Farmland preservation and conservation go hand in hand, and both are top of mind for farmers across the state. One farmer who is located just outside of Madison has worked to protect his farmland while also helping to lead conservation efforts in the area.
Bob Uphoff is the Vice-Chair for Yahara Pride Farms, and he farms in the Town of Dunn. Yahara Pride Farms is a conservation group that collaborates with farmers to help them implement new conservation practices in their operations. Uphoff shares more about the group, but he also explains more about how he is able to preserve his farmland in the Town of Dunn.
Uphoff says that there are various challenges that come along with farming so close to the city. It can be difficult for folks to understand just how slow farm equipment is or the work that farmers are putting into caring for their animals. One challenge that remains top of mind is preserving farmland. However, Uphoff says that the Town of Dunn has farmland preservation agreements with landowners that allow the land to stay untouched by development.
Further, Uphoff shares that farmers are always working to try new conservation practices to better the soil and water quality. This is why he, along with other farmers along the Yahara watershed, joined together to form Yahara Pride Farms about 10 years ago.
Uphoff explains that the cost-share programs through the organization allow farmers to test out conservation practices and learn from them. He adds that farmers are not the problem when it comes to conservation, but they are part of the solution.
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