 Discovery Farms are real working farms throughout Wisconsin's diverse agricultural landscape that are facing different environmental challenges. The Discovery Farms program takes a real-world approach to finding the most economical solutions.
Mission
The Discovery Farms program develops on-farm and related research to determine the economic and environmental effects of agricultural practices on a diverse group of Wisconsin farms; and educates and improves communications among the agricultural community, consumers, researchers and policy-makers to better identify and implement effective environmental management practices that are compatible with profitable agriculture.
Vision
To achieve its mission, the Discovery Farms program will:
- Work and communicate with a wide range of agricultural enterprises to determine the environmental impacts of production agriculture and create a reliable database of what different farms contribute in terms of environmental enhancement or degradation;
- Gather baseline information that includes not only environmental information, but also management practices and financial conditions that allow for the calculation of the cost of implementing environmentally sound practices;
- Determine the effects of environmental rules and regulations on the environment, farm profitability and farm management; and provide accurate information to producers, consumers, policy makers and agency personnel so positive steps can be made to protect both the environment and production agriculture;
- Work and communicate with agricultural producer groups, environmental groups, consumers, the University of Wisconsin, UW Extension, the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, the Department of Natural Resources, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, County Land Conservation Departments, and agricultural businesses and cooperatives on the importance of maintaining a viable agricultural economy; and
- Identify the impacts -- both negative and positive -- that agriculture has in Wisconsin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Staff
Steering Committee
Local Advisory Committees
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