Pest Management Update Meeting
2021-11-18 11:30 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | WI
UW–Madison Division of Extension, Outagamie County
Place: Liberty Hall
800 Eisenhower Dr, Kimberly
Cost: $50/person – meeting & meal
CEUs: The meeting counts towards three hours of CEU credits in pest management for certified crop advisors
Information will be supplied to all registered participants. The packet will include handouts and a copy of the “A3646 Pest Management in Wisconsin Field Crops.” This year ONLY, all in-person attendants will also receive a free copy of “A Farmer’s Guide to Wheat Diseases” a $30 value.
Speakers:

Mark Renz, Perennial Cropping Systems Extension Weed Specialist
Rodrigo Werle, Annual Cropping Systems Extension Weed Specialist
Nick Arneson, Weed Science Outreach Specialist
PJ Leisch Extension Entomology Diagnostician
Damon Smith, Extension Field Crops Pathologist

Topics will include updates in the area of weed, insect and disease management along with a panel discussion and Q&A regarding the pest management challenges related to planting soybeans early.
Info here.

How Your Organization Can Buy Paris Agreement-Verified Rainforest Carbon Credits for the First Time
2021-11-18 12:00 - 13:00
As governments step up efforts to strengthen the Paris Agreement at COP26 and tackle the climate emergency, corporate action has never been more critical. Join our webinar and learn how, for the first time, corporations can achieve carbon neutrality, protect tropical rainforests, and directly support the global climate agreement.
Formalized in Article 5 of the Paris Agreement, the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) Mechanism was designed to “slow, halt and reverse forest cover and carbon loss” globally. The initiative has led to sequential declines in emissions and helped protect over 90% of the world’s tropical rainforests for over two decades.
Previously only available through the UNFCCC to governments and multilateral banks, Paris Agreement-verified rainforest carbon credits can now be purchased directly from countries by corporations, institutional investors, and consumers. In March this year, Papua New Guinea was the first country to join a new trading platform called REDD.plus when it onboarded 9 million metric tons of carbon reductions. These credits will be followed by over 110 million tonnes from Belize and Gabon in the next twelve months.
Info here.

NE Wisconsin Pest Management Update Meeting
2021-11-19 09:00 - 12:00
For 2021, the Pest Management Update Meetings will be hosted by the UW-Madison, Division of Extension and UW-Madison Nutrient and Pest Management Program (NPM).
This year’s speakers include: Mark Renz, Perennial Cropping Systems Extension Weed Specialist; Rodrigo Werle, Annual Cropping Systems Extension Weed Specialist; Nick Arneson, Weed Science Outreach Specialist; PJ Liesch Extension Entomology Diagnostician; and Damon Smith, Extension Field Crops Pathologist. Topics will include updates in the area of weed, insect and disease management. A panel discussion and Q&A regarding the pest management challenges related to planting soybeans early will follow.
Info here.

State Natural Areas at 70: Still Protecting Wisconsin Wetland Gems
2021-11-19 10:30 - 11:30
Join conservation biologist Thomas Meyer to learn about the Wisconsin DNR’s State Natural Areas Program, the oldest and largest state-wide nature preserve protection program in the nation, celebrating its 70th year in 2021. Thomas will give a brief history and highlights of the program and then take a virtual tour of some of the state’s most outstanding natural areas — from old-growth forests to vibrant prairies to biologically diverse wetlands — and learn more about what makes them so special.
Thomas Meyer is a conservation biologist with the Wisconsin DNR. His 35-year career with the Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation in Madison has focused on protecting native ecosystems and habitat for rare species of plants and animals. He helps guide the State Natural Areas Program, which protects some of the best remaining ecological communities in the state (some of which are also Wetland Gems®!).
Info here.

Life Hacks over Lunch: A Meet-up Series for Watershed Professionals
2021-11-19 11:30 - 12:30
This free, virtual meet-up series is a peer-learning opportunity for watershed professionals to share ideas and advice for solving real-life challenges of watershed projects.
If you work with farmers and communities on watershed-scale projects to improve water quality and have ever found yourself thinking, “I don’t want to recreate the wheel,” this meet-up series is for you.
In each meet-up, one person will kick things off by presenting a challenge or issue to the group to “hack.” Conversation, collaboration, and commiseration will ensue.
Join us for these informal gatherings of peers who share a passion for watershed work – and bring your lunch!
Info here.

Listening Session: Climate Impacts on Farmworkers
2021-11-19 12:00 - 13:00
A recent report by the Union of Concerned Scientists indicates that outdoor workers, particularly farmworkers, are 20 times more likely to die of heat-related illnesses than other workers. With increasingly extreme weather, the number of unsafe outdoor workdays is likely to climb.
The Biden administration recently announced an effort to protect workers from heat stress, including plans to develop a federal heat standard. How is this issue being addressed at the state level? What steps can farmers take to lessen or mitigate the impacts on workers?
Join us for a virtual lunchtime discussion with a group of panelists who’ll address this issue from the farmer, farmworker, and policy perspectives.
Info here.

Weeding the Worries Out of Manure
2021-11-19 13:30 - 14:30
Introduction of weeds is often a major concern for farmers that are considering manure application to their fields. Fortunately, there are several methods that reduce weed seed viability both before and after animal digestion. In this webinar we’ll take a look at a few studies that show what works and what doesn’t for minimizing introduction of weeds. Additionally, we’ll discover how to determine how much of what weeds will be a problem in the manure product being used.
Info here.

Understanding disparities in farmland ownership
2021-11-19 15:30 - 17:00
Land is foundational to food production, and access to land is a critical issue for the next generation of farmers. Yet ownership of farmland in the United States is vastly unequal, with White people owning 98%. This webinar – the first of two on the topic of land justice – will explore how present day trends in farmland ownership are rooted in colonization, land appropriation/theft, discrimination, and violence. The webinar will also recognize ways in which Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color in California have always resisted racism and affirmed lasting ties to the land. Part two – the final webinar in our 6-part series, to be held in December – will highlight organizations working towards land justice solutions and how extension professionals might engage them.
Info here.

Winter Sow Workshop
2021-11-20 09:00 - 22:00, 2021-11-21 11:00 - 12:00
Winnebago Waterways will be hosting two winter sowing workshops in November. Both workshops will be held at the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance’s office.
During this workshop you will learn how to create mini greenhouses to grow native plants.
These plants will be used by participants, shoreline property owners and part of a fundraiser.
Info here.

Hear from someone who's done it - A new hemp venture
2021-11-20 11:00 - 12:00
Learn how ZION Growers evolved from a CBD focused venture to a fiber based processor, the pitfalls they encountered, the market research they did to assess and confirm the potential for their current iteration. For growers seeking to grow bulk fiber learn what it takes.
Info here.

Managing Weeds With Less Chemical Use in No-Till Systems
2021-11-23 13:00 - 14:30
Join us for this webinar during which the presenters will discuss a variety of management techniques and practices used to control weeds that producers can apply to enable them to reduce chemical treatments while continuing to practice no-till.
Many producers are interested in continuing to apply good soil health practices on their farms. They are, however, concerned about the continual use and amounts of chemicals used to control weeds in their system. This webinar will examine management techniques and practices that producers can apply to reduce the amount chemicals that they rely on while building healthy soil systems.
Info here.

November Wetland Knowledge Exchange
2021-11-24 13:00 - 14:00
Across the planet, subarctic environments are warming faster than the southern regions, partly due to the loss of the highly-reflective surfaces of snow and ice. This amplified warming is having measurable impacts on marine and land ecozones, and on communities who live and rely on them. At the boundary of the discontinuous and continuous permafrost zones, and at the northern extent of the boreal forest, the coastal subarctic ecoregion known as the Hudson Bay Lowlands represents the largest contiguous wetland complex in Canada, and third largest in the world, spanning an area of 373 700 km2. The Hudson Bay Lowlands is a prime example of a geography poised to experience dramatic rates of climate change in the coming decades. We carried out a survey of existing research to determine (1) what are the impacts of climate change on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in the Hudson Bay Lowlands? and (2) how do environmental processes in this region mediate these impacts? To address these research questions, four illustrative case studies have been selected which span a range of interconnected subsystems within the Hudson Bay Lowlands: snow, trees, ponds, and frogs. Using existing thresholds identified in the literature for these key impacts and mediating factors, we investigate how different climate change scenarios may (or may not) lead to the crossing of key ecological tipping points, and also show how this approach can be applied across contexts to examine how wetlands and their thresholds respond to environmental changes.
Info here.

Iowa Organic Conference
2021-11-28 - 2021-11-29
Save the planet through organics: Managing climate change with organic practices
Info here.

Pollinators in the City
2021-11-29 09:00 - 10:00, 2021-11-30 09:00 - 10:00
Join for this webinar series focused on the biology and human dynamics of pollinator conservation in urban settings.
11/29 Reed Johnson, Honey Bees in the City
11/30 Gerardo Camilo, The City as a Refuge for Insect Pollinators
12/1 Mary Gardiner, Vacant Lots as Urban Bee Habitat
12/2 Scott MacIvor, Constructed Green Infrastructure to Support Wild Bees: Does it Work?
12/3 Damon Hall, Policy Dimensions of Insect Pollinator Conservation
Info here.

NEWSC Dredging Workshop
2021-11-29 09:00 - 15:00
Stormwater ponds were constructed en masse several years ago, requiring only annual inspections and minor maintenance since. But they were put in place with the understanding sediment would need to be removed in a 15 to 20-year cycle, and many ponds have reached that point. Because of the long cycle, it’s not uncommon for municipal staff to be unfamiliar with the dredging process, nor is it surprising that there is little industry experience with dredging in Wisconsin.

Stormwater pond design, maintenance, and vegetation have been the topic of past NEWSC workshops. Now, we welcome you to join us and our panel of experts for a comprehensive exploration of the dredging process. Workshop sessions include: regulatory background, dredging examples and technical guidance, sediment depth measurement processes, and a residential pond dredging exemplar. This one-day workshop can help fulfill up to 5 PDHs.
Info here.

Conservation Partnership Training
2021-11-30 09:00 - 12:00
Join us to learn about WI Land+Water, DATCP, DNR, NRCS, etc. Presenters will provide information about programs and topics integral to successful conservation programs over the three-day training.
Training resources are posted on our website which provide additional information on the programs included in this training along with other programs.
Check out the draft agenda for more information.
You are not required to attend the entire morning’s session, and you are welcome to join us whenever you can. There will be different Zoom links provided for each day, so you need to register for each day separately.
Register by Wednesday, November 24, at https://conta.cc/3A0JYeX

Farm Loans: How and When to Use Debt to Finance Your Farm Business
2021-12-01 16:30 - 18:00
Growing a food and farm business often requires taking on debt. Upfront capital requirements and seasonal operations expenditures can leave enterprises strapped for cash and vulnerable to disruptions. The right loans can help, but it is important to know when and where to seek funding, and which lending opportunities best suit your purpose. Let’s talk about how to decide whether debt financing is the right tool for you, and how to get approved.
Info here.

Floodplain 101
2021-12-02 08:00 - 12:00
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be hosting a virtual Floodplain 101 Workshop. All community floodplain zoning administrators, community officials, building officials and other development professionals are encouraged to attend.

Floodplain management & federal, state & local roles
WI minimum standards
Floodplain zones and types
Permitting of structures in the floodplain & development scenarios
Mitigation options & funding sources
Letters of map change
Hydrologic & hydraulic analyses
Dam failure analyses
Program updates
Q&A session

Info here.

Mass Timber Case Study
2021-12-02 10:30 - 11:30
A part of the Yale Forest Forum: The Future of Wood Building Products in a Changing Climate
Wood is a renewable resource that has wide material applications in many industries. Wood products sourced from sustainably managed forests store carbon and can play an important role in combating climate change. Recent innovations in the use of wood have led to the development of new products that can replace traditional fossil-based carbon-intensive materials, particularly in the construction and energy sectors. Understanding the potential environmental impacts and societal implications of increases in both conventional and emerging wood products across their respective life cycles, as well as their possible reuse in a circular construction economy, is critical in assessing the climate mitigation potential of wood vs. other materials.
What is the future role of forest products in addressing climate, resources, societal, and environmental challenges? What are the environmental, economic, and societal implications for using more forest products? Hear from speakers representing forestry, industrial ecology, architecture, conservation, and academia.
Info here.

Organic Confluences Conference: Connecting Organic and AgTech
2021-12-02 11:00 - 16:30
The conferences will examine potential opportunities for technology to support the organic sector, pitfalls when it comes to access and equity in AgTech, historical and current examples of AgTech exacerbating the pre-existing structures of racism in the food system, and methods for analyzing AgTech’s fit within organic ideals.
Info here.

Cash Flow Projections for 2022
2021-12-02 12:00 - 13:00
As we wrap up 2021, our financial management experts will share important tips to finish 2021 strong. They’ll also provide an outlook for 2022 cash flows. Episode presenters will be:
· Dr. Kevin Bernhardt, PhD, Professor of Agribusiness at University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Agriculture and Farm Management Specialist with UW-Extension and Center for Dairy Profitability
· Gary Sipiorski, Independent Business and Financial Consultant
Info here.

Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacteria Blooms
2021-12-02 12:00 - 14:30
The Harmful Cyanobacteria Blooms (HCBs) training reviews key information found in the ITRC Guidance Document, Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms.
Cyanobacteria are microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that occur naturally in all aquatic systems but most often in freshwater systems. Under certain conditions, cyanobacteria can multiply and become very abundant, discoloring the water throughout a water body or accumulating at the surface. These occurrences are known as blooms. Cyanobacteria may produce potent toxins (cyanotoxins) that pose a threat to human health. They can also harm wildlife and domestic animals, aquatic ecosystems, and local economies by disrupting drinking water systems and source waters, recreational uses, commercial and recreational fishing, and property values. It is likely that continued population growth, land use change, increases in nutrient inputs to our waterways, and the warming climate will favor proliferation of these problematic species. Providing a range of practical approaches to minimize these blooms and their likely societal and wildlife effects is critical to our future vitality, health, and economic prosperity.
Info here.

Start Your 2022 Grant Strategy Off Right!
2021-12-02 14:00 - 15:00
As the calendar year begins to wind down and you think about the new year, are you also thinking about how to strengthen your grant-seeking strategy in the upcoming year?
Starting your year off with a strong plan and clear goals in place will ensure that you secure the funding necessary to achieve your goals for grant revenue.
Participating in “Start Your 2022 Grant Seeking Off Right!” will provide you with a strong understanding of your success in 2021 and how to set goals for 2022 that will help expand your grant-seeking strategy and revenue. We will also discuss how to increase the engagement of your colleagues in being part of the grant planning process to further increase your success.
Info here.

Our Changing Menu: Climate Change and the Foods We Love and Need
2021-12-02 15:30 - 17:00
Dr. Mike Hoffmann, will give a presentation based on his new book, “Our Changing Menu: Climate Change and the Foods We Love and Need,” and the companion website. Written by Hoffmann and Carrie Koplinka-Loehr and Danielle L. Eiseman, the authors “offer an eye-opening journey through a complete menu of before-dinner drinks and salads; main courses and sides; and coffee and dessert. Our Changing Menu is a celebration of food and a call to action―encouraging readers to join with others from the common ground of food to help tackle the greatest challenge of our time. Their story is rounded out with a primer on the global food system, the causes and impacts of climate change, and what we can all do.” Come prepared to consider how we can start a climate change social movement using food – we all eat.
Info here.

International Nature Farming Convergence
2021-12-02 17:30 - 23:00
The focus of this event goes far beyond Nature Farming as a series of recipes, instead bringing in natural philosophy and going back to the traditional roots of farming. As the world gets increasingly connected by technology, it is also causing cultural amnesia as homogenous forces of consumerism cause the domesticated and industrialized to forget how to live harmoniously in their own ecosystems. Fermentation as an art form, has largely been forgotten due to the convenience of electricity, and so human microbiomes have suffered. Microbial based agriculture can help heal the soil, fostering greater ability for human health, empowering us all through food sovereignty. Nature Farming as a spiritual worldview allows us to remember we are part of the natural world and can foster diversity in our bioregions.
Info here.

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and YFA Conference
2021-12-03 - 2021-12-06
The annual meeting brings together Wisconsin farmers, agriculture business professionals and supporters to discuss top issues impacting agriculture.
One of the most important items of business at each WFBF Annual Meeting is the grassroots policy development process. County Farm Bureaus elect voting delegates who will participate in a resolution session during Monday’s program to establish policy positions to guide WFBF staff throughout 2022.
Info here.

2021-12-03 09:00 - 10:00
Join for this webinar series focused on the biology and human dynamics of pollinator conservation in urban settings.
11/29 Reed Johnson, Honey Bees in the City
11/30 Gerardo Camilo, The City as a Refuge for Insect Pollinators
12/1 Mary Gardiner, Vacant Lots as Urban Bee Habitat
12/2 Scott MacIvor, Constructed Green Infrastructure to Support Wild Bees: Does it Work?
12/3 Damon Hall, Policy Dimensions of Insect Pollinator Conservation
Info here.

Anticipating the hydrologic consequences of Emerald Ash Borer invasion in tribal forested wetlands through a sapflux network
2021-12-03 10:30 - 11:30
Tribal communities maintain significant landholdings, including Black ash-dominated forested wetlands. These systems have not been a priority for management, but anticipated mortality induced by emerald ash borer (EAB, Agrilus planipennis) has prompted tribal managers to seek strategies and prioritize areas for mitigation. Join Angela Waupochick as she shares details about how her tribal-scale research will direct local management by capturing a refined picture of environmental and atmospheric controls. She’ll also share how the data from this work will better determine how site hydrology changes following black ash loss and direct specific management areas for tribal managers.
Angela Waupochick is Ph.D. student in forest and wildlife ecology at UW-Madison. She is using bioacoustic monitoring in a forest-wetland research project in the Menominee and Stockbridge-Munsee Tribal Lands near Keshena, in northern Wisconsin. Her goal is to find the best conservation strategies for these black ash–dominated ecosystems because they are widespread in the area and a culturally significant tribal land resource.
Info here.
