Yahara Pride Farms hosted a Twilight Meeting on August 9, 2023, at Laufenberg Farms, 7015 Riles Road, Waunakee. Hosts included Dave and Kate Laufenberg, Fred and Mary Laufenberg, Kurt Laufenberg, Emma Laufenberg, and Luke (YPR board member) and Zoe Laufenberg.
The twilight meeting included a robotic milking tour, a meal sponsored by Insight FS, and
presentations by Crop Consultant Eric Birschbach, and Agronomist Kim Meyer. More than 60
Yahara Pride Farms members enjoyed a meal catered by Mission BBQ.
Birschbach shared that he is most proud of his field collaborations with the UW for the benefit of
Wisconsin farmers. He encouraged farmers to have a vision of where your operation is going and
to ask what role do cover crops have in that vision? He highlighted Dan Smith’s research work at
the University of Wisconsin Nutrient and Pest Management Program with fall seeded winter rye
followed by spring no till seeded alfalfa.
Birschbach also shared observations from this season on the reduced weed pressure in areas that
had cover crops and said that this year is an excellent year to evaluate your own crop
management successes.
Meyer provided highlights from the 2022 Yahara Pride Farms Phosphorus Report and described
the 10 incentive programs offered in the Yahara Watershed. Meyer outlined the original phosphorus accounting method that had been used since 2012 when the Cost Share Program had started. She described a new phosphorus account method that was used for 2022.
“The 2022 numbers will be significantly lower than in 2021,” said Meyer. “However, farmers are still
having the same impact as they were before. Same practice, same water quality outcome, different
number.”
She presented the 2022 statistics: Due to efforts by the farmers in the Yahara Watershed 28,464
pounds of phosphorus were kept on farmland by Cost Share Program conservation practices; total
acres: 25,566.
“And farmers spent 126% more than they received in cost-share,” added Meyer.
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