For immediate release: 10/12/01

For more information contact:

Judy Goplin - Program Assistant
Office Phone: 715/983-5668
Fax: 715/983-2138
jgoplin@wisc.edu

Discovery Farms Fills New Position

Pigeon Falls - The Discovery Farms Program is pleased to announce a new addition to its Pigeon Falls staff. Kevan Klingberg has been hired to coordinate the Discovery Farms Agricultural Training Program.

The Agricultural Training Program is a nutrient management education program, working with farmers to educate them on reasons for improving their nutrient management practices from an economic and environmental perspective. An integral part of the program is involving farmers in designing their own nutrient management plans and doing on-farm field trials to test the plans' recommendations to assure crop yields and profitability are not compromised.

The Agricultural Training Program has been in existence since 1995, and has impacted thousands of Wisconsin farmers. Over 200 farmers take part in the Ag Training Program each year. Since producers are involved in designing their own nutrient management plans with this program, these plans are more likely to be implemented and followed, since the producers understand the plans and participate in their creation.

In his new position as Agricultural Training Program coordinator, Kevan will be working with UW-Extension county agents, Land Conservation Departments, technical colleges and other organizations and institutions throughout Wisconsin to hold training sessions for producers as well as potential nutrient management plan trainers. Kevan will be working on follow-up contacts with participating producers to document the actual adoption rate of the plans and compare each farm's before and after nutrient management practices.

Kevan has a strong background in nutrient management, agronomy and education. In the past he's worked as an agricultural instructor for Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, he's been a program agronomist for Chippewa County Land Conservation Department and a crop consultant for Centrol Crop Production Services in Durand.

The Agricultural Training Program schedule and information can be found, as it's developed, on the web, at www.discoveryfarms.org or by calling Kevan Klingberg, at 715-983-2240.

Discovery Farms is a producer-driven research program, working with farmers to find economical and effective ways of complying with environmental regulations, working to assure a healthy environment and a healthy farm economy.