Grow Wisconsin Farmers
Shaping the Future…
……Building on the Past
Grow Wisconsin Farmers
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VISION A coordinated network of resources
will be available to assist beginning farmers.
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MISSION To develop and sustain a
coordinated network of resources and
policies to assist dairy farm entry and
transfer.
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STRATEGIES
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Ongoing discussions,
Annual Conferences,
Dairy Career and Business Development Website,
and
Projects.
We Value
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Economically sound and environmentally
viable farms.
Diverse opportunities for beginning farmers
to establish successful businesses.
Low cost and/or retrofitted facilities as
opportunities for beginning farmers.
Experienced farmers who assist beginning
dairy farmers.
Public and private organizations that assist
in farm transitions.
Processes
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Ad Hoc committee beginning dairy farmer
working group
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Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection,
University of Wisconsin,
Wisconsin Technical Colleges,
Farm Credit Services,
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board,
Wisconsin Farm Service Agency (USDA),
Farm Organization representatives and others.
Wisconsin Dairy Industry Revitalization
Funding
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USDA and UW-Extension (and support from U.S. Sen. Kohl) and
competitive grant program award.
State-wide Conferences
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2003 state-wide conference
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Focused on identifying gaps and developing
solutions
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2004 agenda – addressing the gaps
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Discussion topics: Financial, Business, Education,
Production & Support
Discussion topics: Getting in, staying in, community
support, decision-making for beginning farmers,
mentoring opportunities, ag lending resources,
improving profitability, neighbor/community relations,
older generation issues, younger generation issues, farm
organizations’ assistance for beginning farmers
2005 agenda - Agri-business professionals
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Discussion topics: Mentoring, Evaluating facilities,
taxes, financing options, initiating difficult conversations,
working with different cultures
Grow Wisconsin Farmers
Workshops for those who wish to
begin or who have already begun
farming and for those who support
them….
Workshops
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Purposes
To establish regional networks of stakeholder
organizations that will have a central focus
on beginning farmers.
To conduct regional workshops that attract
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Beginning farmers,
Young persons considering farming careers, and
Farm owners seeking/considering life and
business transitions.
To encourage personal interest, career entry
and general support for future health of the
business of production agriculture.
State and Regional Partners
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University of Wisconsin
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Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension
County Extension
UW Farm and Industry Short Course
School for Beginning Dairy Farmers (Grazing School)
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board
Wisconsin Technical College System
Wisconsin Farm Service Agency (USDA)
Farm Credit Services
Regional Economic Development Organizations
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection
County Agriculture Promotion Organizations
Grazing Networks
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority
Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE)
Farm Organizations and Many Others
Workshop Locations 04-05
Rice Lake
Thorp
Cleveland
Rice Lake, Wisconsin
Thorp High School
Grow Wisconsin Farmers
Regional workshop exit comments:
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“This (workshop) gives you (me) courage.”
“People here are enthusiastic about dairy
farming. In school back home my friends
think I am crazy. Glad I came!”
“There really are people who are also
interested in what I want to do….to farm!”
My wife and I are working together to decide
our future…. “This has helped a lot.”
Grow Wisconsin Farmers
Workshops
2004-05 Summary
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2004-05 attendance: 72, 93, 98. Approx. 40% have been selfdeclared ‘beginning’ farmers.
Conducted Saturdays: Dec. 4, 11, and Jan. 8
Good planning has involved the commitments of key people who have
a local stake in the future of farming taking an active and responsible
role.
Workshop Structure: Keynote opening, panels-farm families at
different stages and sizes, agency (lenders, farm program, legal)
representatives, exhibits, repeated roundtable discussion.
Cost of participation reasonable: Planning, coordination, promotion,
meals, refreshments, materials.
Network (planning committee), preplanning, debriefing and planning
for follow-up essential.
Workshop series requires vision, planning, follow-up, local network
development, encouraging and supportive facilitation, ideas, continuity
and statewide planning assistance.
Grow Wisconsin Farmers
Reflection and Planning
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There are people who want to be beginning farmers
Community & experienced farmer support is out there –
just a matter of harnessing it
Workshops & state conferences provide networking
opportunities to address this specific transition topic.
Format of the workshops/conference is very important
Coalition is the key to both the workshops and
conference success
Planning ’05-’06 round of workshops and a 2006 statewide conference
Funding for 4 regional workshops
State conference funding through sponsorship and
registration fees
Contact Information
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Gwen Garvey – WI Farm Link Coordinator,
Department of Ag, Trade & Consumer Protection
Gwen.Garvey@datcp.state.wi.us
(608) 224-5049
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Joy Kirkpatrick – Center for Dairy Profitability
joy.kirkpatrick@ces.uwex.edu
(608) 263-3485