Steering Committee

The Discovery Farms Program and UW Platteville Pioneer Farm are governed by a joint Steering Committee representing different farm and environmental organizations. The Discovery Farms/Pioneer Farm Steering Committee solicits input on nonpoint pollution information needs, identifies evaluation/demonstration project possibilities, selects projects for funding, and solicits Discovery Farms cooperators.

The committee, chaired by a producer, includes representatives from Wisconsin farm, agribusiness and environmental organizations. Each organization was contacted and asked to select a representative for their organization. Most of the Steering Committee members are producers. In addition, there will be a group of non-voting advisors representing various public agencies and the university system. The function and duties of the governing board are:

• To provide overall direction to Discovery Farms and Pioneer Farm
• To assist in the selection of Discovery Farm cooperators, and on projects at both Discovery Farms and the Pioneer Farm
• To provide regional assistance to Discovery Farm cooperators
• To help in the dissemination of the DF/PF information to the membership of many statewide and local organizations

This Steering Committee provides oversight, direction and assistance/guidance to the programs. The steering committee is comprised of producers and representatives of the agri-business sector and the environmental community.

Steering Committee Members

Dick Gorder
Producer, Mineral Point
Farm Bureau

Mike Wehler
Producer, Plain
WI Pork Association

Terry Anderson
Producer, Chetek
Poultry and Egg Association

Andy Dierks
Producer, Coloma
Potato & Vegetable Growers

Mark Diederichs
Producer, Malone
Professional Dairy Producers of WI

Craig Myhre
Producer, Osseo
WI Farmers Union

Ben Peterson
Producer, Grantsburg
Dairy Business Association

Ed Jasurda
Producer, Phillips
WI Milk Marketing Board

Byron Freeman
Producer, Whitewater
WI Cattleman's Association

Joe Bragger
Producer, Independence
WI Soybean Growers

David Ward
Producer, Fort Atkinson
Cooperative Network

Phil Morrow
Crop Production Association

Joe Britt
Sand County Foundation

Melissa Malott
Clean Wisconsin

For more information, contact Dennis Frame, drframe@wisc.edu or Dennis Busch, buschd@uwplatt.edu