Crop Management in the 21st Century

Thanks for attending! The UW-Discovery Farms Program conducted a one-day conference on December 12th in Wisconsin Dells. The theme of the day was "Crop Management in the 21st Century". Our audience included Wisconsin crop producers and agricultural professionals who provide on-farm crop, soil, and nutrient management technical services.

Presenters and titles are as follows. Download the pdf of each presentation at the bottom of the page.

What practices are reducing environmental and economic risks on Wisconsin farms?
Dennis Frame, UW Discovery Farms

How much water do I need for a crop this year?
Jerry Hatfield, USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment

Climate change in Wisconsin and impacts on agriculture
Chris Kucharik, UW Madison Agronomy

Frequency, magnitude and timing of large storm events on sediment and nutrient loss
Eric Cooley, UW Discovery Farms

Is conservation tillage the right choice for your bottom line?
Jayson Harper, Penn State University Agricultural Economics

You'd have to be crazy to farm those slopes!
Joe Bragger, Dairy and Poultry Farmer, Buffalo County, WI

Panel Discussion: economics, challenges, and new opportunities in manure handling
Dairy Producer: Ben Peterson, Four Cubs Farm LLC, Grantsburg, WI
Custom Manure Applicator: Brent Cook, Cook's Countryside Trucking, North Freedom, WI
Dairy Producer: Kenn Buelow, Holsum Dairies, LLC, Hilbert, WI

Check out the conference materials!

8 Documents


Crop Management in the 21st Century Program Agenda File (2 pages) For all the information about the upcoming conference, check out the conference flyer here!
Crop Management in the 21st Century: Summary of Conference Presentations File (8 pages) In this special edition of the UW Discovery Farms newsletter, we feature articles on each of the topics to be presented at our upcoming conference. With information on large storm events, water management, manure handling, and the economics of tillage and other practices, there is sure to be something for everyone!
Frequency, magnitude and timing of large storm events and nutrient and sediment loss. Eric Cooley Presentation (4 pages) Weather is trending towards bigger storms with higher intensities. How much impact do these single storms have on soil and nutrient loss? What does this mean for tillage management, residue and crop cover options? Are conservation practices still effective for storms larger than the design criteria?
Holsum Dairy: Economics, Challenges, and New Opportunities in Manure Handling Presentation (2 pages) Presentation from Crop Management in 21st Century Conference: This was information from Kenn Buelow, one of three different manure handlers, each with their own unique situation of economics, handling procedures, and challenges and limitations that were part of the panel at the end of the day.
How much water do I need for a crop this year? Jerry Hatfield Presentation (7 pages) Presentation from the Crop Management in the 21st Century: Jerry discussed climate related issues in cropping systems, pasture and grazing lands, and answered the questions: If you do everything else perfectly, and don’t have enough water, how much can you really lose? How much precipitation water can you really afford to lose in an average year?
Is conservation tillage the right choice for your bottom line? Jayson Harper Presentation (6 pages) Presentation from the Crop Management in the 21st Century: Jay shared results from his research on the benefits and costs of different tillage systems. He compared and contrasted systems based on factors like labor, fuel usage, and investment cost.
What practices are reducing environmental and economic risks on Wisconsin farms? Dennis Frame Presentation (9 pages) Presentation from Crop Management in the 21st Century Conference: What Discovery Farms has learned over the past 12 years about the riskiest time periods, practices, and landscapes.
You'd have to be crazy to farm those slopes! Joe Bragger Presentation (8 pages) Presentation from the Crop Management in the 21st Century Conference: Bragger Family Dairy is located in one of the most challenging landscapes in the state. Joe discussed the network of practices he has put into place to protect his crops and operation from erosion and runoff during different times of the year and precipitation events. Joe’s unique solutions get you thinking about creative ways to enhance risk protection in your farming system.