Aug. 25, 2021
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shelly Mayer
800-947-7379
mail@pdpw.org
 
Full Media Package is available (i.e. flyer, press release, photos, etc.)
 
2021 PDPW Water Tours Feature Variety of Approaches to Protect One Precious Resource
Join the conversation with day-long tours of farms, food processors,
waste water treatment facility and brewery on Sept. 21 and Sept. 22
 
DAIRY NEWS – Managing the quality of Wisconsin’s water resources is essential to the future of our communities, farms and industries alike.  The 2021 PDPW Water Tours will highlight best practices and unique approaches that are being used to preserve and protect water quality, featuring farm tours, facility tours and open conversations between farmers, community leaders, regulators and citizens.
 
Two day-long tours are scheduled for Sept. 21 in Wausau, Wis., with pick-up at 8:00 a.m., and on Sept. 22 in Barron, Wis., with pick-up at 9:00 a.m., with busses returning at 4:00 p.m. The tours are made possible by a partnership between Professional Dairy Producers®, UW Discovery Farms®, Wisconsin Counties Association and Wisconsin Towns Association.
 
“The quality and quantity of water in Wisconsin impacts all of us, so it is exciting to see the innovative approaches that multiple industries are taking to use this resource wisely and preserve it for future generations,” said Dave Trimner, Miltrim Farms, Inc., Athens, Wis., one of the tour hosts . “Conversations with elected officials, farmers, business leaders and community members are key to addressing the challenges and creating solutions for this important resource.”
 
The Tues., Sept. 21 tour will depart from Bull Falls Brewery, 901 E. Thomas St., Wausau, Wis., at 8:00 a.m.

• Miltrim Farms, Inc., will share some of the systems this family farm has established to mitigate their region’s historically poor water quality, and highlight how they communicate in-person and online to share how cows, crops and communities are critical to one another.
• Over lunch a roundtable discussion will be held with local watershed members.
• Randy Ross of Ross Ginseng will share his 40 years of experience in growing ginseng, and highlight the water-centric strategies that are key to producing ginseng, which contains the highest amounts of ginsenoside, the herb’s active ingredient.
• Water is critical to crafting beer at Bull Falls Brewery, Wausau’s oldest microbrewery.  Learn how the brewery focuses on water quality and usage to produce quality craft beer while managing the wastewater created by the brewing process.

On Wed., Sept. 22, the tour will depart from Barron County Extension Office, 330 East La Salle Ave., Barron, Wis., at 9:00 a.m.

• Learn how Jennie O Turkey prioritizes animal care and health and changing consumer trends and regulations while carefully managing water use at its wastewater treatment facility. 
• Jim and Audrey Kusilek of Four Mile Creek Dairy will share how they use tools like waterways, grass plantings and more to raise crops for their dairy while protecting soil and water in erosion-prone areas. 
• Tour renewable electricity producer Viresco where liquid waste from breweries, cheese factories, protein manufacturers, biodiesel plants and more is turned into renewable electricity and natural gas.

Tours are designed for community members, farmers, educators, local elected officials and media. The registration fee of $50 per person per day includes bus travel, refreshments and lunch. To learn more about the 2021 Water Tours and to register, visit pdpw.org/programs or contact PDPW at 1-800-947-7379. The 2021 PDPW Water Tours is an accredited training and offers up to 5.0 Dairy AdvanCE continuing education (CE) credits per day. To learn more or secure credits, visit www.DairyAdvance.org.

Professional Dairy Producers (PDPW) is the nation's largest dairy producer-led organization of its kind, focusing on producer professionalism, stakeholder engagement and unified outreach to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed."
 
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