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Dairy Farms, Expert Presentations and Conversations on Tap for 2019 Water Matters Tours

June 17, 2019
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shelly Mayer
800-947-7379
mail@pdpw.org
 
Full Media Package is available (i.e. flyer, press release, photos, etc.)

Review Flyer: Tour Flyer
Review Press Release: Tour Press Release
Photos/Logos: Tour Photos/Logos
 
Dairy Farms, Expert Presentations and Conversations on Tap for
2019 Water Matters Tours

Tours scheduled for June 25 from Fennimore, Wis.; June 26 from Eau Claire, Wis.
 
DAIRY NEWS – Water is one of Wisconsin’s most precious resources, requiring commitment and focus from elected officials, community members, farmers and regulators to ensure that water quality is protected and preserved for generations to come.  
 
The 2019 Water Matters Tours will feature on-farm tours, research presentations and candid conversations to learn about farmer-led initiatives and understand water quality issues affecting both rural and urban areas.  The day-long tours will be held June 25 in Fennimore, Wis., and June 26 in Eau Claire, Wis.  Each day, busses will depart at 9:00 a.m. and return 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 June 25 farm tours will focus on techniques used by farmers in Grant County to address special challenges in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin.  The tours will depart from Southwest Technical College, 1800 Bronson Blvd, Fennimore, Wis.
 
  • At Banner Ridge Farms, the Shea and Roth families use methods such as strip cropping and grass waterways to manage nutrients, use less water and protect water resources.
 
  • Kieler Farms recently completed an expansion with a 50-cow rotary parlor and has implemented a number of practices to reclaim and reuse water in a variety of ways on the 450-cow dairy.
 
On June 26 farm tours will be held in Pepin and Dunn Counties, where locations in hilly terrain on the banks of the Chippewa River require careful water and land management.  The tour will depart from Wis. DOT Park & Ride 18-01, 6547 Texaco Dr, Eau Claire, Wis.
  • Tom Brenner of Farm On Dairy plants cover crops or perennials on all forage acres for year-round growing, with a goal of eliminating use of synthetic fertilizer over time.
 
  • At Alfalawn Farm, fourth-generation family dairy farmers Dale, David and Randy Styer milk 2,000 cows in a 60-stall rotary parlor.Environmental sustainability is a top priority, including using each gallon of water 3 to 6 times.
 
Dr. Mark Borchardt, Research Microbiologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, will facilitate discussions both days with farm tour hosts and representatives between farm tours and during lunch.  Dr. Borchardt will provide an update on a recent well water study from his microbiologist’s perspective.  The facilitated dialogue will include dairy farm tour hosts and representatives from county land conservation, health departments and extension resources.
 
Tours are designed for community members, farmers, educators, local elected officials and media.  Space is limited and pre-registration is required.  All attendees will travel by tour bus and depart from and return to designated pick-up sites. 
 
To learn more about the 2019 Water Matters Tours and to register, visit www.pdpw.org or contact PDPW at 800-947-7379.  Follow along digitally in advance of and during the event by following @dairyPDPW and using #WaterMatters on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
 
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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May 28, 2019
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shelly Mayer
800-947-7379
mail@pdpw.org
 
Full Media Package is available (i.e. flyer, press release, photos, etc.)

Review Flyer: Tour Flyer
Review Press Release: Tour Press Release
Photos/Logos: Tour Photos/Logos
 
Water Matters Tours Feature Farm Tours & Experts
One-Day Tours to Be Held June 25 and 26
 
DAIRY NEWS – Community members, media, elected officials, educators and farmers are invited to join the  2019 Water Matters Tours, Jun. 25 and 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Fennimore and Eau Claire, Wis., respectively. 
 
The tours are made possible in partnership between Professional Dairy Producers® (PDPW), UW Discovery Farms®, Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA), and Wisconsin Towns Association (WTA).  The event is designed to share water-quality research, on-farm strategies and innovations used by dairy farmers that keep Wisconsin’s water supply clean, safe and accessible. 
 
“This is an opportunity for us to not only learn about the latest research and management practices from leading dairies, but also to come together with multiple stakeholders to better understand how we preserve and protect our land and water,” said Shelly Mayer, Executive Director of PDPW and dairy farmer from Slinger, Wis.
 
The event will include tour stops at two area dairies each day.  On June 25, in the Fennimore area, attendees will tour Banner Ridge Farms and Kieler Farms; and on June 26, in the Eau Claire area, attendees will tour Farm On Dairy and Alfalawn Farm.
 
In addition to the farm tours, Dr. Mark Borchardt, leading water quality researcher from the USDA Agricultural Research Service, will provide a water quality update presentation over lunch, which will be followed by a 60-minute facilitated discussion featuring the farm owners and representatives from county land conservation, health departments and extension resources.
 
Space is limited and pre-registration is required.  All attendees will travel by tour bus and depart from designated pick-up sites:
  • Tue., June 25: Southwest Technical College, 1800 Bronson Blvd, Fennimore, WI 53809
  • Wed., June 26: Wis. DOT Park & Ride – 18-01, 6547 Texaco Dr, Eau Claire, WI 54703
 
To learn more about the 2019 Water Matters Tours and to register, visit www.pdpw.org or contact PDPW at 800-947-7379. 
 
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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