and planning programming for Soil Conservation District supervisors and employees across North Dakota.
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This summer, the North Central Agriculture and Climate Conference will unite Extension and agricultural professionals from across the region to spotlight climate adaptation and mitigation research, outreach, and Extension programs. The conference is being hosted by the North Central Climate Collaborative, USDA Midwest Climate Hub, Extension Foundation, North Central Regional Water Network, and partners. The event – which will be July 31st – August 1st at the Peoria Civic Center – will provide ample opportunity for Extension professionals and technical service providers to share their work and gain valuable knowledge on the climate-related work happening across the region. It will also provide a much-needed opportunity to network with other extension professionals from your own institution and connect with extension colleagues from other land-grant institutions across the region.
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Save water. Renew Soils. Support Farms. This is Dr. Mallika Nocco’s vision for the Conservation Irrigation Lab, her research and extension program that recently moved from California (UC-Davis) to Wisconsin (UW-Madison). Dr. Nocco’s mission is to provide science-based information for growers, managers, and policy makers to navigate the ever-changing terrain of sustainable agricultural practices and implement water-saving measures that advance production goals. Her group collaborates across disciplines and believes deeply in the power of applied research and cooperative extension.
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As Iowa becomes a more urbanized state, conservation is needed in the cities and towns just as much as the agriculture fields! Folks at Iowa State University are working hard to expand the resources available for those that want to practice conservation in their own backyards. Backyard conservation practices can make a big difference for wildlife diversity in the cities, help stabilize soil, and help improve water quality in urban areas.
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Cross-posted with The Human Capital blog on The Confluence for Watershed Leaders Agricultural lenders are often farmers’ closest financial partners, and they have significant influence on a farmer’s financial decisions, including whether to invest in conservationRead More…
On October 1st, Brad Carlson begins his 30th year working for the University of Minnesota Extension. The Extension Educator, who works statewide from the Mankato Regional Office, focuses on water quality issues related to agriculture, and more specifically, nitrates.
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