Industry Buzz
Jan. 27 2015 06:52 AM

February ACE meeting series focuses on ‘Cows, People, Sun and Air’ in Rural Communities

February ACE meeting series focuses on ‘Cows, People, Sun and Air' in Rural Communities



Community leaders, elected officials, conservation officials and livestock producers who see agriculture as a vibrant part of Wisconsin's landscape will gather at two different Wisconsin locations for learning and dialogue about the issues facing rural communities.

The first gathering is Tuesday, February 24 at Glacier Canyon Lodge in Wisconsin Dells. The second is Wednesday, February 25 at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Green Bay. The meetings are part of the Agriculture Community Engagement® (ACE) partnership, a joint effort of the Wisconsin Towns Association, the Wisconsin Counties Association and Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW).

The seminar will start with registration at 9 a.m., include lunch, and conclude at 4 p.m. Anyone with an interest in how modern agriculture fits into local communities is invited to attend. The theme of each meeting is "Cows + People + Sun + Air = ?" Each meeting will create dialogue aimed at helping rural communities find answers to key questions involving these shared resources.

The agenda for both meetings includes presentations from:


  • Jeff Endres, a Wisconsin dairy farmer who is active in the Yahara Pride watershed project. The project is an ongoing partnership between dairy farmers, neighbors and researchers who aim to discover the best ways to manage agricultural practices, utilize the state's natural resources, and account for soil nutrients that once were lost. Endres will address how this project can be replicated in other communities.

  • Tucker Burch, research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Burch leads the risk assessment portion of Wisconsin's nutrient irrigation study. He walks fields, studies air and water quality, and will lead a discussion about what is best for the environment in our rural communities.

  • Brenda Murphy, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. Murphy will depict the impact Wisconsin's dairy industry has on our rural communities and on the state as a whole.

  • Sgt. Mike Klingenberg, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Rob Richard, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, will share the current status of the legislation governing agricultural equipment on roads and how these new regulations affect town and county road systems. Attendees will be encouraged to share experiences regarding road use in their local communities.

  • Secretary Ben Brancel, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Secretary Brancel has become one of the nation's most respected rural leaders. His presentation will balance challenges and opportunities at the state level with the challenges and opportunities for rural communities.


To register for either ACE event, call the Wisconsin Towns Association at (715) 526-3157. A detailed brochure is available by contacting the Wisconsin Towns Association, or by visiting www.pdpw.org.

PDPWProfessional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin is a dairy-producer founded organization that provides educational programs and services to fellow dairy producers. PDPW's mission is "to share ideas, solutions, resources, and experiences that help dairy producers succeed."
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1.27.2015