The 2026 cost-share sign-up for Yahara Pride Farms is open now. Established over a decade ago to address water quality in the Madison chain of lakes watershed, Yahara Pride Farms has grown from a dozen initial farms to a network of 80 participating operations.
Local agricultural leaders emphasize the critical role of farmer-led conservation. The initiative focuses on reducing phosphorus runoff and soil erosion through constant innovation, even as new research complicates traditional methods.
At a recent conference, participants discussed the learning process of cover cropping, or planting crops to manage soil health, erosion, and fertility rather than for harvest. Experts noted that some species may release phosphorus more quickly in the spring than others.
For Jeff Endres of Endres Berryridge Farms in Waunakee, chair of the Yahara Pride Watershed, these challenges highlight the necessity of being adaptive in a changing landscape.
“What we do as farmers is we have to be willing to change and then we have to be willing to adapt, and that’s a constant thing we have to do in our daily lives,” he says.
The mission of the organization extends beyond the field. As urban sprawl continues to expand throughout the region, the group is working with municipalities to ensure the environmental value of farmland is recognized in future urban planning.
“I like to use my eyes,” Jeff said about the success of their efforts. “I like to see what’s coming off the land and if I can see less water running off the land and less soil in the water… that’s better.”
Farmers interested in participating in the 2026 cost-share programs can visit: yaharapridefarms.org
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