SCSW WI WIRED
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Workforce Innovation & Regional Economic
Development
Invest to establish robust infrastructures and
networks
Collaborate: business/industry, workforce
system, technical colleges, K-12
Establish career pathway platforms as a tool
for talent development and skilled workforce
pipelines to industry
Vision:
Bring together industry, education & workforce
development to train and advance on-farm
and off-farm workers in the development of
innovative, sustainable agribusiness including
movement from commodity to value-added
production, biotechnology, green and organic
initiatives, and new entry, minority, English
language learners and non-traditional agribusiness ownership.
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Paul Dietmann – Chair and WIRED Leadership Caucus
Member
Howard Zellmer – Marquette County Board, Farmer
Mark Masters, Iowa County Board, Farmer
Andy Fiene, Premier Coop
Chris Wellington, Blackhawk Technical College
David Shonkwiler, Madison Area Technical College
Matt Kruemenauer, WI Federation of Cooperatives
Deb Wopat, Columbia County Board, Farmer
Lee Cunningham, Dane County Extension Agent
Randy Zogbaum, WI Technical College System
Greg Lawless, Thrive
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Agriculture & Agri-Business Peer Networks
◦ Establish peer to peer networks with embedded
formal and informal training on agrientrepreneurship topics
◦ Impact
 Prototypes of contextualized, relevant peer based
programs for training
 Expand opportunities for informal networking and
mentoring beyond farm to farm, to farm to business
and multi-commodity networks – create network hubs
 Create value-added opportunities by connecting
entrepreneurs with new technologies (bio-ag gateway)
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Training for “New to Farming”
◦ Training programs to enhance success of workers
new to farming
◦ Impact:
 Increase number of farmers available to provide raw
product in support of region’s food processing
infrastructure
 Increase supply & participation in local food markets,
including CSAs
 Encourage infrastructure development to create a
“tipping point” for local food initiatives in WIRED region
 Increase viability of small farm operations
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Job Training and Re-employment for Farm
Families
◦ Alternative sources of income and benefits for onfarm workers, enabling them to maintain the farm
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Impact:
◦ Increase number of people accessing job training
◦ Increase number of people who are able to stay on
the farm thru supplementary income and benefits
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Competitive Procurement Process
Industry Reviewers of Proposal
WIRED Leadership Caucus Approval
WIRED funding end date: June 30, 2010
And now, the projects:
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MACSAC delivers coordinated training,
resource sharing and networking
opportunities to direct market farmers
Strategies for delivery:
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Farm Field Days
Grower Gatherings
Farmer-led mentorships
One on one consulting
Collaborates with REAP Food Group
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Agriculture & Agri-Business Peer network
Strategies
◦ Link member farmers with economic development
experts, education providers, entrepreneurs and
businesses
◦ Training delivered through web-enhanced technologies
and hybrid delivery methods
◦ Target under-represented populations through bilingual outreach
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Collaborators: UW-Madison, SWTC, Madison
College (MATC), Iowa County Extension, SW WI
Regional Planning, Heartwood Farm, Renaissance
Farm
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Builds and delivers job readiness and search
services to farmers in need of non-farm
opportunities
Strategies
◦ Establishment of local, sustainable peer networks of
community resources
◦ Volunteer training and materials for on-farm
delivery of services
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Empowers women to become better farm
managers
Strategies:
◦ Training, including risk management and
entrepreneurship
◦ Local Support Networks
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Collaborators: UW-Platteville, Blackhawk
Technical College, UW Center for Dairy
Profitability, First National Bank of Platteville
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Expand locations/offerings of the UW Dairy
program short course to Prairie Du Chien,
Reedsburg, Jefferson
Strategies:
◦ Expansion of locations
◦ Development of a classroom facilitator guidebook
for sustainability of distance education model
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Collaborators: Organic Valley, Farm Service
Agency, UW-Extension, UW-Platteville, Town
& Country Resource Conservation &
Development Inc.
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MACSAC
◦ Kiera Mulvey, kiera@macsac.org, (608)226-0300
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SW CAP
◦ David Vobora, d.vobora@swcap.org, (608)778-1742
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DATCP Future Fields:
◦ Mike Exum, michael.exum@wisconsin.gov, (608 )2445051
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SWTC Annie’s Project
◦ Susan Allen Davis, sallen@swtc.edu, (608) 822-2322
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UW Madison Short Course
◦ Dick Cates, rlcates@wisc.edu , (608) 588- 2836
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WI Department of Workforce Development
Sector Grant received - $25,000
Purpose:
◦ Build a sustainable industry partnership structure to
more clearly understand & nurture career pathways
within the broad agriculture industry, as well as the
intersection of the primary systems that make up
the Agriculture industry
 Agribusiness, Animal, Environmental Services, Food
Products & Processing, Natural Resources, Plant,
Power/Structural/Technical
◦ Evaluate WIRED projects & determine which should
transition to the Council
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Establish a sub-committee specifically
focused on Career Pathway development and
the corresponding development of the future
& current agriculture workforce
Convene affiliated businesses and partners
to:
Validate credentials
Map pathways
Influence curriculum content
Inform education on gaps in credentials, skills,
knowledge of workforce
◦ Project changes for the future
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Better understood career pathway
Assistance to educators on establishing and
maintaining relevant curriculums
Better prepared workers
More interest in agriculture careers
Engaging curriculum
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Identify training needs for a Department of
Workforce Development sector-based
training grant – submission May 2010
Integration of WIRED projects into Council
work
Establishment of structure (sub-committee)
for needs identification
Expansion of successful WIRED work outside
of South Central/Southwest WI